Revolution of 1934 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Revolution of 1934 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Civil Guard forces with prisoners in Brañosera |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
 Catalan State
|
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Niceto Alcalá-Zamora Alejandro Lerroux< Diego Hidalgo y Durán Francisco Franco Manuel Goded Eduardo López Ochoa Agustín Muñoz Grandes Juan Yagüe Domingo Batet Lisardo Doval Bravo Cecilio Bedia |
 Belarmino Tomás  Ramón González Peña Teodomiro Menéndez (POW) Ramón Álvarez Palomo Lluís Companys Frederic Escofet Enric Pérez i Farràs |
||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 450 dead | 1,500–2,000 dead 15,000–30,000 arrested |
||||||
The Revolution of 1934 was a major strike and uprising that happened in Spain from October 5 to October 19, 1934. It is also known as the Revolution of October 1934. This event took place during a time called the "black biennium" of the Second Spanish Republic.
The main reason for the revolts was when a conservative political party, the Spanish Confederation of the Autonomous Right (CEDA), joined the Spanish government. Many members of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the General Union of Workers (UGT), along with the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT), supported the uprising.
Most of the fighting happened in Asturias and Catalonia. About 2,000 people died during the uprising. Spanish government forces eventually stopped the rebellion. Many historians believe this event made the disagreements between the political Right and Left in Spain much worse, leading to the later Spanish Civil War.
Contents
Why Did the Revolution Start?
Political Changes in Spain
In October 1933, elections in Spain led to a government mostly made up of center-right parties. The party with the most votes was the Confederación Española de Derechas Autónomas (CEDA). However, the president, Niceto Alcalá-Zamora, did not immediately ask CEDA's leader, José María Gil-Robles y Quiñones, to form a government. Instead, he asked Alejandro Lerroux from the Radical Republican Party.
For almost a year, CEDA, despite being the largest party, was not given positions in the government. After a lot of pressure, CEDA finally got three government ministries. Even though it's normal for the largest party to join the government in a democracy, many on the political Left did not like this.
Left-Wing Concerns and Preparations
The Left believed that CEDA joining the government was a sign that Fascism was growing in Spain. They thought they needed to use force to defend the Republic. However, some historians argued that CEDA was not trying to destroy the Constitution or create a fascist state.
Socialist groups had been planning an uprising for nine months. The Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and the PSOE called for a general strike. They believed the Republic should only follow their specific left-wing ideas. Any change, even if democratic, was seen as a betrayal.
The rebels had a good supply of weapons, including rifles and pistols. Some of these weapons were brought in by a socialist leader named Indalecio Prieto. Miners also used their dynamite blasting charges, which they called "the artillery of the revolution."
The Uprising in Asturias
Miners Take Control
The uprising in Asturias was well-organized, with its main command center in the city of Oviedo. On the evening of October 4, miners in several towns began fighting. They took over towns and attacked local police barracks belonging to the Guardia Civil and Assault Guard.
By dawn on October 5, the rebels attacked a school in Turón. They captured teachers and priests. Some of these religious figures, along with businessmen and civil guards, were killed by revolutionaries in Mieres and Sama. Many religious buildings, including churches and convents, were burned and destroyed.
Oviedo Falls to Rebels
On the same day, columns of miners marched towards Oviedo, the capital of the province. By October 6, the city was taken by the rebels, except for two barracks where government troops continued to fight. The miners also took over other towns, like La Felguera. They set up "revolutionary committees" to govern the areas they controlled.
Within three days, the central part of Asturias was in the hands of the rebels. The miners' revolutionary groups tried to keep order. They took over the city's arsenal in Oviedo, getting 24,000 rifles and machine guns. They also called for all workers aged 18 to 40 to join their "Red Army." About 30,000 workers were ready for battle within ten days. In the areas they controlled, the rebels declared a "proletarian revolution" and stopped using regular money.
Government Response and Suppression
The government saw this as a serious threat, almost like a civil war. General Francisco Franco, who was an aide to the Minister of War, Diego Hidalgo y Durán, was put in charge of stopping the rebellion. Franco and General Manuel Goded Llopis suggested bringing in the experienced Army of Africa, which included the Spanish Legion and Moroccan Regulares.
President Alcalá Zamora chose General Eduardo López Ochoa to lead the troops against the miners. He hoped that López Ochoa, known as a loyal Republican, would reduce bloodshed. The Army of Africa troops carried out the campaign. After two weeks of intense fighting, the rebellion was put down. Between 1,200 and 2,000 people died in the fighting.
To prevent more violence, López Ochoa executed some soldiers who had tortured or killed prisoners. Historians note that while Franco gave instructions from Madrid, López Ochoa, who was on the ground, could not prevent all bad actions.
The Uprising in Catalonia
Catalan State Declared
In Catalonia, the revolt was led by the Government of Catalonia and its president, Lluís Companys. He declared the Catalan State. This uprising began and ended on the same day, lasting only about ten hours, in what is known as the "Events of 6 October".
On October 6, Lluís Companys declared the "Catalan Republic" as part of a "Spanish Federal Republic." Many armed groups took over the streets of Barcelona and other towns, supporting this declaration and capturing public offices. Companys announced from the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Government Building) that "monarchists and fascists" had "assaulted the government." He then proclaimed the Catalan State.
Government Forces Respond
Lluís Companys asked Manuel Azaña, a political leader who was in Barcelona, to lead a new Spanish Republican government, but Azaña refused. Companys also called General Domènec Batet, who was in charge of troops in Catalonia, asking for his support. General Batet remained loyal to the central government. He gained time by asking for a written request from Companys. While Companys wrote it, Batet prepared his Army, Civil Guard, and Guardia de Asalto troops.
At 9 PM, General Batet declared martial law. He moved against trade union and militia headquarters, which quickly surrendered. He then used light artillery against the city hall and the Generalitat building. Fighting continued until 6 AM, when Companys surrendered.
In this failed rebellion, 46 people died: 38 civilians and 8 soldiers. More than 3,000 people were arrested and held, many on a ship called the "Uruguay."
What Happened After the Revolution?
Repression and Consequences
The uprising in Asturias led to more violence against Christians. It also made the division between the Left and Right in Spain much deeper. Franco and López Ochoa became known as officers who would use troops against Spanish civilians as if they were a foreign enemy. Franco described the rebellion as a "frontier war" against "socialism, communism and whatever attacks civilisation."
After the miners surrendered, investigations and punishments were carried out by Civil Guard Major Lisardo Doval Bravo. There were reports of torture and severe beatings, and some prisoners died. A journalist was also shot dead in prison. Because of martial law and censorship, not much information was made public. However, a group of Socialist politicians investigated and confirmed that severe beatings and torture had occurred.
In Catalonia, Lluís Companys and his government were arrested. Manuel Azaña was also arrested, even though he had not taken part in the events, but he was released later. The special powers given to Catalonia were suspended. Some soldiers who had joined the uprising were sentenced to death, but their sentences were changed to life imprisonment by the President of the Republic.
Long-Term Impact
Martial law remained in place until January 1935. The government tried to be fair in most cases, but in Asturias, justice was not always even, and police continued to act harshly. In June 1935, Companys and his government were sentenced to thirty years in prison for military rebellion.
The government's response included closing political and union offices, stopping newspapers, and arresting thousands of people. This showed a desire for punishment, sometimes based on class or political revenge.
Ramón Gonzáles Peña, a leader of the Oviedo Revolutionary Committee, was sentenced to death but later pardoned. He later became a prominent figure in the Unión General de Trabajadores and served as a Member of Parliament and Minister of Justice.
Unlike similar uprisings in other countries, there were no mass killings after the fighting ended in Spain. Most death sentences were changed, except for two people who had committed serious crimes. The organizations involved in the uprising were not completely shut down and were mostly active again by 1935. Civil liberties were fully restored by 1935, giving the revolutionaries a chance to seek power through elections.
After the Spanish general election of 1936, the new government released Companys and his government from jail.
At the start of the Spanish Civil War, General López Ochoa was killed by a hostile crowd. His body was disrespected, and he was called "the butcher of Asturias."
The eight religious figures killed in Turón during the uprising are remembered as the Martyrs of Turon. They were later recognized as saints by the Catholic Church.
See also
In Spanish: Revolución de 1934 para niños
- Asturian miners' strike of 1934
- Events of 6 October
- Martyrs of Turon
- Ramón González Peña
Images for kids
-
Civil Guard forces with prisoners in Brañosera
