THE FRONT AND ITS VIOLENCES. REBEL PRACTICES OF CONQUEST AND OCCUPATION IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR (1936-1939)

This article examines the politics and practices of violence, conquest, and occupation deployed by the rebel army during the Spanish Civil War in connection with the political -military goals and needs of the insurgents. First, by analysing the occupation and conduct directives issued during the war, as well as soldiers' testimonies, I contend that the concept of "military necessity" is a key instrument to understanding the high levels of violence inflicted by the columns during the summer and autumn of 1936. The second part of my thesis examines how the emergence of a formal war and its progressive inclination towards the insurgents changed the way violence was applied at the front. Lastly, I will discuss these processes in the context of soldiers' practices. My goal is to emphasize the importance of including the front and its dynamics within the explanation of Francoist violence and repression.