La instrucció militar republicana durante la Guerra Civil espanyola (1937-1939): El cas català

Abstract

Throughout the Spanish Civil War, the Republican troops were forced to turn their system of militia into a professional army in order to face General Franco’s army. In Catalonia this process was parallel to the Catalan army joining the Republican one. In this article, we are going to analyse the several actions that the Republican General Staff carried through years 1937 and 1938 in order to prepare their troops, officers and sub-officers for armed conflict. This process wanted to improve an army suffering from indiscipline, weapon shortage and several training and technical problems, due to the army’s militia and voluntary nature combined to a short quick military instruction in the labour organisations. Would this be a move from an army striven from improvisation and enthusiasm to a more rational and conflict-appropriate one?