Nationalist zone (Spanish Civil War)
Spanish State | |||||||||
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| 1936–1939 | |||||||||
Coat of arms (1936–1939)
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| Motto: One, Great and Free | |||||||||
| Anthem: Marcha Real Triple Anthem (informal) | |||||||||
Spain in October 1937. Nationalist zone. Republican zone. | |||||||||
| Status | Nationalist faction-led quasi state | ||||||||
| Capital | Burgos (administrative) Salamanca (de facto) | ||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||
| Religion | Catholic | ||||||||
| Membership | Anti-Comintern Pact | ||||||||
| Government | Provisional government under a military junta (25 July – 30 September 1936) | ||||||||
| President of the Technical State Junta | |||||||||
• 1936 | Miguel Cabanellas | ||||||||
• 1936–1937 | Fidel Dávila Arrondo | ||||||||
• 1937–1938 | Francisco Gómez-Jordana y Sousa | ||||||||
• 1938–1939 | Francisco Franco | ||||||||
| Head of State | |||||||||
• 1936 | Miguel Cabanellas | ||||||||
• 1936–1939 | Francisco Franco | ||||||||
| Historical era | Spanish Civil War | ||||||||
| 17 July 1936 | |||||||||
• National Defense Junta established | 24 July 1936 | ||||||||
| 19 April 1937 | |||||||||
| 31 January 1938 | |||||||||
| 1 April 1939 | |||||||||
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The Nationalist zone, also known as the Francoist zone, is the term used in contemporary historiography to refer to the area of Spain controlled by the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalists themselves referred to it as the National zone.
From 1936, it was recognized as the legitimate representative of the Spanish State by supporting European countries, such as Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy—in communications with its government, the German ambassador also used the term White Spain to refer to the Nationalist zone. In February 1939, near the war's end, it was also recognized by the governments of France and the United Kingdom.
The extent of the Nationalist zone varied throughout the war as fronts shifted. Its existence ended when General Francisco Franco's forces gained complete control of the country, initiating the Francoist dictatorship.