Spanish military conspiracy of 1936

The Spanish military conspiracy of 1936 was a plot developed within the Spanish army from March to July of 1936. It commenced shortly after the Popular Front government assumed power. Initially, it was barely more than an informal group of Madrid-based generals, who agreed to monitor political developments, and be ready to intervene in case of a breakdown of state structures and a forthcoming proletarian revolution. Over time, conspirators assumed that military action was inevitable, and started to prepare for a coup. Its political objectives were not clear, but its most important one was toppling the Popular Front government, leading to major rectifications of the republican regime towards some sort of corporative state. The conspiracy network grew to hundreds of officers in most Spanish garrisons. The person who agreed to lead the future coup was the exiled general José Sanjurjo. His representative in Spain was initially general Ángel Rodríguez del Barrio, but since late May, this role was assumed by general Emilio Mola, who emerged as the de facto leader of the conspiracy. Some right-wing politicians were given vague information, but they were neither told any details nor admitted to the decision-making process. The government was aware of the plot unfolding, but since there was only circumstantial evidence in hand, they opted not to launch a pre-emptive strike, and to instead wait for the plotters to come out. The conspiracy climaxed in a coup, which began on July 17, 1936, and which effectively commenced the Spanish Civil War.