Outbreak of the Spanish Civil War

Date: February 16, 1936 • Location: Madrid, Spain

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1936–1939.

The Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing parties, came to power in the Spanish general election, a factor in the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War five months later.

The Popular Front was an electoral alliance and pact formed in January 1936 to contest that year's general election by various left-wing political organizations during the Second Spanish Republic. The alliance was led by Manuel Azaña. In Catalonia and the modern-day Valencian Community, the coalition was known as the Front of the Lefts.