The historical record of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was indeed significantly distorted by political prejudice, ideological opposition, and the influence of power structures. This distortion not only existed in the propaganda of both sides during the war, but also continued in the compilation of history and public memory after the war. The following are the analysis of several key aspects： --- ### 1. **Propaganda narratives of both sides in the civil war** -**National Army (Franco Faction)**： -Describe the civil war as a “holy war” “against atheistic communism and anarchism”, emphasizing the restoration of the religion, order and national identity of “traditional Spain”. -Suppress the perspective of the republic through the censorship system, portraying the Republicans as “red elements” and puppets of external forces (such as the Soviet Union). -** Republican faction**： -Define war as an "anti-fascist democratic struggle”, emphasizing the defense of democratically elected governments and social reforms (such as land reform and women's rights). However, internal divisions (socialist Party, Communist Party, anarchists, etc.) have led to the diversification of narratives. -After Franco's victory, the perspective of the Republic was marginalized for a long time, and many records were destroyed or preserved only among groups of exiles. --- ### 2. **Historical suppression of the Franco regime (1939-1975)** -**Official history compilation**： -The Franco regime systematically promoted the “winner narrative” through education, media, and cultural institutions, glorifying the civil war as a necessary action to “save the country” and covering up its violent suppression (such as mass killings and concentration camps). -Textbooks of the Franco period referred to the Republic period as the “age of chaos” and downplayed the role of Cis support (such as Nazi Germany and Italy). -**Memory suppression**： -The history of the defeated is forcibly “forgotten”, and the survivors and their families are silent because of fear. Evidence such as mass graves and concentration camps was covered up, and it was not excavated and investigated on a large scale until the 21st century. --- ### 3. **Ideological filter from an international perspective** -**The impact of the cold war**： -Western democratic countries (such as the United States) used the Cold War to win over Franco (an anti-communist ally), dilute its autocratic nature, and even legitimize its regime. -The left-wing international perspective (such as George Orwell's "Tribute to Catalunya") has long been the main source of understanding of the civil war in the English-speaking world, but it may also oversimplify the internal conflicts of the republic. -**The narrative of the Soviet Union and the Fascist camp**： -The Soviet Union incorporated the struggle of the republic into the global anti-fascist narrative, while Germany and Italy shaped Franco as a ”defender of order." --- ### 4. **The struggle for memory in the post-Franco era (1975-present)** -**Democratic Transition and the "Oblivion Agreement”**： -After 1975, Spain implemented the “Pacto del Olvido” (Historical oblivion) in order to maintain stability and avoid pursuing Franco's crimes, which led to the long-term suppression of the memory of the civil war. -**Memory recovery in the 21st century**： - The 2007 "Historical Memory Law" and other efforts tried to restore the memory of the defeated, but were opposed by the right. Revisionist historians (such as Pío Moa) tried to defend Franco, sparking fierce debate. -Division in the public sphere: the left demanded “restoration of historical justice”, while the right accused it of “rekindling hatred”" --- ### 5. **Challenges and progress of academic research** -**File access and political interference**： -The Franco regime destroyed or blocked a large number of republican archives, and the opening of the archives of the National Army was also limited by political will. -**Revisionism and Postmodern Criticism**： -Some scholars question the traditional "polarization" (Fascism vs. democracy), emphasizing the complexity of civil war (such as regional division and class conflict), but it may be used by the far right to downplay Franco's crimes. --- ###Conclusion: “Multi-layer distortion” of historical records The history of the Spanish Civil War is both a “battlefield to be fought for” and a “mirror of memory politics.” The distortion of its record not only stems from the propaganda of both sides of the war, but is also closely related to the changes in postwar power structure, international geopolitics, and intergenerational memory. Although academic research and social movements in recent years have tried to correct prejudices, the historical interpretation of the civil war is still deeply mired in the identity political conflict of contemporary Spain.