The Spanish Civil War was fought from July 17, 1936 to April 1, 1939 between the Republicans, who were loyal to the Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, a rebel movement led by General Francisco Franco.

In July 26, just eight days after the revolt had started, an international communist conference was held at Prague to arrange plans to help the Republican Government.
It decided to raise an international brigade of 5,000 men and a fund of 1 billion francs.
At the same time communist parties throughout the world quickly launched a full scale propaganda campaign in support of the Popular Front.
The Communist International immediately reinforced its activity sending to Spain its leader Georgi Dimitrov, and Palmiro Togliatti the chief of the Communist Party of Italy.
From August onward aid started to be sent from Russia, over one ship per day arrived at Spain's Mediterranean ports carrying munitions, rifles, machine guns, hand grenades, artillery and trucks.
With the cargo came Soviet agents, technicians, instructors and propagandists.

The Communist International immediately started to organize the International Brigades with great care to conceal or minimize the communist character of the enterprise and to make it appear as a campaign on behalf of progressive democracy.
Attractive misleading names were deliberately chosen, such as "Garibaldi" in Italy or "Abraham Lincoln" in the United States.
The Spanish Civil War was fought from July 17, 1936 to April 1, 1939 between the Republicans, who were loyal to the Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, a rebel movement led by General Francisco Franco.
In July 26, just eight days after the revolt had started, an international communist conference was held at Prague to arrange plans to help the Republican Government. It decided to raise an international brigade of 5,000 men and a fund of 1 billion francs. At the same time communist parties throughout the world quickly launched a full scale propaganda campaign in support of the Popular Front. The Communist International immediately reinforced its activity sending to Spain its leader Georgi Dimitrov, and Palmiro Togliatti the chief of the Communist Party of Italy. From August onward aid started to be sent from Russia, over one ship per day arrived at Spain's Mediterranean ports carrying munitions, rifles, machine guns, hand grenades, artillery and trucks. With the cargo came Soviet agents, technicians, instructors and propagandists.
The Communist International immediately started to organize the International Brigades with great care to conceal or minimize the communist character of the enterprise and to make it appear as a campaign on behalf of progressive democracy. Attractive misleading names were deliberately chosen, such as "Garibaldi" in Italy or "Abraham Lincoln" in the United States.
Lincoln Battalion