On July 17, 1936, right-wing generals including Francisco Franco launched a military uprising against the democratically elected Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic, starting in Spanish Morocco (notably Melilla and Tetuan) before spreading to mainland Spain. The coup succeeded in parts of the south and north but failed in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona, leading to a full-scale civil war between Republicans (loyal to the Republic, including socialists, anarchists, and communists) and Nationalists (conservatives, monarchists, and fascists). This event divided Spain and drew international attention as a proxy conflict amid rising European tensions. It mattered as a precursor to World War II ideologies clashing on Spanish soil.

The outbreak galvanized poets and writers worldwide, inspiring figures like W.H. Auden, who visited Spain and wrote 'Spain' (1937), reflecting on the moral imperative for intellectuals. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca was arrested and executed by Nationalists shortly after in Granada, becoming a symbol of lost Republican hope; his death influenced elegies and tributes. International Brigades volunteers, including poets like John Cornford (killed in action), produced war poetry emphasizing solidarity. It shaped committed literature, pushing poetry toward political engagement and anti-fascism in movements like the Auden Group.