Country Essay: España

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THE UNITED STATES NAVAL WAR COLLEGE

NAVAL COMMAND COLLEGE

COUNTRY ESSAY

SPAIN

by

Tomas Gomez Arroyo

Captain, Spanish Navy

This paper is a student research paper prepared at the Naval War College and the thoughts and opinions
expressed in this paper are those of the author, and are not necessarily those of the Navy Department or the
President, Naval War College.

Material herein may not be quoted, extracted for publication, reproduced or otherwise copied without
specific permission from the author and the President, Naval War College in each instance.

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Naval War College
Newport, R.I.

Country Essay

SPAIN

By

Tomas Gomez Arroyo

Captain, Spanish Navy

The contents of this paper reflect my own personal views and
are not necessarily endorsed by the Naval War College or the
Department of the Navy or my Country.

Signed ______________________________

       ______________________________

Date   ______________________________

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER.                                                     PAGE

FORWARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       ii
I.       GEOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     1
II.      OROGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     2
III.     CLIMATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     3
IV.      HISTORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     4
V.       SOCIETY - THE SPANISH CHARACTER. . . . . . . .     6
VI.      SPAIN, A TREASURE HOUSE OF ART . . . . . . . .     7
VII.     EDUCATION AND CULTURE. . . . . . . . . . . . .    10
VIII.    POLITICAL STRUCTURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
IX.      MINING AND INDUSTRY. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   14
X.       FOREIGN POLICY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   16
CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    17

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FORWARD

It is not easy to speak about Spain.  It is an ancient land whose
soil has known so many different civilizations that no precise defini-
tion is possible.  Spain is one and many at the same time, and no
single glance could possibly take in all its complexity.  It has
been called a "miniature continent" and everything tends to confirm
that picture.  It is seen, physically, in the contrasts among its various
regions - forests and steppes, rugged mountains, cliff-bound coasts,
and sweeping beaches, and among its different peoples - varied in race,
in language and in customs.  This whole complex, colorful world is
SPAIN.

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CHAPTER I. - GEOGRAPHY

The Iberian Peninsula, - Spain and Portugal - takes the form of a
pentagon, bound by rocky coasts.  The American writer, John A. Crow,
in his book "Spain.  The Root and the Flower" described my country
in this way:  "Spain is like a grand castle that rises from the sea.
The entire perimeter of the country is marked by ranges of mountains.
Within the ring of these soaring walls of granite, lies the courtyard
of the castle, the vast tableland of Castile."

There is an insular Spain, made up of the Canaries and the
Balearic Islands, and an African Spain, consisting of the cities of
Ceuta and Mellila and the Province of Sahara.  The Greenwich Meridian
crosses the eastern part of the country, with the majority of its
territory lying to the West of this line.  In size, its 300,000 sq.
miles of territory, make it the third country in Europe, while it
ranks seventh in population with 33,000,000 people.

The population density is 110 per sq. mile.  Given the physical
characteristics of the country, the population is very unevenly
distributed.  The high central tableland, dry with a continental
climate, especially in certain parts of Castile and Aragon, is less
heavily populated than the lower coastal regions where living conditions
are more favorable.  Thus, Galicia, Catalina, the Basques Provinces, and
Valencia, have the highest density of population.

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CHAPTER II. - OROGRAPHY

The Central plateau is 120,000 sq. miles and has an average
altitude above sea level of more than 2,000 feet.  It includes Castile,
Leon, and Extremadura.  Flanking it are the lateral depressions formed
by the valleys of the Ebro in Navarra, Aragon, and Southern Catalonia;
and the Guadalquivir, dominating the greater part of Andalusia, and the
great mountain ranges which mark its boundaries.

Golden, sandy beaches, such as La Concha, el Saedinero, and
Torrelavega, along the Cantabarian Coast; Torremolinos Benidorm and
Costa Brava, over the Mediterranean Sea and the well known Canarian
beaches in the Atlantic Ocean, are always full with plenty of tourists
who contribute to spread the name of Spain all over the world.

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CHAPTER III. - CLIMATE

The climate of Spain is as varied as its scenery.  In these latitudes, the weather should be mild and temperate but the abruptly changing geography and certain marine currents cause wide diversities in climate.  For this reason, Spains knows all four seasons, although there is always some region where the climate is mild, the sun warm and the temperature, even in summer, is pleasnt and temperate.

In winter, Alicante, Murcia, and Almeria, have an exceptional climate, with temperature of 55 and 60° F., even in January and February.  Spring is lovely in the East and Balearic regions, while Fall is classically gentle and mild in Madrid and its region.  Generally speaking, the whole Peninsula in this season offers agreeable weather with clear and blue skies and bright sun.

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CHAPTER IV. - HISTORY

To resume in a few paragraphs the whole history of Spain, - about 2,000 years -, is really a hard problem.  Nevertheless, I shall attempt to give an idea of the varied events, the most characteristic of them which in a wide way, may we call basic and fundamental.

Its location at one end of the European Continent and its near-ness to Africa, have given Spain an enormous strategic importance, and have made it the object of encroachment by many varied cultures. From a thousand years before Christ, through the 8th Century of our era, the Iberian Peninsula has aroused the ambitions of a while series of invaders, who brought it into contact with the great civilizations of the world.

Romans, Visogoths, and Arabs, remained in Spain for long period and produced racial crosses and cultural infusions which were definitive in the formation of the Spanish character.  The illustrious historian, Menendez y Pelayo, in his study about the Spanish character, points out that the unity of language, followed by the unity of belief as a consequence of Christianity, were the fundamental pillars of the unity of Spain.

The Roman Era began with the glory of Spanish unification.  During the reign of Fernando and Isabel, not only was the country joined together religiously, politically, and territorially, but one of the transcendental events of history took place:  The New World was discovered. With only a few men and three small ships, Spain, began the conquest, conversion, exploration and colonization of the New World.

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Following the above mentioned author, John A. Crow, in the des-cription of events that brought Spain at the top of its glory, we may say that "the principal resource of Spain was then, as it always had been, the vital energy, the boundless determination, the incredible thrust and will of its people".  Under Carlos I as Emperor, Spain became the greatest power in Europe and America.  His son, Felipe II was able to maintain the political strength, but during the rule of the last King of Austria, Carlos II, the decline as a European power began.

The House of Bourbon started a new era in which there were many benefits in the life of the people and the whole country came into a closer contact with the rest of the European culture.

During the Contemporaneus Era, Spain gained by the new ideas coming from the French Revolution.  This event, together with the Napoleonic invasion, brought to Spain a new sort of liberal, political idea, which the people tried to assimilate with goodwill, but little success.  The 19th Century was the one in which Spain lost its overseas possessions and, at home, serious problems of succession to the throne.

The Republican period is followed by the National Movement which restored peace and prosperity to Spain.

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CHAPTER V. - SOCIETY - THE SPANISH CHARACTER

The Spanish character is historically associated with a deep religious feeling, a firm ethical and traditional base, an unbelievable individualism and a special concept of honor that has marked the personal shape on the people.

The Spanish theory of existence makes life subordinated to the achievement of an ideal.  In the land of Don Quijote, a man is less interested in what he is, than in what he should be.

Nevertheless, each region has its own peculiarities, which make differences between people in them.  For example, there is nothing in common between Gallegos and Catalanes.  They even speak different languages.  It enhances the vitality of local, regional sentiments, which are still alive after centuries.  But such characteristics does not disturb the idea of a Spain as "a unity of destiny on the universal plane", for all regions have contributed to the embellishment of Spain and its history.

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CHAPTER VI. - SPAIN, A TREASURE-HOUSE OF ART

Spain is a great museum where there are to be seen every facet of artistic endeavor.  From the prehistoric painting on the walls and roofs of the Altimira Caves, (Santander) down to the works of Picasso, Spain has never ceased to produce numerous and varied works of art.

The whole country is literally covered with castles, palaces, monasteries, and cathedrals of unusual artistic worth.  In them are valuable col-lections of sculptures, paintings, jewels, and tapestries.  The Roman remains begin with the astonishing aqueduct, in Segovia, and run through Merida and Tarragona to the ruins of ancient Italiza; bridges, archs, and roads from the Roman period, may be seen everywhere in the country, many of them in a very well conserved state.

Some Spanish cities are representatives of a particular style, of a specific art form.  Cordoba and Granda shelter the master works of Musulman Art, and in their towers, mosques and palaces can be read the whole brilliant history of the Caliphate and the Kingdom of Granada.

Sevilla offers, against the white background of its buildings, the grace of the Giralda, which, with the Mezquita in Cordoba, and the Alhambra in Granada, make up the most famous body of eatern art in Spain.

The long centuries, during which Arabs and Christians lived side by side, produced the purely Spanish-Moorish Christian style, Mudejar or Mozarabe, of which magnificant examples are to be found everywhere.

The Way of Santiago was the most important cultural development

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of the Middle Age.  From Roncesvalles to Compostela, the Romanesque

left its imprint on the churches and sculptures along the route,

reaching its peak with the Holy Door in the Cathedral of Santiago.

At the same time, in the Pirnean-Catalan region Romanesque murals were

everywhere, forming a great collection, which can be seen today in

Barcelona.

In its great expansion, the Gothic covered the Peninsula with

many differents monuments, such as Toledo, Leon, Burgos and Segovia's

Cathedrals.

The Renaissance in Spain produced a number of interesting variations

which may be seen in the monuments of the period.  One of these is the

Herreran Style, sober and grandiose, whose principal example is the

Escorial, erected by order of Felipe II to commemorate the victory of

Saint Quentin, in 1557, over Henry II, King of France.  The Escorial

itself, has come to be the representation of an era and a way of life.

Salamanca, on the other hand, preserves the finest examples of the ornate

Plateresque, which gives the city the appearance of being decorated

with golden lacework.

The Prado Museum in Madrid, one of the world's greatest treasure-

houses, contains the finest collection of Spanish painting, in addition

to the works of El Greco, Zurnaran, Velazquez, Murillo, and Ribera.

Special mention must be made of the works of Goya, the influence of

whose genius is still felt in art today.  His colossal life work,

broke all the rules and was the forerunner of daring developments in

technique.

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Towards the end of the 19th Century, a deep preoccupation with

all aspects of art, gave birth to a complex world in which the most

diverse tendencies found supporters.  Gaudi created a light-hearted

architecture, which is a source of admiration today.  Sorolla pointed

out to the world of the sun and the blue waters of the Mediterranean

region, while Gutierrez Solana searched in the shadows for another face

of Spain.  Through the great body of their work, Picasso, Juan de Gris,

Miro and Dali, restored Spain to its leading position in the world of

the art.  Many names are associated with the most recent developments

in art and architecture, particularly the Valley of Fallen - a Civil

War Memorial - which adds a finishing touch to the great list of

Spanish Monuments.

In music, Spain has produced some good composers.  Among the

earlier ones, Tomas Luis de Vitoria is outstanding in the choral and

religious themes.  In modern times, Granados, Albeniz, Falla, Turina,

Halffter, and Rodrigo, form the elite.  A singularly Spanish genre is

the Zarzuela, a type of popular light opera, with spoken parts, in

which the Spanish character is successfully represented.

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CHAPTER VII. - EDUCATION AND CULTURE

The new system of studies, comprises the following stages: basic,

general education (between the ages of 6 and 13); secondary bacalaureate

(between 14 and 16); an initiation course for the University; a first

cycle of University to obtain a diploma; a second cycle to obtain

a degree; a third cycle to obtain the specialization and finally, the

doctorate.  Furthermore, occupational training (for which the Labor

Universities and Professional Schools are most important) and technical

training are also available.  In Spain, there are also 164 Teachers'

Training Colleges, 12 cities have universities, while another eight

cities possess one or more faculties.

Technical training is provided by the higher education technical

schools in several cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Las Palmas,

etc.  There are also official and private schools for fine arts, applied

arts and crafts, cinematography, journalism radio and television, tourism,

etc.  People who cannot attend regular educational centers, may follow

the Radio Bacalaureate program, broadcast by Radio Nacional de Espana,

which is supplemented by private broadcasting stations.

The Institute of Hispanic Culture has done great work; it is

specially dedicated to cultural exchanges with the Spanish American

countries, with which we have strong historical religious and cultural

ties, quite apart from the common tongue.  Next door to the Institute

itself, stands the Museum of America, in the University City of Madrid.

Another of the most interesting cultural achievements is the Summer

University and the courses for foreigners which are followed by people

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from many different countries, specially for students from Latin-

America, Portugal, the Philippines, African countries, and the Arab

world.  To give an idea of the Spanish output of books, the figure of

35 million is very significant; most of them were shipped to America.

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CHAPTER VIII. - POLITICAL STRUCTURE

Spain is a Catholic, Social and Representative State, which in

accordance with her tradition, is constituted a Kingdom, as defined

by the law and passed by popular referendum in 1947.  Since 1936, the

lifetime Headship of the State, has been held by Generalisimo Franco,

who in accordance with the Law of Succession, has appointed as his

successor, Prince Juan Carlos de Borbon, who will therefore be Spain's

future King.

The Head of State is assisted by the Government, composed of a

Vice President and 18 Ministers.

The Spanish Constitution is formed by the ensemble of so-called

Fundamental Laws, all of which have been passed and can only be

modified or repealed by the referendum of the whole nation.

Among these Laws is the "Fuero de los Espanoles" or Bills of

Rights, for the individual; The Labor Charter or "Fuero del Trabajo",

establishing the legal principles which are to govern the system of

labor in Spain, in accordance with social justice; the Law known as

the Basic Principles of Movement, defines the essential ideas that

inspire the actions of the Spanish State.

The nation's participation in government is carried out through

the Cortes or Parliament, according to the system of representation

of organic democracy.  The Cortes has a sector representing the Trade

Unions, another for the Municipalities of the 50 provinces and the third

sector representing the family as a unity.  A seat in the Cortes is

also held by a certain number of personalities, by reason of their public

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office.  A small group of deputies are designated by the Head of State.

There are also a National Council of the Movement, a Council of

the Kingdom, a Council of State, a Supreme Court of Justice and other

bodies of long-standing constitutional tradition.

Laws are prepared by the Cortes and sanctioned by the Head of

State.  The National Council has the mission of watching for faithful

compliance with the fundamental Principles of the Movement, rather

like a tribunal of constitutional guarantees.

All Spaniards over the age of 21 are entitled to vote, without

discrimination as to sex.

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CHAPTER IX. - MINING AND INDUSTRY

Iron, lead, zinc, and mercury are well represented in the Spanish

soil, but the country suffers from a scarcity of energy minerals (coal

and petroleum).  That is why Spain has been striving for over 40 years,

to solve this problem by using "white coal".  The national gold, copper,

silver, lead, tin, and iron deposits have been mined since about 3,000

years B.C.  In ancient times, the Iberian mines were renown, but today,

are almost exhausted as far as precious metals are concerned.

Traditionally, one of the leading Spanish industries has been textiles.

In former times it was centered in Castilla but for the last two

centuries, has been concentrated mainly in Catalonia.  Wool, cotton,

and silk, are worked in many spinning and printing mills.  The main

industrial areas in Spain are: Asturias, (where there are rich mines

and outstanding iron and steel mills), the Basques Provinces and

Santander, with foundries, steel mills, heavy machinery manufacturers,

chemicals and dairy by-products; Catalonia with car manufacturers,

locomotives and other heavy industries, besides textiles; and the Central

Zone around Madrid with metallurgical, chemical and ceramic industries

among others.  The food industry is scattered all over the country;

flour in the inlands areas, olives in Andalussia; vegetable canning

in Galicia and Andalusia; wine-growing in Catalonia, la Rioja, La Mancha

and Andalusia, etc.

In recent years, the automobile and household electrical appliance

industries have been developed very rapidly.

Spain exports large quantities of very high quality goods, but is

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obliged to buy abroad others which the country lacks, at least in

sufficient quantities to cover national needs, such as petroleum, coal,

machinery, etc., and exports products such as machinery, olive oil,

combustible minerals, ships, automobiles, trucks, and tractors.  The

Spanish foreign trade, in 1969 was:  Imports - 269,305.4 and exports -

133,022.5 millions of pesetas.

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CHAPTER X. - FOREIGN POLICY

"Europe is needing a united, stable and prosperous Spain, so in the

future, I can see her fully integrated into the European organization.

The evolutionary factors, working together with some other dynamic process

will give, sooner or later, this result", said the Spanish Minister

of Foreign Affairs in an interview he held, last July, for the "ABC",

one of the most important newspapers in the Country.

One or two days before, the Minister of Industry, during his speech

at the inauguration ceremony of the VII Feria Internacional de Muestras,

(a display of international industry achievements) at Bilbao, the

capital of Basques, had said: "The economic policy is to join Europe and

this is an objective which can never be confused.  We want to become a

member of the E.E.C., with the same rights and the same duties they

have and without neglecting our special characteristics, because this

community wants each country with its own peculiarities".  Both of them,

two top members of Spanish Government, had outlined the purposes of our

foreign policy beyond any kind of hesitation.

Spain is a part of Europe and she has a role to be played as a member

of this society.  I am sure we will do it.

The close family relationship between the Ibero-American countries

and Spain, is underlined not only by the possession of a common culture

and language, but in fact, by the continuous presence of thousands of their

sons in Spanish universities, where many of them receive their higher

education and broaden their training.

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CONCLUSION

Spain is a land with a long history open to all, and wishing to

become fully a part of Europe.  Spain maintains her friendship with

all nations and tightens the bonds of brotherhood which link her,

in a special way, with the Spanish speaking nations.  After the

American discovery, after the first circumnavigation of the world,

Spain won the legend she proudly shows in her coat of arms: "PLUS ULTRA".

And she knows, too, that "Noblesse oblige."

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