The Spanish Civil War began on the 17th-18th July 1936, when Generals Emilio Mola and Fransisco Franco staged a coup against the democratically elected government of the 2nd Republic. It all began in North Africa, when the national side managed to persuade the Africanistas (a brutal and reckless stormtrooper colonial force) to join them. The Africanistas were hugely experienced – having also once been used by the Spanish to suppress the colonies. And now they were to be used against Spanish citizens who supported the Republic. The nationalists managed to control the southwest, the west and the north. The Republic kept the area of Barcelona under their dominion (until the beginning of 1939) – as well as the southwest and the area of Madrid (which was the last stronghold of the Republican side). On April 1st 1939, Franco declared the victory of the national side.