 A devastating 1936–39 civil war was won by the rebel forces supported by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, which General Francisco Franco got to lead some months after the beginning of the conflict once other possible challengers to the rebel leadership died.The rebels (backed among other by traditionalist Carlists, Fascist falangists and Far-right alfonsists) defeated the Republican loyalists (with a variable support of Socialists, Liberals, Communists, Anarchists and Catalan and Basque nationalists), who were backed by the Soviet Union.The Spanish Civil War was marked by numerous small battles and sieges, and many atrocities, until the rebels (the "Nationalists"), led by Francisco Franco, won in 1939.