Cristobo is correct. The Moors were not Spanish citizens until after the war. Franco said they were only to sway world opinion towards his movement, which was supported by outside nations, not the main body of the people of Spain.

The Lincolns, and Washingtons, of the International Brigades were Americans, mostly Communists and Anarchists. They came mainly from the U.S. union movements throughout the U.S. The make up of the Brigades from around the world was more between those two political beliefs than any other. But, in Spain, not one Communist was part of the Madrid government which ran the Republic. There were Communist parties in some areas which held local offices, but not on a national scale. What was most devastating was that each region wanted to control its own interests through its own political party, and that meant a coalition government had to be formed, for national control.

The Communists gained strength when the only nation that supported the Republicans was Russia. Of course, as you can find in other links, Stalin had his reasons. He emptied the Spanish gold reserve, "protecting it" in Moscow. It was never returned to Spain. It was shown as payment for the antiquated arms that Stalin sent them. Eventually Stalin lost interest in the war, and quit backing the Republic. The Communists gained control with a revolution inside the Civil War. They did it by force, and killed opposition leaders. They did it with the aid of Moscow.

The U.S., UK, and other nations were fed a line of bull about the Republic being Communists. Most of our countries were running scared, thinking that Communism was taking over, even in our own countries. You can understand why there were lots of people who were looking at the move favorably, since the great depression destroyed almost everyone who wasn't upper class.

The "neutrality" that the U.S. and allies instituted was more like a blockade. It was a dumb move on our parts. We should have been there to support, and protect the Republic. Had we done so, some historians believe Hitler wouldn't have had the guts to set his sights on conquering Europe, and the Soviet Union would have never come to be. I think he still would have made the attempt, but have been beaten long before he was, and the USSR wouldn't have existed.

Wolf