The main justification of the nationalist rebellion was based on religion, insofar as it was seen as a crusade against the destruction of Catholicism in Spain. Indeed, the rebellion started with 160,000 men but grew to more than 1 million troops by 1939. The war ended with around 200,000 war deaths and another 300.000 wounded. Nationalists justified their revolt as a holy war against “infidels” who sought to destroy the Catholic Church in Spain, for which the burning of churches and murder of clerics were blamed on Republicans. The correct answer is D.