On July 18, , military officers launched a multipronged uprising that put them in control of most of the western half of the country.
He also made contacts with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, securing arms and other assistance that would continue throughout the duration of what became known as the Spanish Civil War He unified a base of support by securing the backing of the Catholic Church, combining the fascist and monarchist political parties, and dissolving all other political parties.
Meanwhile, on the way north, his men—who included fascist militia groups—machine-gunned hundreds or perhaps thousands of Republicans in the town of Badajoz. An additional tens of thousands of political prisoners would be executed by Nationalists later on in the fighting. The internally divided Republicans, who murdered their own share of political opponents, could not stop the slow Nationalist advance despite support from the Soviet Union and International Brigades.
German and Italian bombardments helped the Nationalists conquer Basque lands and Asturias in Barcelona, the heart of Republican resistance, fell in January , and Madrid surrendered that March, effectively ending the conflict. Many Republican figures fled the country in the wake of the civil war, and military tribunals were set up to try those who remained. These tribunals sent thousands more Spaniards to their death, and Franco himself admitted in the mids that he had 26, political prisoners under lock and key.
The Franco regime also essentially made Catholicism the only tolerated religion, banned the Catalan and Basque languages outside the home, forbade Catalan and Basque names for newborns, barred labor unions, promoted economic self-sufficiency policies and created a vast secret police network to spy on citizens. Though he sympathized with the Axis powers, Franco largely stayed out of World War II but did send nearly 50, volunteers to fight alongside the Germans on the Soviet front.
Franco also opened his ports to German submarines and invaded the internationally administered city of Tangier in Morocco. Following the war, Spain faced diplomatic and economic isolation, but that began to thaw as the Cold War heated up. In Spain allowed the United States to construct three air bases and a naval base on its soil in return for military and economic aid.
As Franco aged, he increasingly avoided daily political affairs, preferring instead to hunt and fish. At the same time, police controls and press censorship began to relax, strikes and protests became more commonplace, some free-market reforms were introduced, tourism increased and Morocco gained its independence.
Franco died on November 20, , after suffering a series of heart attacks. At his funeral, many mourners raised their arm in a fascist salute. Though Juan Carlos had spent a good deal of time alongside Franco and publicly supported the regime, he pressed for change immediately upon taking the throne, including the legalization of political parties.
The first post-Franco elections were held in June , and, except for an hour-long coup attempt in , Spain has remained democratic ever since.
But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. The Spanish State was authoritarian: non-government trade unions and all political opponents across the political spectrum were either suppressed or controlled by all means, including police repression.
Most country towns and rural areas were patrolled by pairs of Guardia Civil , a military police for civilians, which functioned as a chief means of social control. Franco was also the focus of a personality cult which taught that he had been sent by Divine Providence to save the country from chaos and poverty. Bullfighting and flamenco were promoted as national traditions, while those traditions not considered Spanish were suppressed.
All cultural activities were subject to censorship, and many were forbidden entirely, often in an erratic manner. Francoism professed a strong devotion to militarism, hypermasculinity, and the traditional role of women in society. A woman was to be loving to her parents and brothers and faithful to her husband, and reside with her family.
Most progressive laws passed by the Second Republic were declared void. Women could not become judges, testify in trial, or become university professors. The Civil War had ravaged the Spanish economy. Infrastructure had been damaged, workers killed, and daily business severely hampered.
Franco initially pursued a policy of autarky, cutting off almost all international trade. The policy had devastating effects, and the economy stagnated. Only black marketeers could enjoy an evident affluence.
Falangism is widely considered a fascist ideology. The constitution was rewritten, Spain transitioned to a democratic system, and elections were held soon after. In , the Law of Historical Memory was passed to bring justice to the families of those killed under Franco.
And today, at sites across the country, the bodies of his victims are still being exhumed. Preston, Paul. Payne, Stanley G. Franco: A Personal and Political Biography. Francisco Franco. Learn how Francisco Franco used the tactics of colonial war to win control of Spain. Driven by a deeply conservative vision, he used torture, murder and incarceration to transform Spanish Society.
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