Francisco Franco

Francisco Franco y Bahamonde (4 December 1892 in Ferrol – 20 November 1975 in Madrid), commonly known as Francisco Franco was the authoritarian fascist dictator of Spain from October 1936, and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975. His ideological focus was on Spanish nationalism, right wing and traditional values.

Franco initially led a notable military career and reached the rank of General. He fought in Morocco and suppressed a strike in 1934 to defend the stability of the Republican government. In February 1936, the left-wing Popular Front won the general election and formed a government. A period of severe instability and disarray followed the election, with escalating violence and distrust between left and right wing supporters. Anti-clerical violence against the Church by leftist militants raised tensions, while the government distrusted both its extreme supporters on the left and sections of the military. After the assassination of a major opposition figure, José Calvo Sotelo, by a commando unit of the Assault Guards in July 1936, Franco participated in a coup d'etat against the elected Popular Front government. The coup failed and devolved into the Spanish Civil War during which he emerged as the leader of the Nationalists against the Popular Front government. After winning the civil war with support from Benito Mussolini's Italy and Adolf Hitler's Germany—while the Soviet Union provided help to the Popular Party—he dissolved the Spanish Parliament. He then established a right wing authoritarian regime that lasted until 1978, when a new constitution was drafted. During the Second World War, Franco officially maintained a policy of non-belligerency and later of neutrality. However, he encouraged volunteers, known as the Blue Division, to aid Nazi Germany in the fight against the Soviet Union.

After the end of World War II, Franco maintained his control in Spain through the implementation of repressive and authoritarian measures: the systematic suppression of dissident views through censorship and coercion, the institutionalization of torture, the imprisonment of ideological enemies in concentration camps throughout the country (such as Los Merinales in Seville, San Marcos in León, Castuera in Extremadura, and Miranda de Ebro), the implementation of forced labour in prisons and the use of the death penalty and heavy prison sentences as deterrents for his ideological enemies. During the Cold War, the United States established a diplomatic alliance with Spain, due to Franco's strong anti-Communist policy. American President Richard Nixon toasted Franco, and, after Franco's death, stated: "General Franco was a loyal friend and ally of the United States." After his death Spain gradually began its transition to democracy. Today, pre-constitutional symbols from the Franco regime (such as the national flag with the Imperial Eagle) are banned by law in Spain.