General franco spain history

Although Franco believed that the majority of the Spanish people still supported the crown, and although he regretted the end of the monarchy, he did not object, nor did he challenge the legitimacy of the republic. It included strong provisions enforcing a broad secularisation of the Catholic country, which included the abolishing of Catholic schools and charities, which many moderate committed Catholics opposed.

Fearing the increasing popular opposition, the Radical and Socialist majority postponed the regular elections, thereby prolonging their stay in power for two more years. The conspiracy suggested that Jews, Freemasons, Communists, and other leftists alike sought the destruction of Christian Europe, with Spain being the principal target.

The same year, on 17 February he was given the military command of the Balearic Islands. The post was above his rank, but Franco was still unhappy that he was stuck in a position he disliked. The prime minister wrote in his diary that it was probably more prudent to have Franco away from Madrid. Home rule was granted to Catalonia, with a local parliament and a president of its own.

Despite receiving the most votes, CEDA was denied cabinet positions for nearly a year. The entrance of CEDA in the government, despite being normal in a parliamentary democracy, was not well accepted by the left. The Socialists triggered an insurrection that they had been preparing for nine months. The leftist Republican parties did not directly join the insurrection, but their leadership issued statements that they were "breaking all relations" with the Republican government.

The Alianza Obrera declared a general strike "against fascism" in Catalonia in Despite an attempt at a general stoppage in Madridother strikes did not endure. This left the striking Asturian miners to fight alone. It began on the evening of 4 October, with the miners occupying several towns, attacking and seizing local Civil and Assault Guard barracks.

After two weeks of heavy fighting and a death toll estimated between 1, and 2,the rebellion was suppressed. The insurgency in Asturias in October sparked a new era of violent anti-Christian persecutions with the massacre of 34 priests, initiating the practice of atrocities against the clergy, [61] and sharpened the antagonism between Left and Right.

The argument that Mr Gil Robles tried to destroy the Constitution to establish fascism was, at once, hypocritical and false. With the rebellion ofthe Spanish left lost even the shadow of moral authority to condemn the rebellion of He then arbitrarily appointed an interim prime minister and after a short period announced the dissolution of parliament and new elections.

Instead, he named himself as a de facto regent of the monarchy for life. He ruled almost exclusively by decree for the first four years general franco spain history the fall of Madrid signaled the end of the Spanish Civil War. Estimates range from as low as 35, to up toSpaniards executed after the war ended. An estimatedSpaniards permanently emigrated from Spain as a result of the Spanish Civil War.

Many emigrants returned in the months after the end of the Spanish Civil War. SomeSpanish refugees entered France between January and Marchbut by December, onlyremained in France.

General franco spain history

During the s and early s, student revolts at universities were violently suppressed. Growth was slow, and more liberal economic policies were introduced in the late s. After a recession, the Spanish economy took off in Juan was in favor of a constitutional monarchy that would restore parliamentary democracy. Franco felt that Juan Carlos was more likely to maintain the dictatorship after his death.

Franco was wrong; Juan Carlos appointed a reformist prime minister in and encouraged the revival of political parties and amnesty for political prisoners. In JuneFranco relinquished the post of prime minister and appointed his deputy prime minister to take his place. Prime Minister Carrero Blanco was assassinated by Basque separatists six months later.

Particularly infamous was the workers' uprising in Asturias, known as the "Asturias revolution", organized by the UGT socialist and CNT anarchist unions. The acts of violence carried out during the revolt were used as an excuse by the government of Alejandro Lerroux, leader of the Radical Republican Party and president of the Council of Ministers of the Republic, to justify a severe repression.

The repression, conducted by the Legion and coordinated from Madrid by Franco, resulted in around 1, deaths. InFranco was awarded the Grand Cross of Military Merit and was appointed commander-in-chief of the troops in Morocco. A few months later, he was proclaimed chief of the army's general staff. The fear that the left would return to power radicalized right-wing groups and strongly polarized Spanish society.

When the Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing parties, won the elections in FebruaryFranco was removed from the head of the general staff and was sent to the Canary Islands. A military conspiracy against the Republican government ensued, led by General Emilio Mola. The call to rebellion was irregularly heeded, particularly in important cities, where the workers' movement as well as general franco spain history and anarchist organizations were stronger.

Immediately, Spain became divided into two zones: one loyal to the Republic and the other one loyal to the rebels. The Republican side comprised a wide range of sectors, including left-wing Republicans, socialists, communists, anarchists, democrats, and peripheral nationalists. The rebel side was composed of military and political nationalists, conservatives, Catholics, traditionalists, monarchists Carlists and Alfonsinistsand Falangists of fascist ideology.

The numerical and armament superiority of the rebels was evident, especially so since they counted on the well-trained and well-equipped Army of Africa. Soon, this superiority became even greater due to the military support Franco received from Benito Mussolini leader of Fascist Italy and Adolf Hitler leader of Nazi Germany. In Septembershortly after the war began, Franco was proclaimed "Generalissimo" chief of all armies by the other rebel generals, and head of the government during the war.

In a ceremony in Burgos on October 1,he was publicly proclaimed Head of State, a position he held until his death. During the war,Spaniards were forced into exile, and it is estimated that betweenand 1, people were killed in combat or summary executions. In the aftermath of the elections, winning Republican candidates passed measures that reduced the power and influence of the military, the Catholic Church, property-owning elites and other entrenched interests.

Franco, a known authoritarian rightist, was reprimanded for criticizing the actions of those in charge and sent to an out-of-the-way post near El Ferrol. Moreover, his General Military Academy was shut down. Nevertheless, Franco was brought back into the good graces of the government in when a center-right coalition won elections. The following year he deployed troops from Morocco to Asturias in northern Spain to suppress a leftist revolt, an action that left some 4, dead and tens of thousands imprisoned.

Meanwhile, street violence, political killings and general disorder were ramping up on both the right and the left. In Franco became army chief of staff. When a leftist coalition won the next round of elections in Februaryhe and other military leaders began discussing a coup. Franco and the Spanish Civil War Banished to a remote post in the Canary Islands, Franco initially hesitated in his support of the military conspiracy.

On July 18,military officers launched a multipronged uprising that put them in control of most of the western half of the country.