Franco's Spain: Dictatorship and Post-War Era (1939-1975)

Franco's Spain (1939-1975)

On April 1, 1939, the Spanish Civil War ended, leaving approximately 300,000 Spaniards dead. For those who survived, a long and difficult post-war period began. To celebrate his victory, General Francisco Franco (also known as "El Caudillo"), presided over a large military parade in Madrid on May 19, 1939. Representatives from the foreign countries that had aided him were in attendance.

At that time, Franco held the highest degree of power in Spanish history. He was Head of State, Head of Government, Commander of the Armed Forces, and head of the only permitted party: the nationalist Spanish Falange. The new state declared itself a confessional Catholic state and a defender of the faith, restoring power to the Catholic Church.

Spaniards who lost the war faced a different reality. Many fled to France, where, at the borders, women and children were separated from men and taken to shelters inland. Most of the losers who remained in Spain were locked in concentration camps. Approximately 40,000 prisoners were sentenced to death and shot.

Franco established a totalitarian state. The military dictatorship suppressed all democratic freedoms. Franco's dictatorship rested on three pillars: the army, the Falange, and the Church.

World War II and International Relations

Soon, the Second World War began. In October 1940, Hitler and Franco met for a crucial interview to discuss Spain's entry into the war. The interview was a failure. In an attempt to convince Franco, Hitler instructed Mussolini to talk to him, but this also failed.

Franco allowed the formation of a volunteer military force, the Blue Division, to aid Germany on the Russian front. Spain participated in the European conflict without formally declaring war.

With the liberation of Paris in the summer of 1944, the end of World War II approached. The defeat of fascism in Europe increased the hopes of Spanish exiles. After the Allied victory, the Franco regime became the only surviving government in Europe that had supported Hitler's fascism.

The new international situation required Franco to change his policy. He appointed a successor through the Law of Succession.

Economic Recovery and International Recognition

In the 1950s, Spain hoped to overcome the hardships and return to its pre-war state, a goal achieved by the middle of the decade. In August 1953, Spain signed the Concordat with the Holy See in Rome. Just a month later, Spain signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation with the USA. In exchange for economic aid, Spain allowed the installation of four US military bases on its soil.

Franco was forced to change the government to strengthen the economy. In 1955, Spain joined the UN, but its requests for entry into NATO and the EEC were denied.

The Regime's Peak

1966 marked the 30th anniversary of General Franco's rise to power. The regime he founded was experiencing its peak, thanks to economic development.