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Francisco Franco (1892-1975)Spanish dictator. Born on 4 December 1892 in El Ferrol, Galicia, into a naval family, he graduated from the Toledo military academy in 1910. Known for his courage and leadership, he was made head of the élite Spanish Legion in 1920, and, despite being defeated by Abd al-Krim in Morocco, was promoted to become the country's youngest general. He commanded the Saragossa military academy from 1928 to 1931, until it was closed by the new republican government, who disliked Franco's support of the monarchy. After the victory of a centre-right government, he was made commander-in-chief in 1934, brutally suppressing a miners' strike in Asturias. Then, after the success of the Popular Front left-wing parties in 1936, he was relegated to the Canaries. In response, Franco became the leader of the nationalist military rebellion, which spread from Morocco to the Spanish mainland. He was proclaimed generalissimo on 1 October 1936. During the bloody events of the Spanish Civil War, Franco built up a popular Fascist movement – the Falange – as the political wing of the army. A strict opponent of democracy, socialism and liberal ideas, he formed a heavily authoritarian regime after his final military victory on 1 September 1939. Unlike Benito Mussolini, Franco refused to enter World War II on Adolf Hitler's side, and Spain remained neutral during the conflict. His regime survived, and he remained dictator by carefully balancing the interests of powerful social groups such as the land-owning élites and the army. Franco was declared caudillo (head of state) for life in 1947. He distanced himself from explicitly Fascist ideas, relying on the Roman Catholic Church to maintain a traditionally ordered society. But the country's near bankruptcy in 1958 meant that he had to adopt liberal economic policies, and social changes in other parts of Europe gradually undermined his strictly authoritarian regime. After suffering from Parkinson's disease, he died on 20 November 1975, and was succeeded by King Juan Carlos. |
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