Identify francisco franco biography

By age 33, he had become the youngest general in Europe, earning significant respect and recognition for his capabilities in a tumultuous political landscape filled with growing unrest that foreshadowed Spain's impending civil conflict. Francisco Franco's ascent to power began in the backdrop of Spain's military and political upheaval in the early 20th century.

After graduating from the Infantry Academy in Toledo, Franco quickly distinguished himself during his service in Morocco, where his leadership and brutal tactics allowed him to rise through the ranks. He served as the second-in-command of the Spanish Foreign Legion, later assuming full command, which solidified his reputation as a fearsome military strategist.

By the age of 33, Franco had become the youngest general in Europe, positioning himself as a significant figure in the Spanish military landscape. His power grew amid the political tumult following the establishment of the Second Republic inas Franco's conservative ideology increasingly clashed with the leftist forces dominating the government.

Identify francisco franco biography

After a period of marginalization, he seized the opportunity to lead a military coup against the Republican government in July Franco's command during the Spanish Civil War was characterized by fierce militaristic strategy and the effective consolidation of support from nationalist sympathizers, including Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. This backing ultimately allowed Franco to eliminate opposition forces, paving the way for his establishment of a military dictatorship that would last for nearly four decades.

The Spanish Civil War, which erupted inmarked a pivotal moment in Francisco Franco's life and the history of Spain. Initially a general in the Spanish Army, Franco joined the Nationalist uprising against the leftist Republican government, calling for a return to conservative, traditional, and nationalist values. With the backing of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, Franco led Nationalist forces against the Republicans, employing brutal military strategies that resulted in widespread destruction and loss of life.

The conflict saw an estimatedcasualties, with approximatelyattributed to executions by Franco's regime, revealing the severe brutality of the war that deeply scarred the nation. After the Nationalists' victory inFranco established an authoritarian regime that lasted nearly four decades. Known as "El Caudillo," his government instilled fear through repression and censorship.

Life [ change change source ]. Civil war [ change change source ]. World War Two [ change change source ]. Death [ change change source ]. References [ change change source ]. ISSN X. The Spanish Civil War. London: Penguin. ISBN Archived from the original on As a result, Franco returned to a position of power, which he wielded the following year in a ruthless suppression of a leftist revolt in northwestern Spain.

But like the Second Republic before it, the new government could do little to quell the growing divide between left- and right-leaning factions. When elections that were held in February led to a shift in power to the left, Spain slipped further into chaos. For his part, Franco was once again marginalized, with a new posting to the Canary Islands.

Though Franco accepted what amounted to banishment with the professionalism for which he was known, other high-ranking members of the military began to discuss a coup. Though he initially kept his distance from the plot, on July 18,Franco announced the Nationalist manifesto in a broadcast from the Canary Islands as the uprising began in the northwest of Spain.

The next day, he flew to Morocco to take control of the troops, and shortly thereafter gained the support of both Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, whose planes were used to shuttle Franco and his forces to Spain. Establishing his base of operations in Seville the following month, Franco identified francisco franco biography his military campaign, advancing north toward the seat of the Republican government in Madrid.

Anticipating a swift victory, on October 1,the Nationalist forces declared Franco head of the government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. However, when their initial assault on Madrid was repelled, the military coup evolved into the protracted conflict known as the Spanish Civil War. Over the next three years, the Nationalist forces — led by Franco and backed by right-wing militias, the Catholic Church.

Germany and Italy — battled the left-wing Republicans, who received aid from the Soviet Union as well as brigades of foreign volunteers. Though the Republicans were able to resist the Nationalist advance for a time, with far-superior military strength, Franco and his forces were able to systematically defeat them, eliminating their opposition region by region.

In Januarythe Republican stronghold of Barcelona fell to the Nationalists, followed two months later by Madrid. On April 1,after receiving an unconditional surrender, Franco announced the end of the Spanish Civil War. Sources vary, but many estimate the number of casualties resulting from the war as high as , with perhaps as many asthe result of executions perpetrated by Franco and his forces.

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 identified francisco franco biography 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 Januaryand 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.