General Francisco Franco and the Second Republic

Between 1923 and 1930, Spain was ruled by General Miguel Primo de Rivera. Primo de Rivera had risen to power in 1923 through a military coup, but he was given approval and recognition by the King of Spain at that time, Alfonso XII. Primo de Rivera became Prime Minister and ruled Spain with an iron fist: he abolished the Spanish Constitution, imposed martial law and severe censorship, and made all political parties illegal. His tenure came to an end in 1930 when he stepped down due to political unpopularity. With his resignation, Alfonso XII abdicated the Spanish throne and left the country. In 1931 Spain became a republic for the second time (la Segunda República).

Although a staunch defender of the monarchy, General Francisco Franco did not want to undermine his army career by openly criticising the new Republic. Even so, Franco was seen as potentially divisive so he was posted to several different locations away from Madrid to keep him from other high-ranking pro-monarchy army officers.

However, by 1933 the Republic was struggling to meet the expectation it had created. Coupled with disagreements between Republican and left-wing factions this enabled the election of a right wing government. However, political unsettlement was just around the corner. Unhappy with working conditions brought about by the strong right-wing government, miners in the northern region of Asturias began a rebellion in 1934. General Franco was called in to bring the rebellion to a swift end. Franco’s troops crushed the Asturian miner’s revolt. As a result of his success, General Francisco Franco was awarded the highest position in the Spanish Army: Chief of the General Staff.

When the 1936 elections came around, the republican and left-wing factions had become united to form the Popular Front (el Frente Popular) and so managed to wrest control of Spain from the right-wing government by the merest of votes: General Francicso Franco was now deemed too dangerous to remain on the mainland and was sent to a post on the Canary Islands (las Islas Canarias).

On 17th July 1936, a nationalist rebellion began. General Franco took control of the Canary Islands and then flew to Spanish Morocco (Marruecos) where the nationalist forces had assumed control. A coup d’etat was attempted by the nationalist army on mainland Spain but failed resulting in the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. In September 1936, Franco became General dél Ejercito Nacionalista (General of the Nationalist Army) and later in October 1936 he rose to the position of Head of State (Jefe del Estado). The Spanish Civil War ended officially on 1st April 1929 when Franco began his dictatorship of Spain.

General Franco (Dictatorship)