Francisco Franco’s 1936 Manifesto: A Nation on the Brink
Francisco Franco’s Manifesto: July 18, 1936
This primary source document is a journalistic, political, and public address written by General Francisco Franco Bahamonde, Commanding General of the Canary Islands. The Popular Front government had removed him from the central levers of power. The date is July 18, 1936, the “official” date of the onset of the Spanish Civil War, and the place is Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Analyzing the Text
- Paragraph 1: The first paragraph, from “Spanish […] their defense,” identifies the recipients of the text.
- Lines 4-13: From “The situation in Spain […] own powers encouraged,” we find Franco’s analysis of the situation in Spain, as perceived by those aligned with the revolt.
- Lines 13-29: From “Faced with this […] the honest people, Viva España!”, Franco presents his proposed solution, seen as the only way to address the situation in Spain by a sector of society.
- Final Paragraph: The last paragraph provides ownership data, location, and time.
Historical Context
In the February 1936 elections, the political forces were highly polarized. The Popular Front’s victory further radicalized the right. Its triumph was not accepted by the most reactionary sectors of Spanish society, who initiated a conspiracy against the Republic. Meanwhile, labor unions and political parties demanded the deepening of social reforms from the first biennium. Large landowners were concerned about land reform, rural laborers criticized its slowness, the bourgeoisie paralyzed investment, and the Catholic Church felt threatened by the anticlerical policies of the left.
Spanish society was polarized between right and left. The more conservative elements reacted to Azaña’s Republican government. Landlords either burned or did not sow their crops, many manufacturers closed their factories, and the Falange formed street patrols that spread an atmosphere of mob violence against leftist groups. The triumph of the left resulted in a strong popular movement that created a climate of social tension: workers’ strikes, farm occupations, and the burning of convents and churches. The anarchists, communists, and the PSOE, led by Largo Caballero, radicalized their positions, enacting social revolution.
During the months of February to July 1936, tension between social forces increased. The government found it difficult to maintain public order, and political violence was a daily occurrence. The far-right groups, particularly the Falange, clashed with the left. Parallel to the civilian sectors, within the military, from the same night that the Popular Front won, the coup began to develop. Franco attempted to declare a state of war that night, and in March, there was an attempted uprising, but it failed. From then on, General Emilio Mola took over the preparation of the coup, serving as its chief until July 1936. The plan was for the simultaneous delivery of all military garrisons, with the Army of Africa, led by Franco, consolidating the coup. It had the support of a civilian base, providing men and, above all, money. This included the CEDA, the Falange, the Carlists, and bankers like Juan March. Additionally, it had the support of Italy and Germany.