Franco’s Dictatorship: Origins, Evolution, and Cold War Impact
Franco’s Dictatorship (1939-1975): A Historical Overview
The dictatorship of Francisco Franco Bahamonde lasted nearly forty years (1939-1975), evolving significantly throughout its history. Franco’s regime consolidated all powers, controlling the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. He was also the commander-in-chief of the army. The only legal party was FET y JONS. Rights and freedoms were suppressed, and all nationalist movements were rejected.
The dictatorship was backed by social sectors that supported the nationalist side in the Civil War, including the army, the Catholic Church, landowners, big businesses, and the conservative middle class. Those who lost the war suffered severe repression, with many executed or forced into exile.
The Early Post-War Years (1939-1945)
In the early years, Franco attempted to implement a fascist regime similar to Italy’s. The Falange party had great influence, establishing fascist doctrines. The state controlled the economy, aiming for national self-sufficiency. Citizenship was controlled through organizations dependent on FET y JONS, such as the Central Section and the National Syndicalist Feminina. Fascist symbols, like the Roman salute, were adopted. The Blue Division was created to support Hitler.
Harsh repression eliminated the opposition, with only the maquis (guerrilla fighters) maintaining resistance. After the Civil War, Spain was primarily an agrarian country. Its industry, railroads, and roads were largely destroyed. The economic recession of the 1940s led to shortages, and the state established rationing. A black market, known as estraperlo, emerged, where goods were sold at inflated prices.
Consolidation of the Regime (1945-1959)
At the end of World War II, the victorious nations subjected the dictatorship to international isolation. This situation changed with the Cold War. The United States saw Franco’s regime as a potential ally due to its anti-communist stance. The Hispano-American Treaty of Friendship was signed, providing economic aid to Spain in exchange for allowing American military bases on Spanish territory.
The Origins of the Cold War
Following World War II, an international diplomatic system emerged, characterized by the struggle for hegemony between the United States and the Soviet Union. This rivalry shaped world history for 40 years. These two superpowers were politically, ideologically, and economically antagonistic. This confrontation, known as the “Cold War,” lasted from 1945 until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. During this period, the world was divided into two opposing blocs: the Western bloc, led by the USA and supported by its allies in Western Europe, and the communist bloc, led by the Soviet Union and backed by its Eastern European allies.
In 1946, Winston Churchill used the term “Iron Curtain” to describe the division of Europe into two blocs. President Truman’s doctrine supported anti-communists anywhere in the world. Areas of influence were strengthened through the Marshall Plan and the Kominform.
After the war, the German capital, Berlin, was divided into four sectors. In 1948, the United States, France, and England united their sectors to create the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The Soviet Union established a communist state in its sector, the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
West Berlin: A Key Point
Part of the U.S. strategy involved creating a network of military alliances around the world. In Europe, this included the Marshall Plan and the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Outside of Europe, treaties were signed with South American countries (Treaty of Rio), Middle Eastern countries (Baghdad Pact), and Southeast Asian countries (SEATO).
Democracy was introduced in Western European countries that participated in World War II and in other regions. The principles of democracy include: popular sovereignty, separation of powers, recognition of rights and freedoms, and political pluralism. The Western bloc maintained a capitalist economy developed from the Industrial Revolution.