[2/2] Franco, Spain and God

Franco was the leader of Spain for almost 40 years.

In the rest of the story, Virginie Girod tells you how he seized power and retained it by force.  

In 1936, Spain was deeply divided by the Popular Front's election victory.

The left-wing government is, however, targeted by a coup by conservative generals.

Among them is Franco.

After taking charge of the troops based in Morocco, he needed planes to transport his men to Spain.

Hitler and Mussolini took charge of providing them to him.

These are the beginnings of the civil war.

Franco's troops, now leader of the rebel generals, increased the abuses.

In Badajoz, more than 2000 prisoners were shot.

Mere suspicions of communist sympathy are enough to be arrested.  

As the new supreme leader, Franco begins to disseminate his image and establish the cult of his personality.

He now calls himself the Caudillo, a medieval-inspired title that evokes the war leader chosen by God.

However, victory over the Republicans is far from certain.

The civil war ended in 1939. Spain was under Franco, but Europe fell into the Second World War that same year.

In this conflict, Franco remains on the sidelines, too attached to his dream of restoring the greatness of Spain.

When peace returns, Franco is certainly still there, but, walled in the past, the country sinks into poverty.  

Franco understands that he will no longer be ostracized by Western powers if he wants to revive his country's economy.

The Caudillo attempted some reforms and the Cold War brought him closer to the United States.

He finally died at the age of 82, after spending almost half his life in power.  

Themes covered: Spain, Franco, dictatorship, civil war, Hitler, Second World War, Cold War 

“At the Heart of History”

- Presentation: Virginie Girod 

- Production: Caroline Garnier 

- Director: Nicolas Gaspard

- Composition of the original music: Julien Tharaud and Sébastien Guidis

- Writing and Distribution: Nathan Laporte

- Communication: Marie Corpet

- Visual: Sidonie Mangin

Archival sound

- “The death of Franco and the tributes paid to him”;

report by Alexandre Fronty, broadcast on November 22, 1975 on Europe 1.

- “The transfer of Franco’s body to a more discreet location”;

report by Henry De Laguerie for the show “Carnets du monde”, presented by Sophie Larmoyer and broadcast on November 25, 2018 on Europe 1.

- “Franco’s remains will be exhumed”;

report by Henry De Laguerie for “le Grand journal du soir”, presented by Stéphanie Levy and broadcast on October 23, 2019 on Europe 1.

Bibliography 

Bartolomé Bennassar, Franco, Perrin coll.

Tempus, 2002. 

Online Resources 

https://www.eldiario.es/comunitat-valenciana/informacion-alemana-masones-franco-espanoles-gestapo_1_1271932.html 

https://historia.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/entrevista-franco-y-hitler-estacion-hendaya_17306 

https://www.retronews.fr/conflits-et-relations-internationales/interview/2023/05/30/guerre-civile-Espagnee-interview-franco 

https://www.persee.fr/doc/casa_0076-230x_1994_num_30_3_2722