Why is francisco franco bad

In this post Franco promoted monarchists and purged the army hierarchy of Republicans. The Popular Front , as the coalition became known, advocated the restoration of Catalan autonomy, amnesty for political prisoners, agrarian reform, an end to political blacklists and the payment of damages for property owners who suffered during the revolt of Right-wing groups in Spain formed the National Front. The Spanish people voted on Sunday, 16th February, Out of a possible The Popular Front, with seats out of the in the Cortes formed the new government.

The Popular Front government immediately upset the conservatives by releasing all left-wing political prisoners. The government also introduced agrarian reforms that penalized the landed aristocracy. The government, afraid of a military uprising, transferred right-wing military leaders to posts outside Spain.

This included Franco, who was appointed him governor of Canary Islands. Mola became leader of this group and at this stage Franco was unwilling to fully commit himself to joining the revolt.

As a result of the government's economic measures the wealthy took vast sums of capital out of the country. This created an economic crisis and the value of the peseta declined which damaged trade and tourism.

With prices rising workers demanded higher wages. This led to a series of strikes in Spain. He contacted Emilio Mola and offered him the post of Minister of War in his government. To protect the Popular Front government, Giral gave orders for arms to be distributed to left-wing organizations that opposed the military uprising. General Emilio Mola issued his proclamation of revolt in Navarre on 19th July, The uprising was a failure in most parts of Spain but Mola's forces were successful in the Canary Islands, Morocco, Seville and Aragon.

Franco, now commander of the Army of Africa , joined the revolt and began to conquer southern Spain. By the end of September , the nine other generals involved in the military uprising came to the conclusion that Franco should become commander of the Nationalist Army. He was also appointed chief of state. General Emilio Mola agreed to serve under him and was placed in charge of the Army of the North. Franco now began to remove all his main rivals for the leadership of the Nationalist forces.

Franco then had himself appointed as leader of the new organisation. One Country! One Chief! Franco and his Nationalist Army , with the support of German and Italian troops, gradually began to take control of Spain. His troops captured Badajoz and this enabled him to join up with General Mola's army and secure the borders with Portugal. The victory at Irun sealed one frontier with France. In June the Nationalists captured Bilbao providing Franco with a major industrial base.

Franco was also helped by the French government's closing the Pyrenees passes to Spain in June Another important factor in his victory was the decision by Juan Negrin , the Republican prime minister, to withdraw the International Brigades in September In February the Nationalist Army was able to close the last frontier with France.

Franco now concentrated his forces on the now isolated Madrid and its defenders eventually surrendered the city on 31st March. Franco developed a reputation as a cruel and vindictive military leader. It is estimated that an estimated , political prisoners died as a result of starvation, overwork and executions.

The persecution of political opponents continued until when a number of amnesties and pardons were granted. Adolf Hitler tried hard to get Franco to change his mind. In their negotiations Franco demanded that in any postwar settlement he wanted control of Gibraltar , French Morocco, a portion of Algeria including Oran, and parts of Africa. Franco's main demand was that Germany had to fully compensate Spain for the cost of any British blockade of the country.

Hitler was in no position to take on this burden and the negotiations came to an end. However, Franco did agree to provide logistical and intelligence support and promised to send a volunteer force, the Spanish Blue Division, to help the fight against communism in Europe.

The two men met at Hendaye on 23rd October Hitler's main request was for his troops to travel through Spain to link up with an airbourne assault in Gibraltar. Franco, who believed that Germany would not win a long war, refused.

Instead, he asked for arms so that Spain could capture Gibraltar. Afterwards Hitler remarked that he would rather visit the dentist to have his teeth removed than have another meeting with Franco. Franco did consider invading Gibraltar while Britain was involved in the war with Nazi Germany.

However, he decided against this move when he was informed that if this happened, British forces would take the Canary Islands. Convinced that the Axis powers would be defeated, Franco now began to openly support the Allies in the war with Germany. After the war Franco came under considerable pressure to restore the monarchy. In Franco announced a referendum to establish his position.

The vote confirmed him as lifetime regent. The following year, Juan Carlos, the future king, began his education at the age of ten under Franco's supervision. Franco's strong anti-Communism made him popular with the United States and in Spain was allowed to join the United Nations.

In Franco signed an agreement that enabled the United States to establish four air and naval bases in Spain. In the Vatican confirmed the Church's recognition of Franco's power by granting him the right to the final choice of a bishop from a list of several candidates proposed by the pope.

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