Throughout Spain’s history the government has always had an impact on how the country has thrived or fallen. One specific and important moment that the government had major impact on was the Spanish Civil War. In the 19th century Spain was very divided and weak. While technically it was a monarchy, it wasn’t rare for military dictators to take power constantly. The people of Spain were extremely poor, so they were drawn to communism. Those who followed communist ideals wanted to eliminate the influence of the catholic church. In the 1930’s Spain was divided ideologically and socially. Many regions in Spain like the Catalans and Basques wanted more liberties or even complete freedom all together. Because all of these tensions existed
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Union strikes began to spread all throughout Spain and it was on the brink of a Communist revolution.
In 1923, Miguel Primo de Rivera staged a military coup with support of the military and the monarchy and became the dictator of Spain. But unsurprisingly de Rivera was extremely unpopular and tensions kept rising. In 1931 the Spanish monarchy resigned and a new constitution was put into place. It guaranteed human rights and basic freedoms, and separated church and state. Elections were held under the new constitution in 1933 and center right and right wing parties formed an alliance and came into power. Even though there was an established democracy there was no stability in Spain. The left, communists and unions, continually pushed for redistribution of land to the poor and nationalization. The first …show more content…
He was a general and leader of the Nationalist forces that overthrew the Spanish government during the Spanish Civil War. After the war he became the head of the Spanish government until 1973 and head of state until he died in 1975. The Spanish government continually became more unsteady especially as World War 2 broke out. At first Franco declared Spain neutral, but after the fall of France in 1940 his policy changed. He spoke to German leader Hitler and indicated his willingness to enter into the German side of the war in exchange for German military assistance. But Hitler was unable and unwilling to meet these demands, stating he would “as soon have 3 or 4 teeth pulled out” than go through another bartering session with Franco. In 1943 Spain returned to a complete state of neutrality, but it was too late to gain favorable treatment from the Allied powers. But Franco kept Spain from being destroyed, and his wartime diplomacy was marked by “cold realism and careful timing.” The aftermath of World War 2 left Spain in the most difficult time of Franco’s regime. Franco’s government was ostracized by the United Nations. Franco was labeled the “last surviving fascist dictator” and became one of the most hated Western heads of state. Within his country there were mixed opinions, many people supported him but many also opposed him. But at the height of the Cold War Franco was viewed as one of the
Union strikes began to spread all throughout Spain and it was on the brink of a Communist revolution.
In 1923, Miguel Primo de Rivera staged a military coup with support of the military and the monarchy and became the dictator of Spain. But unsurprisingly de Rivera was extremely unpopular and tensions kept rising. In 1931 the Spanish monarchy resigned and a new constitution was put into place. It guaranteed human rights and basic freedoms, and separated church and state. Elections were held under the new constitution in 1933 and center right and right wing parties formed an alliance and came into power. Even though there was an established democracy there was no stability in Spain. The left, communists and unions, continually pushed for redistribution of land to the poor and nationalization. The first …show more content…
He was a general and leader of the Nationalist forces that overthrew the Spanish government during the Spanish Civil War. After the war he became the head of the Spanish government until 1973 and head of state until he died in 1975. The Spanish government continually became more unsteady especially as World War 2 broke out. At first Franco declared Spain neutral, but after the fall of France in 1940 his policy changed. He spoke to German leader Hitler and indicated his willingness to enter into the German side of the war in exchange for German military assistance. But Hitler was unable and unwilling to meet these demands, stating he would “as soon have 3 or 4 teeth pulled out” than go through another bartering session with Franco. In 1943 Spain returned to a complete state of neutrality, but it was too late to gain favorable treatment from the Allied powers. But Franco kept Spain from being destroyed, and his wartime diplomacy was marked by “cold realism and careful timing.” The aftermath of World War 2 left Spain in the most difficult time of Franco’s regime. Franco’s government was ostracized by the United Nations. Franco was labeled the “last surviving fascist dictator” and became one of the most hated Western heads of state. Within his country there were mixed opinions, many people supported him but many also opposed him. But at the height of the Cold War Franco was viewed as one of the