HISTORICAL DICTIONARY A–Z - Spain and Portugal: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present - page 196

but clearly preferring to have him out of
the way.
When the insurrection of the so-called
Nationalist forces began in July 1936,
Franco, by then back in Morocco, pro-
claimed his adherence and took command
of the Army of Africa (comprising the For-
eign Legion and colonial troops). Unde-
terred by the navy's support of the
government, Franco arranged with his
friends in the German and Italian fascist
regimes to transport his soldiers to Spain in
cargo planes. The arrival of Franco's forces
was decisive in regaining momentum for
the uprising, as many of the military rebels
had been defeated or contained by the Loy-
alists, who supported the republic. Franco
soon emerged as the undisputed leader of
the rebellion thanks to his success on the
battlefield and the elimination of generals
who might have competed with him. On
October 1, 1936, he was proclaimed com-
mander of the armed forces and chief of
state of the government that was gradually
being installed throughout “liberated” terri-
tory. The S PANISH CIVIL WAR was presented
by Franco's propagandists as a new recon-
quista (see R ECONQUISTA ) , a crusade of tradi-
tionalists and Catholic patriots against
godless marxism. Early in 1939, with the
republic defeated, Franco was able to
assume the absolute control over his coun-
try that he would maintain until his death.
Franco's dictatorship may be divided
into three periods: 1939-50, 1950-65, and
1965-75. During the first of these he had
to develop the structure of his domestic
administration while shaping a foreign
policy that preserved Spain's neutrality in
World War II. At home Franco crushed all
dissent, imposed censorship, manipulated
public opinion, and created a brutal police

Francisco Franco (Library of Congress)

him respect in the army and the status of
popular hero at home.
Despite being removed from command
of the military academy at Z ARAGOZA fol-
lowing the establishment of the Second
Republic in 1931, Franco maintained the
image of the loyal professional soldier,
avoiding identification with any of the
political intrigues of the early 1930s.
Although the harsh repression of the min-
ers' revolt in A STURIAS (1934) was carried
out by others, his role in its planning gave
evidence of his increasing commitment to
ruthless defense of what he regarded as the
best interests of Spain. The left-wing coali-
tion that controlled the republic in early
1936 assigned him to the command of the
C ANARY I SLANDS , not daring to dismiss him,