On September 1, 1939, World War II broke out. This war was a war against fascism for all mankind and ended in the victory of the Allies. Germany, Italy, and Japan among the Axis powers were all overthrown by the Allies. However, although the Second World War was over, it meant that all the fascist countries were overthrown, and one fascist country was not overthrown. Because the country did not join the Axis during World War II, it has remained neutral. It wasn't until 1975, 30 years after the end of World War II, that the fascist regime in that country was overthrown, and it was Spain.
Spain's fascists appeared very late, ruling Spain only in 1939, not long before the outbreak of World War II. However, although this fascist regime was established late, it existed for a very long time. Until its overthrow in 1975, the Spanish fascists ruled Spain for a total of 36 years, which was much longer than the German fascists and the Italian fascists. Let us now look at how a fascist regime emerged in Spain, why it did not enter the Second World War, and how it was not overthrown after the war.
In 1931, Spain once again established a republic and ruled the Spanish royal family into exile. However, although Spain established a republic, its rule was not stable. In particular, many of the reforms carried out by the Republican government in Spain led many people to start opposing the central government, and Franco was one of them. It can be said that the fascist regime in Spain was established by Franco. And the reason why this regime has existed for so long is also directly related to Franco.
In 1933, José Antonio Primo Rivera founded the Spanish Tulles. The Spanish Piapult demanded absolute obedience to orders, nationalist and militaristic promotions, uniform uniforms and uniform salutes. These things are enough to show that the Spanish Phalange is a fascist party. In 1936, José Antonio Primo Rivera was executed, and Franco quickly became the leader of the Lance Party, taking control of the party. It was also at this time that Franco began to oppose the government and launched a military coup in Spanish Morocco. Due to the precarious rule of the Republican Government, there has been no significant improvement in the lives of the people. So Franco's coup drew the support of many people. Franco then marched his army into Spain, which plunged Spain into civil unrest.
Franco's full name is Francisco Paulino Emmenesildo Teoduro Franco I Bajamundo Sargado Pardo de Andrade, the Spaniard name is really very long. He was a military man, became a brigadier general at the age of 34, and was the youngest general in Europe at the time, so he was highly valued. In 1935, he became chief of staff of the army and began to rectify military discipline. Later, he disagreed with the government and began to be excluded. Officially at such a time, Franco joined the Spanish Pikees and became a member of the fascists. After the death of José Antonio Primo De Rivera, Franco became the leader of Spanish fascism due to Franco's high prestige in the army.
The way the Spanish fascists came to power was markedly different from other fascist countries. Germany elected Hitler to power through elections. Mussolini of Italy seized power by instructing the people to march on their own. Not to mention Japan, which has always been the emperor's say. That is to say, the power of other fascist parties is peaceful, and only the fascist regime established by Franco of Spain is a military method.
After the civil unrest in Spain, many countries intervened in the war. For example, Britain, France, the Soviet Union and others supported the republican government, and Italy, Germany and others supported Franco. Eventually Franco's Spanish Tulles occupied Barcelona on January 26, 1939, formally establishing its rule over Spain. According to normal circumstances, after the establishment of fascist regimes in various countries, the next thing to do is to suppress the opposition forces internally and establish dictatorship. Actively expand externally and occupy other countries and regions. But the path taken by the Spanish fascists was completely different.
Franco did establish a fascist dictatorship internally. Politically, he banned other political parties, suppressed various demonstrations, arrested all kinds of opposition personnel, and many were directly executed without trial; culturally, he strengthened ideological control, attached importance to theological education, and prohibited the dissemination of any anti-fascist ideas; economically, no one was allowed to strike and march, and the control of the economy was strengthened. In addition to these, in many aspects of diplomacy and internal affairs, Franco's autocracy is reflected. However, these are only internal despotism, and externally, Spain is completely different from other fascist countries.
Not long after Franco came to power in Spain, Spain acceded to the Anti-Comintern Pact and signed a secret treaty of friendship with Nazi Germany. All that Franco did was move closer to Germany. Of course, he did so because Germany helped itself so much during the Spanish Civil War. At that time, the influence of Germany and Italy in Spain was very large. However, Spain's relations with them were limited to this, and when Germany and Italy started the war, Spain did not participate in any way.
When Hitler demanded that Spain join World War II, Franco rejected Hitler on the grounds that Spain could not withstand a war after a long civil war. There was no way, Hitler could only exchange his actions for Spain joining the war. Germany began to assist Spain, providing economic, military and other assistance to Spain. Spain did accept aid from Germany, but it also received aid from Countries such as Britain and France. Because the Allies were also very afraid of Spain's fall to Germany and wanted to enlist Spain to join them, they always aided Spain. In this way, Spain flattered both sides and kept negotiating terms with both sides, that is, not to join the war. Spain has always maintained its so-called neutrality. However, this neutrality is not absolute neutrality, and Spain has been seeing the wind at the rudder.
As Germany continued to advance in the Soviet-German war, Franco was also moved. At this time, due to the constant urging of the Germans, Franco sent an army to join the German army. But this army did not go in the name of the government, but in the name of the volunteer army. Nominally voluntarily, it has nothing to do with the government. When the Germans were at a disadvantage on the Soviet-German battlefield, Franco immediately recalled the army. Before the Normandy landings, the Allies took the initiative in the battlefield, and Franco fell to the Allies. It can be said that Spain was two sides of the court at that time.
After Germany surrendered, there was no reason for the Allies to overthrow Spanish fascism after they did not participate in the war. After all, people had cooperated with themselves during the war, and the Allies were not embarrassed to do so. In this way, the Spanish fascists escaped the punishment of the Allies. But that wasn't the end of the matter, and fascist rule in Spain didn't end with the end of World War II.
After the establishment of the United Nations, Spain was not allowed to join the United Nations because it was a fascist regime. It looks like Spain is isolated at this point, but it didn't last long. Not long after the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union moved from cooperation to confrontation, and the struggle for hegemony between the United States and the Soviet Union officially began. Because Spain opposed communism, the United States began to actively co-opt Spain. For the United States, the enemy of the enemy is the friend. No matter what kind of regime Spain is, as long as it turns to itself, it will have another strength, and another advantage when confronting the Soviet Union. In 1950, the United States began to support Spain's construction, providing substantial assistance to Spain. In 1955, with the support of the United States, Spain joined the United Nations again. In 1959, the President of the United States even visited Spain directly. All this shows that Western society has completely accepted Spain.
Of course, although Western society accepted Spain, Franco's rule in Spain was still very authoritarian. However, compared with the Second World War, Franco also made corresponding changes. It can be said that by the 1960s, the fascist nature of the Spanish regime was becoming less and less, similar to other political parties. In any case, the Spanish regime was fascist in nature, but only enlightened despotism.
Franco died in Spain in 1975. After his death, his appointed successor, Juan Carlos, ascended to the throne and implemented democratic reforms. Many people can't figure out why it is the throne. Because in 1947, Spain promulgated the Law on the Succession of heads of State on the Post of Head of State, declaring Spain a constitutional kingdom. Franco was not a king, but a regent, with the right to appoint a king's heir. And his chosen Juan Carlos was the former King of Spain, Alfonso XIII. That is to say, the Spanish Second Republic originally overthrew the Bourbon rule in Spain. As a result, Franco overthrew the Second Republic and returned power to the Bourbons. This is still very interesting. This also shows that Franco is very much in favor of the monarchy.
After Franco's death, the fascist dictatorship in Spain came to an end due to democratic reforms. Of course, although Franco ruled in Spain for 36 years, it was not all negative, and he still contributed a lot to Spain. The first thing was that Spain was not involved in the war during World War II, and Spain also received assistance from both sides and developed rapidly; the second thing was that after the war, the Spanish economy developed rapidly. During his reign, Spain's economy rose rapidly, and at its peak, its per capita GDP was comparable to that of Western European countries, and various industries developed rapidly, becoming a veritable economic power. It is precisely because of these things that Franco ruled Spain for so long and became a controversial figure.
This is the general situation of Spanish fascism. In general, the fascists in Spain looked very different and out of place in the fascist countries of the time. However, it is precisely because of this that Spain has developed later. The fate of the Spanish fascists also reflects one thing from the side, the Allies are not against fascism, but against those countries that oppose themselves. If he were really against fascism, Franco could not have ruled Spain for so long.
Resources:
History of Spain, Franco, The Longest Day