Francisco Franco, Hero or Villain?

[ADFSDF1996]

This is a man who ruled Spain (1936-1976) under a fascist regime at first but later it turned into a autocratic regime. It's known that under his regime, he suppressed his opposition. Even though he was a fascist, Spain took no part during WWII which allowed Spain to keep it's regime intact. However, he did "lend" some of his soldiers to the third Reich (blue division) so they could fight against the Soviets.

After WWII, Spain signed the "Pact of Madrid" which gave Spain some American support. Franco's regime would collapse after he died of a stroke in 1975.

There is still quite a number of Spaniards that still respect Franco and sing the Falangist hymne "Cara al sol" (face to the sun) In "Plaza del Oriente".

Hero

Villain

In between

[JimRSmith]

The only way to credibly analyse his record is to not only use the benefit of hindsight, but also to assess his record by the standards of the time.

He kept a shattered Spain out of WW2. Despite Hitler and Mussolini putting immense pressure on him to commit Spain to the Axis, and seize British Gibraltar, thus closing the Mediterranean to the Allies. Various assessments have been made of what the impact of this could have been, but the more sober seem to suggest that by not doing if General Franco had done so, then the war in Europe could have lasted a further six months to a year, and also cost hundreds of thousands more lives.

He also presided over the economic regeneration of Spain, and on his death, a democratic parliamentary monarchy emerged, which remains in place today, and which seems to be the preferred form of government of a majority of the Spanish people.

Would his regime seem anachronistic and repressive today? Undoubtedly. But not necessarily so, by the standards of the time.

[MarkRet]

Spain was descending into a mixture of anarchy/communism before Franco took over, so I guess he's more of a hero.

[OlderAndWiser]

The most memorable thing about Franco is that he lingered near death for so long. It seems that the news reports of his imminent death lasted for 6 months.

[jacquesvol]

In fact, one of the leaders of the coup, General Emilio Mola said:[92]
" It is necessary to spread terror. We have to create the impression of mastery eliminating without scruples or hesitation all those who do not think as we do. There can be no cowardice. If we hesitate one moment and fail to proceed with the greatest determination, we will not win. Anyone who helps or hides a Communist or a supporter of the Popular Front will be shot."
en.wikipedia.org/.../Francoist_Repression
en.wikipedia.org/.../Francoist_Repression
Due to Spanish amnesty Laws signed by Franco we will probably never know how many were killed and who were the killers. Estimations are in the hundreds of thousands range.
Moreover , tens of thousands of babies (or more) were abduct by Franquistas and sold by the RC church content.time.com/.../0,8599,2059563,00.html

all-that-is-interesting.com/stolen-babies-spain
www.dailymail.co.uk/.../...holic-church-Spain.html

[jacquesvol]

Francisco Franco was a fascist criminal.

[jacquesvol]

He started a civil war against a legal government and won it with the help of Mussolini's and Hitler's armies.

[ADFSDF1996]

To many, he was the lesser of the two evils.

[jacquesvol]

He wasn't as dangerous as Hitler and Mussolini and didn't formally join the Axis, that's why he was spared when Europe was liberated.

[Blitzkrieger]

I dont know enough of him but i will read up on him if i can find some right wing sources. Right wing sources address things like government structure economical and military strategies but left wing sources only talk about lack of humanity. I know they fought communists, i think thats a good thing.

[Waffles731]

Villain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ertt3o1x65c

[Waffles731]

The real heroes were the men who died fighting hm

[jacquesvol]

And all tose killed and maimed in his revenge operations after the civil war.

[jacquesvol]

www.telegraph.co.uk/.../...aul-Preston-review.html

[jacquesvol]

Typo:_tHose killed, of course

[Anonymous]

One of the top five worst villains in Spanish history, the other four were Pedro de Castilla (el Cruel), Francisco Pizarro, Hernán Cortés and Tomás de Torquemada.

[TheSpartan]

He was one of the greatest men of the 20th century.

[Anonymous]

Hero. Imagine a communist Spain.

[es20490446e]

I was rather thinking in a republic like France.

[TheFlak38]

Hero of course!

[dogfish]

villain 😡

[Anonymous]

Only deluded right wings like that fucker.

[hector88]

He was an idiot.