How Did The Spanish Civil War Influence Franco

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The Spanish Civil War played a significant role during the troublesome Europe in the 1930s. Although it did not make World War II inevitable, it increased the likelihood of a general war a great deal. The war had a tremendous impact on Spain itself, leaving much of the state's economic and social infrastructure in ruins and leaving thousands dead. But the war also saw involvement from other European states as both sides of the conflict, the right wing Nationalists and the left wing Republicans requested and received foreign aid not only in terms of financial assets, but also in terms of war material and troops. Adolf Hitler's Germany was one of the foreign countries most involved in the conflict, contributing economic loans as well as several …show more content…

An examination of Franco's life reveals him as an intensely religious, patriotic person very much prone to nationalism. He was driven to join the military by his family as well as these ideals, and the latter of these also influenced him to choose the side of the Nationalists during the coup that led to the Spanish Civil War. Franco shared a good deal of ideals with those of fascism, but avoided a good many others. For instance, he had nationalistic tendencies, engaged in a glorification of the past, and forced participation in his style of government by suppressing opposition. Notably, however, he did not foster a culture of militarism and expansion. Spain was for Spaniards, Franco thought, and while autarky was advocated, there was no particularly good or practical reason to conquer neighbouring countries. Furthermore, Franco rejected Hitler's neo-mystic utopianism, and he never acknowledged subscribing to a similar utopianistic or overtly racist ideology in his rhetoric as Generalissimo. Finally, there was nothing inherent to Franco's ideology (and, therefore, the policy of Spain) that led Spain on an inevitable course to …show more content…

The Franco regime also lacked the ideological impetus characteristic of totalitarian governments. Furthermore, for those willing to work within the system, there was a limited form of pluralism. Thus, Franco's rule has been characterized as authoritarian rather than totalitarian. After the Civil War Franco moved to weaken the Falangist and fascist party, as he introduced more conservative and traditional political forces with the National movement. Franco’s government that focused on the Roman Catholic Church as well as international developed (something wrong here, reread..”as well as international developed???”)helped confirm that he was not a true fascist. Even though there were characteristics of fascism during Franco’s regime, primarily in the first decade, the majority of historians can concluded that Franco would be classified as a

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