Beginning of Essay
was a general and authoritarian leader, who governed Spain from 1939 to 1975. He came to power shortly after the start of the Spanish Civil War. In that war, he led the rebel Nationalist Army to victory over the Loyalist forces. After the war ended in 1939, Fr ....

Middle of Essay
.... in 1923. Franco became a national hero for his role in suppressing revolts in Morocco, and at the age of 33 he was made brigadier general. Having quelled a leftists revolt in Austria in 1934, he became army chief of staff in 1935. In February of 1936 the leftist government of the Spanish republic exiled Franco to an obscure command in the Canary Islands. The following July he joined other right-wing officers in a revolt against the republic. In October they made him commander in chief and head of state of their new Nationalist regime. During the three years of the ensuing civil war against the republic, Franco proved an unimaginative but care ....