I am watching a German documentary series about Franco. The ruthless megalomania of the man and the cruelty he inflicted on the Spanish people is shocking.
It suited him to form an alliances with Nazi Germany during the civil war. The German bombing of Guernica that killed civilians and obliterated the city was one of many bombing raids that terrorised the Spanish people.
By 1939 Franco reduced his international support for Hitler’s Germany. Having paid Germany in meat exports for their aerial attacks his country was facing famine. He met Hitler to see what he could get out of any negotiations and nine hours later came away with nothing. Hitler is quoted as saying that he would sooner have three teeth extracted without anaesthetic than spend another hour listening to Franco.
Rich Spanish landowners were compensated for handing over land to 300 impoverished peasants families. Using state propaganda this was hailed as a great triumph over shortages. The truth was that much of the land was worthless. Famine was still widespread.
The Americans were entering the Cold War against the USSR and saw an opportunity to locate air bases in Spain with nuclear capability. Franco was desparate to secure food from the USA and encouraged his negotiating team to get the deal done.
A man who killed off his opponents, starved his people and isolated his country was still revered in some quarters as a champion of Catholic right wing values and an opponent of liberal or socialist ideologies.
By the 1960s there was outspoken opposition to the fascist regime and mass protests on the streets. Franco had handed power to experts and technocrats who were members of Opus Dei. He stayed home to watch one of his 17 televisions, but was filmed fishing or hunting for propaganda purposes.
odespinner 