One of the most important factors for the Franco regime surviving was that it kept Spain neutral during the Second World War and was sensible enough not to join the war on the Axis side. Franco could have done so in 1940 with France defeated and Britain severely weakened just as Mussolini did with Italy. With the exception of Portugal all the other fascist and right wing regimes in Europe joined the war on the Axis side. All were defeated and lost power as a result. Franco had realised that Spain was too weak to fight in the Second World War and that the risks were far greater than the potential rewards. Involvement in the war would have involved almost certain defeat, heavy losses and the end of the regime. Franco annoyed Hitler with his refusal to enter the war and could not be tempted or persuaded to change his mind.

Franco was certainly skilled at gaining supplies and volunteers from Hitler and Mussolini during the Spanish Civil War with promises of joining in any future wars (their motives in giving their forces battle experience and testing their weapons also contributed). Franco must have noticed how over stretched the Italians were during the Spanish Civil War let alone fighting in the Second World War, and Spain was even weaker than Italy at that point.

The Franco regime survived as long as did it due to the weakness of internal opposition. The Spanish Civil War had provided the perfect context for rooting out the opposition and the remnants of the Republican regime. The war itself had either led to the deaths, imprisonment or exile of those most committed to the Republican cause. The Franco regime suppressed those opposition elements that had not been able to escape into exile. The Socialists and the Communists were able to maintain underground organisations but were too weak to overthrow the regime. Throughout its existence the regime faced the problem of containing separatists such as the Catalans and most noticeably the Basques. To a large extent it survived as long as it did by keeping that threat to a minimum. From the 1960s the Basque group ETA posed a threat, leading to the murder of Franco’s preferred successor Admiral Blanco in 1973. However the Basques were unable to gain autonomy or independence during the Franco regime or indeed after it.

The Franco regime survived for so long partly because of the onset of the Cold War. The Cold War meant that the United States and Western European countries such as France and Britain were determined to have Spain linked to the West. However, they would not let Spain join NATO or the European Union. The Americans were happy to bolster Franco’s regime by signing a defence agreement in 1953 as part of their containment of communism policy (Watson, 1997, p.162). Spain had been shunned as a result of Franco’s victory in the Spanish civil war and apparent links with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. To become a more effective ally for the USA, Spain was given US military and economic aid. The defence pact with the USA broke the regimes international isolation allowing its armed forces to modernize. The anti-Communist nature of the regime was exactly what the United States was looking for and they were not unduly concerned about the undemocratic nature of the regime.

Another factor that contributed to the length of the Franco regime’s survival was that for much of the period there seemed to be no serious alternative. The regime played on the fears that a return to democracy would bring Communists and Socialists back to power. In other words the alternative to Franco was another Republic or another Civil War. Franco played on the fears of further conflicts should his regime fall as an excuse for repression and to ensure the population accepted the continuance if the regime (Roberts, 1996, 492). Franco himself wanted to remain in power for life and then have the Spanish monarchy restored with a military led government retaining power. He achieved that goal when his made caudillo or head of state for life in 1947. In essence the regime length was directly linked to the life span of Franco himself. Franco plans for the continuance of the military led government were not to be fulfilled due to the murder of Admiral Blanco and the support of King Juan Carlos for democracy. With the exception of ETA, much of the opposition to the Franco regime was biding its time as the aging dictator survived into his eighties. It made little sense to risk life and liberty in openly opposing a regime built around a man who was increasingly frail, they need do nothing but wait for his death.

The Franco regime was partly able to last so long as it delivered economic growth. The Franco regime started a process of economic reforms and modernization in order to end Spain’s economic backwardness. At first economic progress and reforms were directed and promoted by the group Accion Espanola. The policies of Accion Espanola were intended to instill Spain with a vigorous form of capitalism. The only influence that the fascist Falangists would have during the Franco regime was control of the trade union movement. That control was used to make sure that all workers and unions co-operated with regime’s economic policy and were not involved in supporting opposition movements. The corporatist structures helped enforce the regime’s economic measures that started to increase Spain’s productivity and wealth.

The ideological nature of the Franco regime itself contributed to the length of its survival. The regime was not dominated consistently by any group or deep-rooted ideology. Franco was keen to play the different factions within the regime off against each other to maintain his personal control. Although the regime contained the small group of fascists the Falange it represented the entire nationalist and conservative groups in Spain. When Franco had wished to maintain strong links with Hitler and Mussolini the Falange’s role within the regime was highlighted. However when the regime needed to re-establish better relationships with the rest of Western Europe and the USA the Falange were played down in importance.

General Franco was astute enough to consolidate the regime after winning the Spanish Civil War. It was a bonus for the regime that many of its most dangerous opponents had been killed, jailed or gone into exile as a result of the Civil War. Staying neutral during the Second World War was a sensible decision given Spain’s lack of resources and because it started so close to the end of the Spanish Civil War. If Spain had joined the war on the Axis side defeat would have followed and the Franco regime would have collapsed. Aside from its anti-communism the Franco regime had no constant ideological agenda thus allowing it to be highly pragmatic in foreign and domestic policy- making decisions. The onset of the Cold War was a bonus for the regime as it ended its international isolation after the defeat of the Axis powers. The regime’s anti-Communist credentials were more important that it’s obvious lack of democratic freedoms. Franco himself was astute at playing the fractions of the regime off against each other and would often change the government around to keep his authority absolute. The regime maintained in its propaganda that it was Spain’s only hope for political stability and economic progress.

Bibliography

Carr R (1986) The Spanish Tragedy – The Spanish Civil War in Perspective, Phoenix Press, London

Eatwell, R (2003) A History of Fascism, Pimlico, London

Hobsbawm, E (1994) Age of Extremes- the short Twentieth century 1914-1991, Michael Joseph, London

Roberts J M (1996) A History of Europe, Penguin, London

Watson, J (1997) Success in World History since 1945, John Murray, London