MANUEL FRAGA IRIBARNE

The Spanish Military Dictator Francisco Franco had supporters despite his Civil War that was the destruction of democracy in Spain and the slaughter of many of Franco’s opponents. He allied with Nazi Fascist Germany and Italy and allowed the German Air Force to test the aerial bombing of populated cities for the first time in history. The Spanish Aristocracy and the Roman Catholic Church were strong supporters of Franco while volunteers came from every other country in Europe to try and defeat the Fascists as WWII was around the corner if they were not stopped. An entire brigade of Americans—the Abraham Lincoln Brigade—came to support the Spanish Republicans but Franco and his Fascist allies had much more modern weaponry including total air supremacy thanks to Nazi Germany.

He finally had to. In the government of national reconciliation, the Fascists—called Conservatives after WWII—were led by Don Manuel and he took the second place while the Republicans with the majority had the Prime Ministership. The Communists were part of the Republican coalition as they had been in the Civil War.

The Basques of Catalonia suffered much butchery at the hands of Don Manuel’s Fascists in the Spanish Civil war. The Basques were persecuted where they were not even allowed to teach or speak their own language. Cultural independence, if not autonomy was and is the goal of many Catalonians. By the end of the 20th century they were flying their own flag—so hated by the Fascists and conservatives and had cultural freedom, much to the distress of Don Manual and his conservative allies.

The Spanish Military Dictator Francisco Franco had supporters despite his Civil War that was the destruction of democracy in Spain and the slaughter of many of Franco’s opponents. He allied with Nazi Fascist Germany and Italy and allowed the German Air Force to test the aerial bombing of populated cities for the first time in history. The Spanish Aristocracy and the Roman Catholic Church were strong supporters of Franco while volunteers came from every other country in Europe to try and defeat the Fascists as WWII was around the corner if they were not stopped. An entire brigade of Americans—the Abraham Lincoln Brigade—came to support the Spanish Republicans but Franco and his Fascist allies had much more modern weaponry including total air supremacy thanks to Nazi Germany.

He finally had to. In the government of national reconciliation, the Fascists—called Conservatives after WWII—were led by Don Manuel and he took the second place while the Republicans with the majority had the Prime Ministership. The Communists were part of the Republican coalition as they had been in the Civil War.

The Basques of Catalonia suffered much butchery at the hands of Don Manuel’s Fascists in the Spanish Civil war. The Basques were persecuted where they were not even allowed to teach or speak their own language. Cultural independence, if not autonomy was and is the goal of many Catalonians. By the end of the 20th century they were flying their own flag—so hated by the Fascists and conservatives and had cultural freedom, much to the distress of Don Manual and his conservative allies.