Franco came to power during the Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 1936 to 1939. The elected government at the time made the wealthy and the military feel alienated. Franco led the army to overthrow the Spanish government. In 1939, he became Spain’s leader. He was a dictator who ruled Spain for more than three decades. Dictators are leaders that have total control of a country. They are not elected.
The general and dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975) ruled over Spain from 1939 until his death. He rose to power during the bloody Spanish Civil War when, with the help of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, his Nationalist forces overthrew the democratically elected Second Republic.
The Franco Regime: Francisco Franco ruled Spain as a dictator for more than 35 years. As caudillo (leader), he was chief of state, commander of the armed forces, and head of the only legal political party, the Falange. He kept Spain out of World War II through artful diplomacy, began its postwar industrial development, and gave up most of its remaining African territories. In 1969 he named Prince Juan Carlos, grandson of Alfonso XIII, as his eventual successor.
