Yep, no good guys in the Spanish Civil War. Franco was the least worst choice.
Franco walked a fine line. He kept communists out of Spain (for which communists in America vilified him), and he kept Spain out of WWII.
Franco was necessary. You couldn’t treat the communist infection with the kid gloves treatment. Brutal means were required and fortunately El Caudillo was up to the task. In the end, Spain was saved from the Communist swine.