Isabel and Ferdinand liberated and saved Spain from their Muslim conquerors. Franco saved Spain from the communists and the Nazis. He walked a fine line in World War II. His actions relative to Nazi Germany were pragmatic as were the Swiss. Franco’s actions relative to the Jews was heroic. He deserves a place in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteous_Among_the_Nations
but that will never happen.
Franco groomed Juan Carlos (a Bourbon of Royal heritage) to be his heir to power and King of Spain. When Franco died this happened. Juan Carlos never indicated his true hope for Spain all those years he was under Franco’s tutelege. Franco raised like a son.
Once Juan Carlos assumed the throne and had near dictatorial power over Spain he quickly gave democracy to Spain for it first time in history. This resulted in a Coup de Tat by the Military. They had the guns, and the power to do anything they wanted. Juan Carlos had nothing except the support of the people. Spain was on the precipice of a second civil war.
King Juan Carlos gave a nationally televised address denouncing the coup and urging the maintenance of law and the continuance of the democratically elected government. The coup soon collapsed. After holding the Parliament and cabinet hostage for 18 hours the hostage-takers surrendered the next morning without having harmed anyone.
The Generals leading the Coup were old men at this time. They remembered the horror of the Spanish Civil War when they were young men in arms those years ago. They loved Spain and Franco those many years ago. Fortunately they stilled loved Spain. Though they had the Army, the weapons and everything to impose their will, they stood down.
They loved Spain and would not subject her to the horrors they endured and also inflected those many years ago.
When Juan Carlos addressed the Nation on Television that night, he knew he could be a dead man before the sun rose the next day. He loved Spain and those Generals that opposed him also did. No one died, and Spain remained free.
Franco saved Spain from the Communists and is a hero. After the civil war in Spain democracy was totally impossible due to instability in Europe and the looming World War II. Franco did not understand that Spain needed saving from him at the end of World War II.
Juan Carlos saved Spain from Franco and Generals that opposed freedom in Spain. Juan Carlos is a great man and a hero. This will never be noted in history with the exception of a few Spanish scholars.
ps
If you ever visit Spain and do not Speak Spanish you will find it a wonderful and delightful place.
If you visit Spain and can Speak Spanish you will find a culture and people that will amaze you. Rent a car and go where the Middle Class Spanish take there holidays. Talk to the old men and women. The young are much like the young in our country.
Madrid and Barcelona are good to visit because of their history and museums. But, they are big cities with all the problems of our big cities. The small villages and small towns of Spain are wonderful. When we go to Spain we rent a car and leave the City and find places to stay and visit. It is nice, very nice.
We should look to Spain for its history. There are many things to be admired and also many to be abhorred as also in our history. If we do not we will be condemned to repeat Spain’s and our own horrible errors.
“adrid and Barcelona are good to visit because of their history and museums.”
Actually, I was in Barcelona, and I loved it. So much to do and so much Art Nouveau. In particular, Gaudi. And the countryside is beautiful. I’d go back in a heartbeat if I were younger. Plus during the summer you could fry an egg on the street during the day. So you stay up all night instead. Good idea.
EXCELLENT YOUR COMMENTARY. THANK YOU
“HITLER STOPPED BY FRANCO” by Jane Boyar and Burt Boyar is an eye opening eyes book to be read by those in search of truth.
General Franco of Spain stopped Adolf Hitler in 1940. N.Y. Times #1 Best Selling authors Jane and Burt Boyar document this stunning fact: Spain, the weakest nation in Europe, defied the mighty Nazi war machine and altered forever the course of modern history. Here is the story - with all its intrigue and secret liaisons - of how General Francisco Franco denied to Adolf Hitler the strategy that would have won World War II for the fuhrer. And, while refusing Hitler’s demands, Franco literally saved the lives of more than sixty thousand Jews, giving them refuge from the Nazis, despite enormous risk to himself and Spain. When asked by his Foreign Minister, “What will Hitler think if we do this? Franco replied, “What will God think if we don’t?”
In 1944, when the allies had in reach the win in the second World War:
The greatest compliment to grant it, “without any doubt, was the Spanish decision to stay out of the war. ...The critical moment passed; the battle of Britain was won. ...Another very serious crisis happened... before the Torch operation, i.e. before the landing of the forces of the United States and Britain in the North of Africa. (...) I have to say that I shall take it that Spain paid then a service not only to the United Kingdom, the British Empire and the Commonwealth, but the cause of the United Nations. For this reason do not sympathize with those who believe intelligent, and even funny, insult and offend the Government of Spain in any occasion”(Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during World War II.)
In Winston Churchill’s “The Second World War”, Vol.2: Their Finest Hour Pages 519-530, the British Prime Minister wrote that last possibility of Hitler’s triumph was foiled by Franco:
“It is fashionable at the present time to dwell on the vices of General Franco and I am glad therefore to place on record this testimony of duplicity.. I shall presently record even greater services which… General Franco rendered the Allied cause.”