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Tyler Tanner
Mrs.Sutliff
English 10
4/25/14
Francos Rise to Power Leading to the Bombing of Guernica
The rise of Francisco Franco was in part as he strived for power, and to control a
crumbling republic and improve the quality of the country to better himself. The tactics used
against Guernica was the first time that anyone of modern history had attempted to obliterate a
town. This was a way to have Franco overcome an area he wanted to control and it also helped
the German and Italian force to experiment with their new untested bombs. The event was so
destructive that Guernica went down in history as the first example of total warfare
(museodelapaz.org).
Pre-power struggle, Francisco was a supporter of the government. At the age of 14 he had
joined the military academy in Toledo, Spain. By the end of his training he was a second
lieutenant. He then was sent to the Spanish colony of Morocco; because of his care for his men
and his dedication he was promoted to first lieutenant. Although he was also known to be quite a
disciplinarian and even was known to shoot those who did not follow command
(moreorless.com).
As the fall of the previous ruler commences, the leftist powers took control of the country
and they form a new republic. During this time in 1931 Franco has his career halted. Although in
the years to come the rights re-take power. And his far rights that took control had developed the
ideals of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. In the years to follow he was promoted to the great
honor of the armys chief-of-staff (moreorless.com).
The conservative government of this country dissolves by 1936 and two parties come in
the National Bloc party and the Popular Front. During the time of unrest Franco is demoted to

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military governor of the Canary Islands. And due to the military rebellion starting in the Canary
Islands; the 17
th
of July the Spanish Civil War had begun. Franco was the leader of the
the socialist party. He took the steps to unite that party. Within those steps were uniting the
Falange Espanola and the Carlists (two political party) from those that he helped
combine; came the regimes official political party the Falange Espanola Tradicionalista
(biography.com). They united with the Nazi party of Germany and Germany used that
opportunity to experiment with their new incendiary bombs. The socialist party eventually took
control of Spain and will keep control until the near 70s (moreorless.com).

















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Works Cited
"Guernica Peace Museum." Documentation Centre. Bombing of Guernica .Guernica Peace
Museum Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014
"Francisco Franco." Moreorless.com. N.p., 7 Mar. 2001. Web. 15 May 2014
"Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Tedulo Franco Bahamonde." Bio. A&E Television Networks,
2014. Web. 13 May 2014