Franco years and the creation of a Democratic Spain: 1936-Present

 
-1936 Republican Popular Front wins the general election on January 16.  On July 17, Nationalist generals rise against Republicans

(Nationalist Poster)

 
-1936 Nationalists declare Franco head of state on September 29

(Franco)
 

 
-1937 On April 26, Nazi planes bomb Basque town of Guernica (Gernika-Lumo)
 
-1938 On January 8, Republicans lose battle for Teruel in bitter cold. On December 23, Nationalists bomb Barcelona
 
-1939 In March, Madrid, Valencia and Alicante fall quickly to Franco’s troops. Franco declares end of war on April 1, and demands unconditional surrender from Republicans
 
-1945 By end of World War II, Spain is diplomatically and politically isolated
 
-1947 Spain declared monarchy with Franco as regent

(The Spain Franco worked to build was politically and religiously united.)
 

-1953 Deal with US permits American bases on Spanish soil in exchange for aid
 
-1955 Spain joins United Nations
 
-1959 Founding of ETA, Basque separatist group
 
-1962 Tourism on the Mediterranean coast is boosted by official go-ahead
 
-1969 Franco declares Prince Juan Carlos his successor
 
-1970 “Burgos trials” of the regime’s opponents outrage world opinion
 
-1973 ETA assassinates Admiral Carrero Blanco, Franco’s hard-line prime minister
 
-1975 Death of Franco results in third Bourbon restoration as Juan Carlos is proclaimed king

(Franco’s funeral)

 
-1977 First free elections return centrist government under Adolfo Suarez.  All political parties, including communist, are legalized
 
-1981 Military officers stage attempted coup d’etat to overthrow democracy

(General Antonio Tejero held Parliament at gunpoint for several hours, Democracy survived because King Juan Carlos refused to support the rebels.)

 
-1982 Landslide electoral victory brings Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE), under Felipe Gonzalez, to power.  World Cup held in Spain.  Spain joins NATO

(NATO Protest. Some saw Spain’s joining NATO as a reversal of Socialist ideals, while others saw it as indicative of Spain’s improvement in National standing.)

 
-1983 Semi-autonomous regional governments are established to appease Basque Country and Catalonia
 
-1986 Spain joins EC (now EU)
 
-1989 Spain holds presidency of European Community
 
-1991 Madrid hosts Bush-Gorbachev summit
 
-1992 Barcelona Olympics and Sevilla Expo ’92  place Spain firmly within community of modern European nations
 
-1993 Gonzalez wins third term in office

(Felipe Gonzales)

 
-1994-1995 Corruption scandals rock the government
 
-1996 In the general election on March 3, Gonzalez loses to a coalition led by Aznar
 
-1998 ETA, the Basque separatist terrorist group, announces a ceasefire
 
-2000 Religious celebrations for the Millennium year in Spain’s churches