The dictatorship of Franco
Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II, but suffered through a devastating Civil War (1936-39). During Franco’s rule, Spain remained largely economically and culturally isolated from the outside world, but slowly began to catch up economically with its European neighbors.
Under Franco, Spain actively sought the return of Gibraltar by the UK, and gained some support for its cause at the United Nations.
During the 1960s, Spain began imposing restrictions on Gibraltar, culminating in the closure of the border in 1969. It was not fully reopened until 1985. Spain also relinquished its colonies in Africa, with Spanish rule in Morocco ending in 1956. Spanish Guinea was granted independence as Equatorial Guinea in 1968, while the Moroccan enclave of Ifni had been ceded to Morocco in 1969. The latter years of Franco’s rule saw some economic and political liberalisation, the so called Spanish Miracle, including the birth of a tourism industry.
Francisco Franco ruled until his death on November 20th 1975 when control was given to King Juan Carlos. In the last few months before Franco’s death, the Spanish state went into a paralysis. This was capitalized upon by King Hassan of Morocco, who ordered the ‘Green March’ into Western Sahara, Spain’s last colonial possession.
