How bad was General Franco?

I really can understand why Otto von Habsburg defended Franco, considering he was the only Head of State in Europe who didn't abandon him and his entire family. That being said, even Otto admitted that Franco was a dictator, just “not totalitarian like Hitler or Stalin. read more

Franco, a known authoritarian rightist, was reprimanded for criticizing the actions of those in charge and sent to an out-of-the-way post near El Ferrol. Moreover, his General Military Academy was shut down. Nevertheless, Franco was brought back into the good graces of the government in 1933 when a center-right coalition won elections. read more

Professor Luis Suarez, an admirer of Gen. Francisco Franco, has apparently written the entry for him. The eighty-six-year-old Suarez maintains that Franco was an authoritarian, not a totalitarian, leader. read more

Franco suppressed the coal strike with efficiency but very ruthlessly. This one incident sealed his reputation for brutality though Franco saw it as he and his army simply carrying out an order to the best of his efficiency. By 1936, Franco was chief of staff for the military. In July 1936, Franco lead a revolt against the Popular Front. read more