Francisco Franco was an army general and dictator who ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975. He made his rise to dictatorship during the Spanish Civil War. The help of Germany and Italy deployed its forces to overthrow the Second Republic. Adopting the title “El Caudillo,” The Leader, Franco persecuted his political opponents and repressed the culture and language of the Spanish regions. He censored the media and took absolute control of the country. If not for his lack of involvement in World War II, Franco's dictatorship may have been overthrown or may not have lasted until his death. Francisco Franco was born in 1892 in Ferrol, Spain. Francisco Franco's father was an officer in the Administrative Corps of the Spanish Navy and his mother was upper-class conservative and Roman Catholic. The previous 4 generations of Franco's family and his older brother were also naval officers. Franco was destined to follow that path. Due to reduced admissions to the Naval Academy, Franco was forced to join the army. Franco was only 14 years old when he entered the Infantry Academy in 1907. He graduated three years later and volunteered for active duty in the Spanish Morocco campaigns and was stationed there in 1912. In 1913 he was promoted to lieutenant and served in a company of the Spanish cavalry based in Morocco. Franco seemed like a born commander. He soon gained a reputation for complete dedication to the profession and the troops under his command. In 1915 Franco became one of the youngest captains in the Spanish army. Then in 1920 he was chosen to be second in command of the Spanish Foreign Legion. During the Moroccan campaigns, the Foreign Legion played a key role in subduing the Moroccans...... middle of paper ......along the northern border of France after receiving reassurance that the Allies would not attack. German intelligence could operate in Spain. Downed Allied pilots and Jewish refugees were also allowed entry. Overall Spain was weak. Their armed forces were depleted and Franco did not have the resources to fight a war against or with Germany. Franco also knew that Germany and Italy could not win the war in Europe against France, England, the Soviet Union and the United States. There were two very powerful enemies on two fronts of Spain. For them, joining the Axis would have been military suicide which could have led to the fall of the newborn regime and the return to power of the communist and socialist parties in Spain. This was Franco's greatest fear because his dictatorship might cease to exist. However, it lasted until his death.