Who was Francisco Franco? Explain his campaign against Basque national identity

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• Francisco Franco was the leader of the Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War from 1936–1939, and the fascist dictator of Spain from 1939–1975.
• After achieving victory in 1939, Franco forcibly campaigned against Basque national identity.
• Franco completely incorporated the Basque region into Spain, banning its language and expressions of national culture.
Franco's repression made the Basque region seem like it was occupied by a foreign colonial power.
• Priests were forbidden to make references the Basque region in religious services, and parents were forced to give their children Spanish first names.
• The Basque language was banned.
• Franco applied these rules to the entire Basque region, even though only two of the four provinces opposed his forces in the civil war.
After World War II, many Basques believed the Allies would assist their bid for independence or even greater autonomy because Franco had supported Hitler, but the United States courted Franco's fascist government in return for American air bases in Spain.
• This resulted in a resurgence of Basque nationalism during the 1950s and the formation of a government in exile in Paris.
The exiled Basques became an idealized expression of nationalism and ethnic identity, and while it was virtually powerless, it attracted a following in the Basque states.