Spanish Opposition to Franco: Exile, Resistance, and Struggle
Opposition: Exile and Resistance
In the final phase of the civil war, more than four hundred thousand people associated with the Republic left Spain and came to France through the Pyrenees, or fled to northern Africa. Many of the refugees returned to Spain when the regime promised to take no action against those who had committed no crime, a promise that was not fulfilled. About two hundred thousand people remained in exile or only returned to Spain after Franco’s death. In France, they established a large colony of Spanish emigrants. Their situation became more difficult during the German occupation of France, which involved the persecution of Spanish exiles, branded as dangerous Communists. Many chose to emigrate to Britain and America. Exile was a very important development of the political opposition to Franco. The political institutions of the Republic and the Catalan and Basque governments continued to operate in exile. Most Republican political organizations and members maintained their organization in exile, but were characterized by internal divisions and the gradual accommodation of the social reality in Spain. While some forces defended the need to create a united front and develop a diplomatic effort to force the fall of the Franco regime, others advocated the guerrilla struggle as a stage before the popular uprising.
After the war, opposition parties and trade unions had been completely dismantled. Their reconstruction was slow and difficult and had to be done in absolute secrecy, dodging the ruthless police repression that constantly dislocated their organization and imprisoned its leaders. Broadly speaking, we can divide the actions of the opposition during the early Franco period into three significantly different stages. The first was characterized by the limited performance of the internal resistance, as these were the toughest times of the Franco regime. Most significant was the persistence of guerrilla activity, starring a considerable number of Republican fighters who were not resigned to defeat. The second stage was deeply influenced by the Allied victory. Allied intervention in Spain may have provoked the creation of platforms between different opposition forces. In 1944, the most democratic monarchist sectors were organized around Juan de Borbon in the hope of a quick restoration of the monarchy. This entry caused the creation of the National Alliance of Democratic Forces, composed of Socialists, Republicans, and some members of the CNT. Other organizations pushed for the attempted armed uprising to end the Franco regime. From France, guerrilla bands organized and entered Spain, operating mostly in rural and mountainous areas. Finally, the third stage was a reorganization of the opposition movement due to the demoralization caused by the consolidation of the Franco dictatorship. Franco’s police and civil guard had cleared almost all the political resistance at home. In the late 1940s, Spain began to resurface in a timid popular protest movement, played by the working class against the poor living and working conditions. The PCE abandoned armed struggle in 1948 and focused on illegal political activity within the country. On the other hand, sectors such as Catholic workers HOAC, created in 1946, began to raise social and labor demands. In 1946, there were disputes in the textile sector. In the same year, a general strike was held in Manresa. In 1951, the 20-cent increase in tram fare caused a widespread boycott of the population to set aside the rate increases decreed by the authorities.