Francisco Franco

Francisco Franco was a horrible dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975. He led a fascist movement known as Falangism. He killed hundreds of thousands of people during his rule. The number of victims of France during the Spanish Civil War ranges from 500,000 to two million. Military historian Antony Beevor states more than 100,000 non-combatants and surrendered troops were murdered by Franco supporters during the civil war. Thousands of anarchists were killed during his regime, the anarchist movement in Catalonia was brutally suppressed. Under Franco
 * criticism of the government was considered treason
 * all political parties were banned
 * the education system was controlled by the church
 * artists and intellectuals were exiled
 * trade unions were destroyed

He died in 1975 and the repressive regime ended, and marked the beginning of the Spanish transition to democracy.