Franco

Life&Times
By Michael Streeter

Francisco Franco (1892-1975) grew up in the quiet backwater of El Ferrol in north-west Spain, but became one of the most controversial political figures of the 20th century. His ruthless pursuit of victory in the bloody Spanish Civil War alone guaranteed him fame and notoriety. The general went on to rule Spain for nearly 40 years with an authoritarian zeal that scarcely diminished in old age. Variously courted by the liberal democracies of Britain and France, the Fascist alliance of Hitler and Mussolini and then by the anti-communist administrations in Washington, Franco played a major role on the world stage until his death in 1975. This concise but authoritative biography of General Franco was published thirty years after his death and explores the man behind the myths which he himself helped to create. It tries to assess the impact he made not just on Spain but on the entire history of the 20th century.

'This was an excellent, if very brief, introduction to the life of the Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco ... All in all this is a great biography of the man for anyone who doesn't want to slog through a massive tome. The book is very aesthetically pleasing as well. It is sleek, compact, has glossy pages and many pictures.'

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Michael Streeter is a writer and journalist who worked for many years in Fleet Street, including spells as news editor of the Independent on Sunday and as editor of the Scottish Daily Express. He has written books on a variety of subjects ranging from the history of witchcraft to internet crime. He also wrote Life&Times: Catherine the Great (2007), in this series.