Spain

From the journal of "HI" a marvellous teleporting space wizard sent from the future. (This explains my knowledge of future events, and why I never use conventional means of transportation. This also helps explain the apparent typo in the title of the blog.)

I have recently teleported to Spain.

This was a mistake. I have teleported into chaos. I am soon informed of the Civil war, and how it came about.

The failure of the authoritarian government; prompting a weak democracy that had to precedent to follow.

The instability forced a General election won by the left "Popular Front Party".

The nationalists revolt with the aid of General Franco, and the Spanish army.

A three year war ensued between the left and right wing movements.

Then the same sad song: the left couldn't unite due to ideological differences.

Franco wins.

This abundance of information was summed up briefly by a grieving stranger on the street. He told me how hard it was; not only fearing attacks from communists but from Nazis as well. I did not understand. Apparently, Hitler and Mussolini had offered military support to Franco. Unfortunately, Hitler`s units were more interested in testing equipment than providing military assistance. The Nazis often fired back at Franco's troops because they presented desirable targets for training and testing. I asked about Russia's involvement as up to this point, assuming they would have sided with the left. He said he was just thankful Stalin did not aid the communists, which came as a shock to me. Why would the world communist leader hinder the success of another communist party? It occurred to me that perhaps it wasn't so much about the success of communism as a whole, as it was the success of Stalin. He was motivated by greed, to remain the top communist leader in the top communist country.

I waited for more to be said but that was it. I wanted to learn more about this dictator who had become head of state a few months ago. After months and months of sifting through information and conversing with dozens of people, I was able to establish the following:

Franco was not a fascist. He was more along the lines of a political realist. He did what was necessary for his country, and his ideologies rarely if ever, coincided with fascism.

He was a Catholic and brought up the power of the Roman Catholic Church, which was a major contrast compared to other leaders like Stalin and Hitler who created atheist states.

The last thing I learned about Franco was that despite his religious and non-fascist ways, he was still a brutal dictator who who'd use force if necessary. He wasn't racially motivated, but his men were awfully violent in the streets to anyone who opposed him.

As I prepared to leave Spain, I hear of Spain declaring neutrality, and not joining the Axis to Hitler and Mussolini`s dismay. I am somewhat relieved.