Spanish State (Ok Stalin)

The Spanish State was the formal name of Spain from 1939 to 1947 under the authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

The régime emerged from the victory in the Spanish Civil War of the rebel Nacionales coalition led by General Franco. Besides the internal support, Franco's rebellion had been backed from abroad by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, while the Second Spanish Republic was increasingly backed by the communist Soviet Union. The subsequent régime, implemented by the victorious Franco, is referred to as Francoist Spain.

After winning the Spanish Civil War, the Nacionales had established a single party authoritarian state under the undisputed leadership of Franco. World War II started shortly afterwards, and though Spain was officially neutral, it did send a special Division of troops to Russia to aid the Germans, and its pro-Axis stance led to it being isolated after the collapse of the Axis powers. After the end of the world conflict, the allied powers agreed to invade Spain and restore democracy.