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A chronology of key events:
1936 - General Francisco Franco launches military coup from
his bases in Spanish Morocco. The vast majority of the Army, the
Catholic Church, and property holders support the coup. Large
sections of the Spanish populace rise up in resistance to military rule.
1936-39 - Spanish Civil War: more than 350,000 Spaniards
killed.
1939 - General Franco leads Nationalists to victory.
Republicans are executed, jailed or exiled.
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General Franco's dictatorship spanned nearly
four decades
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1946-50 - Franco regime ostracized by United Nations; many
countries cut off diplomatic relations.
1955 - Spain admitted to UN.
1959 - Eta is founded with the aim of creating an independent
homeland in Spain's Basque region. The full name of the organisation -
Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna - means Basque Fatherland and Freedom.
1961 - Eta's violent campaign begins with an attempt to derail
a train transporting politicians.
1968 - West African colony of Spanish Guinea is granted
independence as Equatorial Guinea.
1973 December - Basque nationalists assassinate Prime Minister
Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco in Madrid in retaliation for the
government's execution of Basque militants.
Move to democracy
1975 20 November - Franco dies. Succeeded as head of state by
King Juan Carlos. With Juan Carlos on the throne, Spain makes transition
from dictatorship to democracy.
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King Juan Carlos supported moves toward
democracy
Born in Rome, 1938
Grandson of Alfonso XIII, who left Spain in
1931
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1977 June - First democratic elections in four decades.
1978 - New constitution confirms Spain as a parliamentary
monarchy. Eta's political wing, Herri Batasuna, is founded.
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