Franco gained power through an attempted military coup d'etat in 1936 that developed quickly into the [[Spanish Civil War]]. Franco's Falangists fought the elected republican government for three years before finally defeating the Republicans outside Madrid on April 1, 1939. With the fall of Madrid, Franco assumed control of Spain. | Franco gained power through an attempted military coup d'etat in 1936 that developed quickly into the [[Spanish Civil War]]. Franco's Falangists fought the elected republican government for three years before finally defeating the Republicans outside Madrid on April 1, 1939. With the fall of Madrid, Franco assumed control of Spain. |