This work is an analysis of the origins, course, and consequences of the conflict and of Franco's role within it. It offers a broad view of the war through a survey of the social and cultural dimensions, as well as the military and political ones. In particular, it traces Franco's meteoric rise to power, his conduct in the war, and his long subsequent rule. This authoritative introduction illuminates the many different interpretations of the conflict by examining a variety of perspectives. "Franco and the Spanish Civil War" places the war in its national and global contexts, exploring both nationalist and republican points of view, and giving attention to foreign participation in the conflict.