University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies Hispanic Studies 2012 RHETORICS OF EMPIRE: THE FALANGIST DISCOURSE OF WAR (1939-1943) M. Elena Aldea Agudo University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Aldea Agudo, M. Elena, "RHETORICS OF EMPIRE: THE FALANGIST DISCOURSE OF WAR (1939-1943)" (2012). Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies. 5. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/hisp_etds/5 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Hispanic Studies at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. 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REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s dissertation including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. M. Elena Aldea Agudo, Student Dr. Ana Rueda, Major Professor Dr. Susan Larson, Director of Graduate Studies RHETORICS OF EMPIRE: THE FALANGIST DISCOURSE OF WAR (1939-1943) ____________________________________ DISSERTATION ___________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By M. Elena Aldea Agudo Lexington, Kentucky Co-Directors: Dr. Ana Rueda, Professor of Hispanic Studies, and Dr. Susan Larson, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies Lexington, Kentucky Copyright © M. Elena Aldea Agudo 2012 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION RHETORICS OF EMPIRE: THE FALANGIST DISCOURSE OF WAR (1939-1943) During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) a mix of right-wing ideologies existed among the Francoist forces. In sharp contrast with the Republican forces, the Francoist insurgents were successful in banding together despite their ideological differences. However, in the postwar era, this relative unity gave way to a struggle among the different ideological positions, each striving to impose its agenda for the new State. The party Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional Sindicalista (FET y de las JONS) assumed power, but was not entirely successful in advancing its totalitarian project, which it had inherited from the prewar FE de las JONS party. Unsatisfied with this outcome, staunch Falangists employed political strategies to squelch the opposition of the military, conservatives, royalists and the Church, whose ideals differed in many ways. The purpose of this dissertation is to demonstrate how the political strategies used by the Falangists against opposing factions are mirrored in the cultural sphere, especially in literary and cinematographic portrayals of war. The propagandistic nature of these works is reflected in their narrative structures and literary characters, as in what Susan Suleiman refers to as “authoritarian fictions.” This study examines the ways in which Falangists propaganda exploits distinct features of the Rif War, the Civil War, and the Second World War, in order to promote key parts of the Nationalist Syndicalist ideology endorsed by core Falangists. This essay traces the transformation of these authoritarian narrative schemes as the hegemonic political position of National Syndicalism begins to deteriorate. In response to this unwelcome political change, Falangists propaganda becomes increasingly critical toward the other ideological positions of the Francoist Regime. This dissertation thus shows the way in which shifting political tides are mirrored in the cultural production of Falangist propaganda. KEYWORDS: War, Fascism, Falange, Propaganda, Authoritarian Fictions _M. Elena Aldea Agudo __________________ Student’s signature _April 4, 2012 __________________________ Date RHETORICS OF EMPIRE: THE FALANGIST DISCOURSE OF WAR (1939-1943) By M. Elena Aldea Agudo ___Dr. Ana Rueda ____________________ Co-Director of Dissertation ___Dr. Susan Larson __________________ Co-Director of Dissertation ___Dr. Susan Larson ___________________ Director of Graduate Studies __April 4, 2012 _______________________ Date To Mitch, for always being there. To Carmen, Jayne, Katia, Popi, Silvia, and all those who helped me focus. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank all the professors and graduate students at the University of Kentucky that have shared their classrooms and ideas with me. Particularly, I would like to express the deepest appreciation to my Dissertation co-directors, Ana Rueda and Susan Larson, whose guidance, intellectual support, confidence in me and encouragement have been key to bring this project to life. I also wish to thank the complete Dissertation Committee, and outside reader, respectively: Aníbal Biglieri, Gretchen Star-Lebeau, and Ana S. Liberato. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………………........iii Capítulo 1: Introducción……………………………………………………………..........1 1. Nacimiento, desarrollo y evolución política de la Falange ………………….4 2. Nacionalsindicalismo frente al nacionalcatolicismo: dos conceptos de nación y de Imperio ……...……………………………………………………..12 3. Esquema de los capítulos ……………………………………………………16 I. HEGEMONÍA FALANGISTA EN EL RÉGIMEN FRANQUISTA: LA GUERRA CIVIL, LA II GUERRA MUNDIAL Y LA GUERRA DEL RIF ……………………….19 Capítulo 2: Rumbo a la utopía: estética y propaganda política falangista en el discurso sobre la Guerra Civil…. ………………………………………………………..19 1. La Guerra Civil en la novela—Camisa azul. Retrato de un falangista: Mitificación de la Falange joseantoniana ………………………….22 La guerra como vehículo de la ideología falangista ……………………..29 Propaganda política: el estilo falangista en la guerra como camino hacia el Imperio soñado ……………………………………………….50 2. Guerra Civil en el cine –Sin novedad en el Alcázar: La primacía de la Falange en el seno del partido único ……………………………………..60 Sin novedad en el Alcázar: el acercamiento entre la Falange y el Ejército ………………………………………………………………….67 La guerra como espacio para el heroismo y la cooperación ……………..68 Propaganda: sacrificio personal y liderazgo falangista en la senda hacia el Imperio posible ………………………………………………...77 Conclusiones ………………………………………………......................82 Capítulo 3: Los caminos del Imperio: retórica de la persuasión pro-bélica ……………..84 1. La hermandad hispano-alemana: Del Bidasoa al Danubio bajo el pabellón del Reich…………………………... …………………………………………....86 Contexto para Del Bidasoa al Danubio ……………………………….90 El libro de viajes como trayecto persuasivo …………………………….92 Propaganda: la II Guerra Mundial como camino hacia el Imperio ……103 2. La hermandad hispano-marroquí: ¡Harka! …………………………………107 ¡Harka!: la construcción del heroe fascista ……………………………111 El africanismo y el cine colonial ………………………………………118 Persuasión y Propaganda: ética del sacrificio al servicio del Imperio pendiente ……………………………………………………122 Conclusiones ………………………………………………………….127 iv II. EL SOMETIMIENTO DE LA FALANGE: LA GUERRA CIVIL ……………….129 Capítulo 4: Confrontación del ideal con la realidad: el surgimiento de un discurso crítico …………………………………………………………………………129 1. Rojo y Negro: la ofensiva cinematográfica hacia la hegemonía falangista ...130 Contexto para Rojo y Negro …………………………………………131 Entre el cine de vanguardia y el cine convencional ……………………135 Propaganda: el proselitismo falangista como vía hacia el Imperio que se aleja ……………………………………………….....................145 2. Javier Mariño: en busca de la purificación ideológica ...................................153 Contexto para Javier Mariño y Gonzalo Torrente Ballester.....................155 ¿Amigos fascistas y enemigos comunistas?: las máscaras ideológicas ...159 Crítica y persuasión: la pureza ideológica como ruta hacia el Imperio improbable …………………………………………………167 Conclusiones ………………………………………………………169 Obras citadas …………………………………………………………………………..171 VITA …………………………………………………………………………………..179 v Capítulo 1: Introducción La relativa unidad que exhibió el bando rebelde durante la Guerra Civil española (1936-1939) dio paso, en la posguerra, a una lucha entre las diferentes familias ideológicas para imponer su propio modelo de estado. A pesar de que durante los tres primeros años del nuevo