Emilio Mola
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Emilio Mola Vidal (June 9, 1887 – June 3, 1937) Spanish army officer, was one of the leaders of the 1936 army revolt which began the Spanish Civil War.
Mola was born in Cuba, at that time a Spanish colony, where his father, an army officer, was stationed. He enrolled at the Infantry Academy of Toledo in 1907. He served in Spain's colonial war in Morocco where he received the Medalla Militar Individual, and became an authority on military affairs. By 1927 he was a brigadier-general.
Mola was made Director of Security in 1930. This was a political post, in which his very conservative political views made him unpopular with opposition liberal and socialist politicians. When the left-wing Popular Front government was elected in February 1936 Mola was made military governor in Pamplona, regarded as a backwater, to keep him away from political affairs.
Mola soon joined the group of Army officers, led by Francisco Franco and José Sanjurjo, who were planning a coup against the Popular Front government. In May 1936 a political and economic crisis began, which culminated in the decision of the Army group to seize power. Mola, as one of the most respected officers in the Army, was chosen to issue the proclamation of revolt on July 19, in Navarre.
The coup failed to take control of most of Spain, but most of the Army supported it and civil war soon broke out. Following Sanjurjo's death in an air crash on July 20, Franco was chosen as commander of the Nationalist Army, and was also appointed chief of state in the Nationalist zone. Mola was given charge of the Army of the North.
Mola was killed on June 3, 1937 when his plane crashed during bad weather while returning to Vitoria. The deaths of Sanjurjo and Mola left Franco as the effective leader of the Nationalist cause. This led to rumours that Franco had instigated the deaths of his two rivals, but no evidence has been produced to support this allegation.es:Emilio Mola