Abstract EN:

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the spanish defence from 1939 to 1984, within the frame of a historical prospect. It means to demonstrate how the spanish defence, and his economical aspects esentially, were submitted to the political necessity to enforce general franco's leadership. So,all along those year, general franco led a policy meant to keep the armed forces under a strict supervision. In the same way, the thesis tries to explain how the agreement with the u. S. A. , considered as a fondamental aim meant to back the regime, had been in fact an obstacle to the modernisation of the spanish defence since the early seventies. However, the attemps carried out by some "modernist" soldiers will lead to genuine modernisation of the armed forces and the military industrial complex which will be achieved after the dictator's death with the new political leaders'support. This modernisation and rationalization policy of the defence system favorised by elements such as the diversification of the international cooperation among others, paradoxically, seems nowadays to reinforce the military institution as a lobby.