Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado facts for kids
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Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado
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Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado in 1980
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| Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs | |
| In office 23 September 1976 – 26 February 1981 |
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| Prime Minister | Adolfo Suárez |
| Preceded by | Fernando de Santiago |
| Succeeded by | Rodolfo Martín Villa |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 5 July 1977 – 6 April 1979 |
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| Prime Minister | Adolfo Suárez |
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by | Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún |
| Chief of Staff of the Army | |
| In office 7 July 1976 – 23 September 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Emilio Villaescusa Quilis |
| Succeeded by | Ramón Cuadra Medina |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado
30 April 1912 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | 15 December 1995 (aged 83) Torremocha del Campo, Spain |
| Resting place | Villaviciosa de Odón cemetery |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
FE de las JONS (1935–1937) FET y de las JONS (1937–1977) |
| Spouse | Carmen Blasco Sancho |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Military |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Branch/service | Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant General Captain General (honorific) |
| Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit |
Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, 1st Marquess of Gutiérrez Mellado (born April 30, 1912 – died December 15, 1995) was an important Spanish Army officer and politician. He played a key role in helping Spain become a democracy after a long period of dictatorship. He especially helped to make the Armed Forces more democratic.
During his military career, he held many important positions in the Army. In 1976, he started his political career when the Prime Minister made him the First Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs. From 1977 to 1979, he was also the Minister of Defence. This was the first time someone held this role since the Spanish Civil War.
In 1994, the government gave him the special honorary rank of Captain General.
Many people remember Gutiérrez Mellado for his brave actions during a failed coup attempt in 1981. He stood up to armed soldiers in the Spanish Congress of the Deputies (Spain's parliament).
Contents
Early Life and Military Training
Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado came from an old family in Madrid. Sadly, his parents passed away when he was very young. His uncle, Saturnino Calleja, who was a famous publisher, paid for his education. Manuel attended the Royal College of San Anton in Madrid, which was a top boarding school. He worked hard and graduated with excellent grades. This showed his strong spirit and sense of responsibility from a young age.
Manuel wanted to become an Artillery officer. However, new military rules in 1927 meant he had to study at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza. This academy was led by General Francisco Franco.
In 1933, he finished his military education at the Academy of Artillery and Engineers in Segovia. He graduated as a first lieutenant, earning top grades in his class.
Service During the Second Republic and Civil War
Manuel's first job was with the Horse Artillery Regiment near Madrid. In 1935, he joined a far-right political party called Falange Española de las JONS. When the Spanish Civil War began in July 1936, he joined his unit in a rebellion against the government.
After fighting for ten hours, the government's forces took control. Gutiérrez Mellado escaped to a nearby village called Villaviciosa de Odón. He later returned to Madrid. The government accused him of being part of the rebellion and put him in jail. Luckily, he was not among the many officers who lost their lives.
In 1937, a jury found him not guilty. He claimed he was sick in Villaviciosa de Odón during the rebellion. However, police investigations showed he had been actively involved. This led him to seek safety in an embassy.
A few weeks later, he joined General Franco's secret intelligence services in Madrid. He used a fake ID card that belonged to a deceased soldier.
In March 1938, he was promoted to captain. He became a leader in the Information and Military Police Service (SIPM). He provided important information about the government's plans and forces. He also helped over a hundred pilots and engineers escape to Franco's side.
A Distinguished Military Career
In 1941, after studying at the General Staff School, he joined the Army's intelligence services. During World War II, he was promoted to major. He was responsible for helping thousands of people who crossed the Pyrenees mountains to escape from Nazi terror.
In 1945, Gutiérrez Mellado gathered information about Spanish people living in Belgium, France, and Switzerland who had left Spain.
From 1953 to 1955, he worked as a link between the Spanish government and the US Military. This was because Spain and the US had agreements that allowed the US Armed Forces to build bases in Spain.
In 1956, he temporarily left the Army because military pay was very low. He worked as a commercial manager for seven years. Many officers at the time had second jobs, but Gutiérrez Mellado felt it was wrong to do so while serving in the Army.
He returned to active duty in 1963 as an instructor. In 1965, he became a colonel. He was sent to observe NATO military exercises. This made him realize that the Spanish Armed Forces were not very strong or modern at the time.
In 1970, he was promoted to brigadier general. He taught at the High Center for National Defense Studies (CESEDEN). His lectures were praised for being direct and honest, which was unusual in Spain at that time.
After becoming a major general in 1973, he gave another lecture. In this speech, he openly called for urgent and big changes to the Armed Forces. These words caught the attention of future leaders of Spain's move to democracy, including Prince Juan Carlos.
In 1975, General Franco appointed him as Commander in Chief in Ceuta. He also helped negotiate a treaty between Spain and the US in 1976.
In April 1976, King Juan Carlos I promoted him to lieutenant general. He gave a public speech to his troops in Valladolid that made headlines. He was the first high-ranking officer to openly support the Rule of Law and demand that his soldiers respect civilian power. He said, "The Army... is not there to rule but to serve under the command of the national government."
In July 1976, King Juan Carlos suggested Gutiérrez Mellado to the new Prime Minister, Adolfo Suárez. Soon after, Gutiérrez Mellado became the Commander in Chief of the Army General Staff.
Just three months later, in September 1976, he was made Vice President for Defense Affairs. This new role was created to modernize the Armed Forces. He stayed in this position until February 1981.
Leading Defence Reforms
Gutiérrez Mellado had a clear plan to reform Spain's Armed Forces. Within a hundred days of taking office, he presented a detailed plan. This plan included changes to:
- How defense was organized.
- The military's budget.
- Personnel policies.
- Limiting the power of military courts.
His plan was fully put into action before he left office in 1981. One major achievement was creating the Ministry of Defense on July 4, 1977.
On that same date, he became the Minister of Defense. He held this position until September 1979. After him, a civilian took over the role for the first time since 1939. Gutiérrez Mellado remained Vice President to coordinate security and defense until 1981.
Some of the important changes he made included:
- Creating the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JUJEM).
- Giving more power to the Army, Navy, and Air Force Chiefs of Staff.
- Passing a law about defense and military organization in 1980.
- Forbidding the military from getting involved in politics.
- Reforming old military rules from 1768.
- Setting up a social support system for the Armed Forces (ISFAS).
- Starting an annual Armed Forces Day. This replaced the military parade that celebrated Franco's victory in the Civil War.
- Improving the system for promoting officers.
- Making military salaries similar to those of other public employees. This helped stop officers from needing second jobs.
These reforms laid the groundwork for the Spanish Armed Forces to become a modern and respected institution. Today, they are one of the most trusted groups in Spain.
Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado is most famous for his actions during the failed coup d'état on February 23rd 1981. During this event, armed Guardia Civil troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero, stormed the Spanish Congress. A TV camera accidentally recorded the scene. People watched live as Gutiérrez Mellado, a man almost seventy years old, stood up from his seat. With only his words, he bravely faced armed rebels.
His courageous defense of freedom was broadcast on television. This made Gutiérrez Mellado a legendary figure in Spanish politics after Franco's rule. His brave stand against the armed revolt remains a symbol of Spain's commitment to democracy.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving his government roles and retiring from the Army, he stayed out of public life for a while. This was to show that politics and a military career should be separate. However, in 1984, President Felipe González gave him a permanent seat on the State Council, where he worked on defense matters.
In 1986, he was deeply moved by the death of a friend's son. He then started the Antidrug Aid Foundation (FAD) with help from several business people. He led this foundation until his death.
In his final years, Gutiérrez Mellado gave many lectures at Spanish universities. He spoke about Spain's transition to democracy and the work of the FAD.
In 1994, King Juan Carlos I gave him the special title of Marquess of Gutiérrez Mellado. The Army also proposed that he receive the honorary rank of Captain-General. In September 1994, he wore his Captain General's uniform for the first and last time. He received honors from military cadets at the same place where he had committed his life to serving Spain 65 years earlier.
Fourteen months later, on December 15, 1995, he died in a car accident caused by ice on the road. He was 83 years old and was on his way to give a lecture.
His funeral was held at the Army Headquarters, attended by the King and Queen of Spain. He was buried next to his wife, Carmen Blasco, in the cemetery of Villaviciosa de Odón.
After his death, his daughter, María del Carmen Gutiérrez-Mellado y Blasco, became the 2nd Marchioness of Gutiérrez Mellado.
As a tribute to his memory, the Ministry of Defense named a new study center after him. The Instituto Universitario General Gutiérrez Mellado helps promote defense studies among university students. It also provides a special place for research on peace, security, and defense.
See also
In Spanish: Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado para niños
