Falange Española de las JONS the Second Spanish Republic. Expanding rapidly from several thousand to several hundred thousand members, the Falange's male membership was accompanied by a female auxiliary, the "Sección Femenina". Led by José Antonio's sister Pilar, this latter subsidiary organization claimed more than a half million members by the end of the Civil War and provided nursing and support services for the Nationalist forces. The command of the party rested upon Manuel Hedilla as many of the first generation leaders were dead or incarcerated by the Republicans. Among them was José Antonio Primo de Rivera, who was a Government prisoner. As a result,
José Giral José Giral José Giral y Pereira (22 October 1879 – 23 December 1962) was a Spanish politician, who served 65th Prime Minister of Spain during the Second Spanish Republic. Pereira was born in Santiago de Cuba. He had degrees in Chemistry and Pharmacy from the University of Madrid. In 1905 he became professor of chemistry in the University of Salamanca. He founded Acción Republicana with Manuel Azaña. During the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera he conspired against the regime, and was imprisoned three times. When the Second Republic was declared, he was named director of the Universidad Complutense de