▁of ▁impro ving ▁coord ination ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁First ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁( 1 9 3 1 – 1 9 3 6 ) ▁Spain ▁had ▁inherited ▁a ▁large ▁Navy ▁from ▁colonial ▁times . ▁A ▁size able ▁Military ▁Fle et ▁had ▁been ▁de emed ▁necessary ▁when ▁the ▁Spanish ▁crown ▁ruled ▁over ▁such ▁far - fl ung ▁places ▁as ▁the ▁Philippines ▁and ▁Cuba , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁young ▁military ▁officers ▁saw ▁the ▁institution ▁as ▁too ▁large , ▁old - f ashion ed ▁and ▁in effect ive . ▁They ▁b alk ed ▁at ▁the ▁costs ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁results ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁military ▁during ▁the ▁R if ▁Wars ▁in ▁Mor oc co ▁and ▁their ▁vision ▁was ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁smaller ▁and ▁more ▁modern ▁Spanish ▁Navy ▁that ▁would ▁meet ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁Ram ón ▁Franco , ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁pro clam ation ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Spanish ▁Republic , ▁said : ▁" O ur ▁little ▁colon ies ▁— refer ring ▁to ▁the ▁small ▁out posts ▁in ▁the ▁Mor oc can ▁sh ores , ▁the ▁Western ▁Sah ara ▁and ▁Equ atorial ▁Guinea — ▁don ' t ▁need ▁a ▁strong ▁n avy ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁large ▁and ▁numerous ▁units . ▁The ▁polic ing ▁of ▁our ▁har b ors , ▁the ▁implementing ▁of ▁fish ery ▁laws ▁and ▁the ▁prevent ion ▁of ▁sm ugg ling ▁are ▁now ad ays ▁the ▁only ▁miss ions ▁that