He was named minister of National Defense in the first government of Francisco Franco (February 1938), at the same time he was promoted to lieutenant general. He organized the Aragon Offensive campaign to isolate Catalonia and participated in the campaign of the Maestrazgo, the Battle of the Ebro and the Catalonia Offensive resulting in the final conquest of that region. In August 1939 he received the post of captain-general of the II Military district and the headquarters of the general staff. In July 1945 he was designated minister of the Army and in 1949 he was named head of the government. In 1951 he was part of the Council of the Kingdom and president of the Geographic Superior Council. He died in Madrid in 1962.