Why Did Spain Stay Neutral?

**Testerchild** · 07-28-2009, 06:26 PM

Hi All,

Something that's always puzzled me. The Spanish Fascists owed their survival and power to Fascist Germany and Italy. If Spain had entered the war on the axis side, as Hitler wanted, they could have taken Gibralter and shut the Western entrance to the Med sea to the British. This would have safeguarded axis supplies to the Italian and German troops in North Africa, and would probably have led to the capture of the Suez canal and an end to British oil supplies from the Middle east. It would also have seriously hampered supplies from other parts of the British Empire. I believe Britain could have lost the war as a result.

Thankfully, for reasons that have always eluded me, Franco refused Hitler's pleas and stayed neutral. I realise that Spain was in a state of severe post-traumatic stress following the civil war; but in 1940 Spain's intervention could have turned everything on its head at little cost to Spain - with the promise of rich rewards in return.

So my question: why did Franco stay neutral? Does anyone know of any authorative sources regarding this? Opinions are also welcome.

Best wishes

Bob

**Cobber** · 07-28-2009, 10:24 PM

Just a fly by thought,
Maybe they were just sick of war, after nearly three years of Civil War.
The Govt and the Spanish people had seen modern war first hand, and they possibly understood some of the consequences of fighting in WW2. .

**spidge** · 07-29-2009, 08:27 AM

This has been a question most cannot answer however Franco was a little smarter than Adolf.

This is a great link:

The Avalon Project : Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy

**Testerchild** · 07-31-2009, 07:45 PM

Cobber & Spidge,

Thanks for your replies.

And Spidge: that link you posted is fascinating. Seems Franco was a great wriggler. I get the impression that despite all his promises to the axis, he actually had no intention of getting into the war unless total victory, on Spanish terms, was absolutely guaranteed.

Many thanks

Bob

**John** · 07-31-2009, 08:28 PM

Thanks for an interesting question Bob. I had never taken much notice of the Spanish civil war.
Have added this link as I found it very interesting

Spanish Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John

**spidge** · 07-31-2009, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Testerchild

Cobber & Spidge,

Thanks for your replies.

And Spidge: that link you posted is fascinating. Seems Franco was a great wriggler. I get the impression that despite all his promises to the axis, he actually had no intention of getting into the war unless total victory, on Spanish terms, was absolutely guaranteed.

Many thanks

Bob

Franco was not as easily fooled or charmed as Hitler led himself to believe. The week before they had their last meeting, The United States sent out call up notices for 16 million men.

Franco could see that the Luftwaffe could not defeat Britain and with the US mobilisation and goods that they and Britain etc supplied, he was not going to be better off jumping into bed with Germany.

**Testerchild** · 08-01-2009, 06:09 PM

John & Spidge,

Thanks for the Wicki link, John. Lots to read there. And Spidge: I think I'd go so far as to say that Franco was a pretty shrewd customer. Just as well for our side, I think. Things might have got even hairier if he'd joined the axis early on.

Bob