Why Franco & Spain stayed out of WW2?

Today we talk about Franco and Spain during the WW2 era, specifically looking into the reasons why Spain stayed out of WW2, their active neutrality (supporting the Axis side), and talking about the Blue Division. This is in response to my Patron, Dan Reed, who asked this question - "Can you talk about the Spanish Blue division? The Spanish were quite good at straddling the fence between England and Germany."

I'm not a Fascist or anything similar, nor am I promoting said ideologies. This video is discussing events or concepts that are academic, educational and historical in nature. This video is for informational purposes and was created so we may better understand the past and learn from the mistakes others have made.

Videos EVERY Monday at 5pm GMT (depending on season, check for British Summer Time).

Here’s some other videos you may be interested in -

My video titled “Why I'm Passionate about HISTORY and What Got Me Into it”

History isn’t as boring as some people think, and my goal is to get people talking about it. I also want to dispel the myths and distortions that ruin our perception of the past by asking a simple question - “But is this really the case?”. I have a 2:1 Degree in History and a passion for early 20th Century conflicts (mainly WW2). I’m therefore approaching this like I would an academic essay. Lots of sources, quotes, references and so on. Only the truth will do.

[TheImperatorKnight]

No guarantees, but I'm trying to get the first episode of Battlestorm Stalingrad out for next week. The editing is taking an absolute age to do, and I'm not sure I'll get it done in time. So it will either be next week, or the week after. Hope you're looking forward to it!


*Specific Sources*

Bormann, M. “Hitler’s Table Talk.” Ostara Publications, 2016.
Farrell, N. "Mussolini: A New Life." Endeavour Press Ltd, Kinde 2015.
Gentile, G. “Origins and Doctrine of Fascism: with Selections from Other Works.” Routledge, 2017.
Grand, A. "Italian Fascism: It's Origins and & Development." University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
Kleinfeld, G. & Tambs, L. "Hitler's Spanish Legion: The Blue Division in Russia in WWII." Stackpole Books, 1979.
Moradiellos, E. “Franco: Anatomy of a Dictator.” JCS Publishing Ltd, Kindle 2018.
Mosley, O. "Fascism: 100 Questions Asked and Answered." Black House Publishing, Kindle 2019.
Payne, S. "Franco and Hitler: Spain, Germany, and World War II." Yale University Press, 2008."
Muravchik, J. “Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism.” Encounter Books, Kindle.
Mussolini, B. “The Doctrine of Fascism.” Kindle, Originally published in 1932.
Zitelmann, R. "Hitler: The Policies of Seduction." London House, 1999.
The Cambridge History of the Second World War. Volume II: Politics and Ideology." Cambridge University Press, 2017.


Cheers!

[institute]

they had the "recovering from the civil war" national spirit, they couldnt join the axis

[patolt]

Well, for the 1st time I don't fully agree with you regarding Spain and Franco.
I'm French but my mother was Spanish, from Catalunya, and as I’m an old man I got some first hand testimonies from uncles and aunts involved in this terrible period. My mother was 20 in the middle of the war (somehow she never really recovered, btw) and, among others, I had an uncle who ended up as a prisoner of the nationalists at the end of the war and had a rough time there, and a sister of my mother who married a "nationalist" officer! I never saw a family reunion ...
Anyway that's why I investigated a little in the Spanish civil war, trying to understand what happened. I know that you go through various sources and I have a tendency to trust you but I'm not sure you have yet deepened enough this particular subject which is not, as usual, black and white. It's a long story so I will focuse only on some of your statements regarding the character of Franco:
1. The situation in Spain was a mess far before the Republic replaced the King in 1931. Basically the main issue was land sharing since a few large landowners owned all agricultural lands and the people situation was desastrous. Following the King's departure, the Republic (« soft » socialist) didn’t keep its promises so that disappointment led to revolts and worker uprisings. It was a mess, so they called for general elections in 1934 and the Popular Front won, based on an unlikely coalition of very different leftist parties. That’s where everything starts because the situation just worsened and the country descended into anarchy. Then many things happened but it's not the point.
2. At that time Franco was just a young general, who fought bravely in North Morocco in 1926, facing a indigenous insurrection against colonial powers (French and Spanish). Btw, do you know who was his French counterpart in the same war ? Philippe Pétain. It’s all connected …
But, as he was openly against the Republic, he had been transferred to the Canarian Islands. Consequently he was not part of the conspiracy against the Republic led by 2 other generals : Mola and San Jurjo. He was just a supporter, so to speak. He took the lead of the nationalist side later on, when Mola and San Jurjo were killed in aircrashes.
3. Franco opinions : he was not a fascist (a dictator for sure but not a fascist) since he was not "socialist" at all. There is no anti-capitalist ideology with Franco : he was in fact deeply catholic, reactionary and, above all, monarchist. He was supported by the Church, something that Hitler never understood. The only fascist part of the nationalist side was the Falange (comparable to the Italian fascists) but, in order to control them, Franco progressively infiltrated them with monarchists. Note that, at the triumph parade in Madrid (1939), Franco was wearing the red beret of the « carlists » (monarchists). To be noticed as well : he took charge of Juan Carlos education and eventually, at the end of his life, handed over power to … a King, restoring monarchy. The circle is complete.
4. Franco’s willingness to go at war in Northern Africa or even against Portugal seems to me very suspicious: Spain was destroyed and ruined, the population was battered. I have no evidence but I don’t think he had a real willingness to get involved in a new war which would obviously become a World War. This could have even re-started the civil war in the form of a permanent revolution. So, from my perspective, when he met Hitler in Hendaye on October 23rd, 1940, he offered his support (of course) but subject to so many extravagant conditions that the meeting (9 hours long!) ended with no agreement at all. Hitler reportedly told to Mussolini that he would rather « prefer pulling 3 teeth than meet again with Franco ». Why ?
Later on Franco just did the minimum he could do to « pay his debt »: the Blue Division in Russia and that’s it. In fact volunteer soldiers (most of them) fitted from head to foot with German equipment...
Anyway, I might be wrong about some points or everything but this is my point of view...
I don't know how I could ask a question "on your Patron", so I am aware that I will not get any answer but, if you read this comment, I think some people would be very interested in something about the Spanish Civil War.
Thank you
Best Regards.

[pavelslama]

"That didnt stop Franco from planning to invade Portugal".
Well, everyone planned invasions on everyone, so thats not a big surprise.

[wizar]

Spain: Has an election in 36

Hoi4 players: Hey I’ve seen this one before, It’s a classic!

[EdMcF]

Franco was more a military Catholic Corporatist riding the Falange tiger and holding it by the ears all the way to his death in 1975, using the Falange as a political movement then a label, and really he was a Catholic 'anti-Cromwell", more like Cromwell than either would have wished to admit. A lot of influential Spaniards were horrified at at the German treatment of Catholic Poland in particular right from the off.

[OktoberFilms]

I miss the Canaris connection. Apparently, Wilhelm Canaris was sent on numerous missions to Spain to get them to join the war effort, as he had a good relationship with Franco. Problem with Canaris is that although he was the head of intelligence within the Third Reich, he was not a Nazi and worked against the German regime at any turn. Cost him his life in the end.

[SageManeja]

11:00 Franco's father was liberal (in the spanish sense, that is to say republican) while his mother was conservative and catholic. He hated his father . He didn't really have a political ideology but was conservative, catholic, and admired "big figures" like napoleon and such. He was the polar opposite of Antonio Primo de Rivera who was an idealist.

[alanpennie]

When your advisors tell you you're not in a fit condition to fight a war it's wise to listen to them.
Franco did that, Hitler and Mussolini not so much.

[snax_]

I grew up in Spain when Franco was still in charge. Franco itself was by any means a fascist, he was a 100% catholic dictator and nothing else. If someone did run into trouble during the Franco period then the family went to the priest and he went to the police station and brought him home - if he was a good catholic. As Franco died, he wrote in his political testament: "I have been born as a catholic, I lived as a catholic and I died as a catholic." He did not even mentioned Spain.
And there is another issue too: I never experienced that the fascist movement (Falange) had any relevance in Spain. They existed but I only saw once in 7 years an office of them. Even the dumbest knew that after 1945 to become a fascist was not that promising. Practically, they died out still under Franco. Franco based his legitimacy on the church and the Carlistas (Royalists).

[brunobacelli]

TIK I think you need to clarify this: In the spanish civil war the Phalanx (the party of mr Primo de Rivera) was the fascist force. Franco (the ultimate winner) was more of a clerical reactionary traditionalist willing to keep the country in its old almost feudal state. Not a socialist.

[HJF]

It is important to remark that in Franco´s ideology there was no anti-semitism. This is really important.

[koboldprime]

*Wehraboo:* If only Spain joined...
*German Logistics:* Am I a joke to you?

[Outlier]

Number One reason: His momma didn't raise no fool. Hitler committed suicide and Mussolini was murdered in 1945. Tojo was hanged in 1948. Franco stayed in power until 1975 when he died in bed of old age. He was almost 83. Need I say more?

[lotust]

Of all the books I've read on the Spanish Civil War, by far the best is by Hugh Thomas. TIK - I suggest you read it. Franco's stance during WW2 was largely shaped by financial and natural resource obligations to both Italy and Germany, as they had provided money and weapons to the Nationalists during the Civil War. But make no mistake about it - Franco was not a Fascist, he was a conservative catholic nationalist. The pre-Civil War fascists (Falange) in Spain were largely an amalgamation of various anti-communist groups, that was what united them. The Falange grew during the Civil War only because Franco merged all the Nationalist groups (monarchists, catholics, landowners, CEDA and other conservative groups) into them. Neither Mussolini nor Hitler viewed them as fascists, but as anti-communist, and that is largely why both supported Franco.

[georgeeverette]

I think Franco's greatest legacy was that his party was able to give up power without bloodshed. Spain got through the first part of the last century with Franco better then it could have without him.

[wolfgang]

General Franco was a wise man. He held together a fragile union of fascists, carlists, monarchists, Catholics and conservatives. Provided the Spanish people within his controlled areas the soo much forgotten peace That hadn't been seen since 1930. He was not perfect, but truly was a man who took up control in a desperate situation and made it a victory

[The_Original_Default_Username]

I mentioned him in a previous, relevant Q&A you did, but I really recommend you read into Admiral Wilhelm Canaris' and the Abwehr's role in negotiating Spain's entrance and participation in the war. Canaris had a personal relationship with Franco, and Spain's support/lack-of-support had a lot to do with that relationship.

[jjgf]

Even though I'm republican and my family fought for the republic you have to admit that Franco played everyone very well, inside the "national" side and outside.I don't really think that he never wanted a war with the allies.

[qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqw]

Spain would only have been a liability, like a second Italy but coming right out of a terrible civil war.
It would be interesting if you researched Franco spanish politics more, my impression is that they were closer to a monarchy than a fascist state.