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Harry Ree 19-06-2005, 06:15 PM: Absolutely true, this and the likely political outcome for Franco surrounding a failure by Axis forces to take Gibraltar was such that Franco would not be seduced by Hitler.Once the "show kicked off",any failure could result in Germany withdrawing back into mainland Europe but for Franco, Spain would be likely to be a battlefield with the Republicans more than likely being drawn in to the Allied cause.
Regarding the battle plan for the assault on Gibraltar, Franco was aware of the fact that Germany could not provide at that time, the special artillery required to undertake a successful assault on the well defended Rock.
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I have taken this from a previous post of mine in 2005 due to time constraints.
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/nw-euro...t-invaded.html
I feel there is another reason for Spain’s refusal to enter the war with the Axis powers. We need to take into account the military nous of one Francisco Franco Bahamonde. Franco was a military lifer who went into the Academy at 14 and at 20 in Morocco’s Colonial War where he achieved rapid promotion. By 1920 he was 2IC of the Spanish Foreign Legion, the youngest Brigadier General in Europe by 1926 and Director of the Military Academy in Zaragoza (Saragossa) in 1927. This was followed by other appointments as well as Chief of the General Staff in 1935 at the ripe old age of 42. He was a well respected strategist and administrator and also renowned for his ruthlessness and brutality.
Franco “owed” Hitler for previous assistance and at their meeting in June 1940 offered to join the Axis however Hitler was not interested as Franco wanted more than Hitler was prepared to offer. When their next meeting took place on October 23rd Hitler put forward a proposal however Franco knew that Germany could not win a sustained war.
Further to that the British & Americans were supplying Franco with consumables and fuel to keep him neutral and he knew that an embargo would greatly affect his country.
He was also made aware that if he moved on Gibraltar, Britain would invade the Canary Islands (contained in previous post).
Franco would have also been aware that the "Battle of Britain" was nearing completion and could see the writing on the wall that Hitler would not cross the channel. Playing both sides of the fence, he still provided submarine refuelling bases, reconnaissance and strategic raw materials.
Added to this, a week before their October 23rd meeting, it was common knowledge that 16,000,000 Americans had registered for the draft and one way or another, America would enter the war. Franco was then already looking towards the end of the conflict and Spain’s position in the post war re shuffle.