Why Was Gibraltar Not Invaded?

[DirtyDick]

Hello all


I have been wondering why the Germans did not do a deal with Franco, say shortly after the fall of France, to allow for the seizure of Gibraltar.

At first glance, I would have thought during this early part of the war, Gibraltar would have succumbed to a landward invasion and air attack, either by Spanish and/or German forces, with the British being able to do little about it.

I am sure at this stage Franco would not have seen the 'writing on the wall', i.e. that the Nazis were a lost cause and consequently attempt to remain neutral, and he appeared sufficiently comfortable in his position and dealings with Hitler to allow for the despatch of Spanish volunteers to fight in the East.

Moreover, the Spanish did not appear to be unduly reliant upon seaborne trade nor have any significant empire to guard, which might have led the British into enforcing a blockade (and surely the Spanish "volunteers" for the German forces could have provoked this response?). The capture of Gibraltar would surely have elevated his standing at home.

For the Germans the capture of Gibraltar would have effectively closed off the Eastern Med. to the British; and the placing of U-boats there would have enabled them to interdict shipping transiting the African coast, especially troopships taking men to N Africa via The Cape and Suez.

Anyone have any concrete info. on whether this was considered?

Cheers
Richard

[smc66]

There were plans to do this but Hitler needed the full support of Franco to move his army into Spain. Negotiations did take place between Hitler and Franco in Biarritz after the fall of France but the negotiations got bogged down because Franco demanded far more than Hitler could deliver. Franco was not yet really secure in power and Spain was pretty devastated after three years of fighting, hence Franco's demands. After this meeting Hitler remarked that he'd much rather have his teeth removed without anaesthetic than spend more time negotiating with Franco.

[Cheshire Yeomanry]

Moreover, the Spanish did not appear to be unduly reliant upon seaborne trade nor have any significant empire to guard, which might have led the British into enforcing a blockade

Spain still had significant interests worldwide.

Also Spain was a major importer of Grain and other foodstuffs. If Spain had joined the Axis then most of these imports would have been lost. Spain asked for such shortfalls to be made up by the Germans. The Germans couldn't and thus the discussions of this and other matters never progressed.

[DirtyDick]

Thanks guys; I was uncertain as to whether such discussions had taken place.

Now, if Gibraltar had fallen in, say, 1940-41...

Cheers
Richard

[angie999]

Originally posted by DirtyDick@May 23 2005, 04:33 PM
Thanks guys; I was uncertain as to whether such discussions had taken place.

Now, if Gibraltar had fallen in, say, 1940-41...

Cheers
Richard

Quoted post

Yes, Gibraltar was historically the key to the whole British strategic position in the Med for 300 years. Bases such as Malta and Alexandria were significant, but to a lesser extent.

[Harry Ree]

The plan to take Gibraltar came from Jodl who, after the fall of France, impressed on Hitler that such a capture would isolate Great Britain from the East and her far flung Empire and lead to the strangling of her commercial and military interests.Hitler took the idea to the Obersalzberg Berghof and decided he could bring in Franco into the Axis group with the attraction of Gibraltar.

Canaris, head of the German Abwehr was instructed by Jodl to gain the required intelligence for an invasion of Gibraltar through the back door of Spain or by sea.Canaris having his own agenda of opposition to Hitler delivered a discouraging report that such an invasion was riddled with problems and not likely to succeed.The position of Spain and Franco at this point needs to be assessed.Spain,headed by Franco was a pro German, anti British "neutral" who from the civil war owed Germany a few favours.Carnaris, post civil war, had been able to build up a network of over 700 full time agents and a further 600 who were very active in gaining intelligence in Spain.

The Canaris report was ignored by Hitler who decided to ask Franco for Spain's cooperation but was to find out that Franco was not going to be an ally when there was a risk that Franco would lose all.

Franco withstood a 9 hr battering from Hitler when they met at Hendaye on October 23 1940. Hitler tried to convince Franco that England was finished,of the might of the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe.London was being heavily bombed and the U Boat arm would rule the North Atlantic. However Franco made no committment to Operation Felix as the operation to take Gibraltar would be called.
He cited his concerns for the future of Spainish consumerables such as oil and grain both from the US which would run the risk of sanctions from the US.On the subject of the military operation he was aware that Hitler could not spare at that time any large assault artilliery,thought neccessary to take on the fortress of Gibraltar.Another problem that Franco saw and he tried to convince Hitler of was that the US would shutdown Spain's Telecom system which was US owned.

Hitler left Franco alone until early February 1941 when he asked Franco to state his position.Franco replied to his note by late February 1941 with the fact that he wished Spain to be neutral and that the country was just recovering from the ravages of a civil war. He was aware that he would be chancing Spains future if denied access to the US and British Empire markets.What Hitler did know that Canaris had already told Franco that Hitler's intention was not to invade Spain as long as Spain remained neutral.

Franco's decision to keep Spain out of the war enabled Franco to stay in power for well over 30 years.Always pro German and an anti British "neutral" it proved to be the ideal location to deceive the Germans when thay fell for the British Itelligence game "Operation Mincemeat".

My own feeling about Spain is that they have always seen the British, from the times of the conflict on the Spanish Main as their natural enemy "but have never been able to put their hands on the British throat".I would have not reminded myself about this had the Spanish not taken up a anti British feeling regarding the Falklands issue in the spring of 1982.Now they are in the EU,perhaps there might be a different view, although there is certainly not one over Gibraltar.

[DirtyDick]

Cheers for the very succint reply, Harry, much appreciated.

As to Spain and Gibraltar ... as far as I am aware they still hold on to a tiny piece of Morocco. Perhaps if they gave up that - and respected the Gibraltarians' recent unofficial vote to remain a UK dependency - they would have a point.

Richard

[angie999]

The discussion is about Gibraltar in WW2 and I think we need to avoid straying into the current politics of Britain-Gibraltar and Spain-Morocco in 2005 to keep within the forum rules.

[Cheshire Yeomanry]

One obvious reprocussion if Spain aided Germany in anyway in the capture of Gib, was the fact that Britian would invade and capture the Azores. That could prove vital in the early years of the Battle of The Atlantic

[DirtyDick]

Thanks CY

I read recently that British subs used to linger off the islands to catch German ships when they left the Spanish "neutral" harbour.

Cheers
Richard