SPAIN & WWIISpain is generally known as just another European country that didn't really get involved in WWII. Spain however was involved, just generally with small acts that most people don't know about, but acts that could have changed the outcome of the whole war.
With the start of WWII Spain was inclined to join the side with some of the countries that had helped throughout the Spanish Civil War, the Axis Powers. Spain, just getting out of its own civil war, was not economically stable enough to join a war on either side. Franco wanted to be involved, but he knew that if he had joined that opposing the Allies might possibly lead to a decline in resources from them, and Spain needed these. Spain had gotten multiple offers from Hitler to join and help, but Franco refused them. Spain wanted the best of both worlds, but there's always a fine line between one and the other. Spain wanted no involvement as to save their relations with countries, but they wanted protection from the Axis powers. Spain decided to get involved, but only in small ways. The Spanish Blue Division With Spain wanting to not get too involved with the Axis Powers, yet constantly being pressured towards the joining of the Axis side, the Spanish Blue Division was created. This was a group of volunteers that went over and fought with Germany in the War. The Blue Division was told to fight solely on the Eastern Front of the War against Stalin. Spain's Military Forces Even though Spain chose to remain seen as not involved in the war, there were military operations that were supposed to be used defensively. Operations such as Felix, Isabella, Gisella, and Nurnberg were operations that allowed German troops to be stationed in Spain. In reality these were plans by Adolf Hitler to be able to have an easy access to take over Northern Africa and its resources. After the War Towards the end of the war Spain had broken its ties with the Axis Powers and made agreements with the United States. After WWII with the development of the United Nations (UN), everyone involved in it removed their ambassadors out of Spain. Spain had become an outsider to the political world. No one wanted to be politically involved with Spain. Spain, not wanting to be an outcast, showed support for anti-communism during the Cold War. During the Cold War the United States eventually sent its ambassador back to Spain as well as getting four military bases in Spain. Spain did little things that slowly moved away from Fascism, although he never got rid of it completely. Signing a military assistance pact with the United States made Spain a politically acceptable country again. After Franco's death the new king, Juan Carlos, moved towards democracy. Today Carlos' son Felipe VI is ruling due to him abdicating just recently, June 2014. |