10 Things To Know About Spain During World War II

Soldiers by tockholm Transport Museum from Wikimedia Commons

10 Things To Know About Spain During World War II

When you think of World War II you probably think about Hitler and the concentration camps. We often talk about the Allied powers and leave out countries like Spain which maintained its neutrality throughout the war and had mixed reactions to the war, however, its involvement in the war is a bit complicated.

Spain’s role in World War II is an interesting one, from its allying with the Axis countries to its intelligence activities and the participation of Spanish citizens in the war. In this article, we will look at 10 things to know about Spain during World War II and its involvement in World War II.

1. Spain remained neutral during WWII

Spain had declared their neutrality throughout World War II. However, it was rather obvious that General Francisco Franco supported the Axis countries, especially Germany and Italy. Franco was a dictator, so supporting countries that had their authoritarian dictatorship was not surprising especially after he had risen to power following the Spanish Civil War which had been influenced by Nazi and Fascist forces.

The fact that Spain was still recovering from the Civil War prevented Franco from jumping into yet another conflict. This led to a delicate situation whereby Spain supported the Axis forces in part but finally chose not to support either side.

2. The Spanish Civil War influenced their decision to keep out of the WWII

Francisco Franco by Biblioteca from Wikimedia Commons

The Spanish Civil war devasted the country’s economy and claimed an estimated 500,000 lives. They could not join the war as they lacked the equipment and training that was needed to participate in another war. In addition, General Francisco Franco, who took over for King Juan Carlos as president of Spain after the war, was a supporter of the Axis nations, particularly Germany and Italy. Despite this, Franco thought that maintaining Spain’s neutrality throughout World War II was in the nation’s best interests. Franco understood how critical the situation was in Spain.

3. Spain did not show support to the Allied powers

Even though Spain had declared their neutrality during the war, it was obvious that Franco had kept tight contact with the Axis countries, especially Germany and Italy. Spain allowed Germany to pass through their country and gave them access to sensitive private data.

If Franco had the resources he would have offered to fight alongside the Axis powers but they were limited and there was a lack of public support. Even though behind the scenes, Spain secretly supported the Axis powers, Franco never outrightly declare that he supported the Axis countries. 

4. The Allies did not trust Spain’s neutrality in the war so they bribed them

Spanish civil war by Wikimedia Commons

Since it was no secret that Spain supported Germany and Italy, the Allied powers had little confidence in Spain’s neutrality during World War Two. It was known that Spain provided intelligence and allowed Germany to use Spanish territory for military transport.

The Allies did not need any more enemies so to maintain Spain’s neutrality they turned to bribes which stopped Spain from officially joining the Axis powers. Spain did not fully trust the Allies as well which led them to increase their military presence but the Allies kept giving them economic aid to prevent them from supporting Italy and Germany.

5. German planes bombed the Spanish town of Guernica

El poblado by Anonymous from Wikimedia Commons

German aircraft bombed the Basque village of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War in 1937 with the help of General Francisco Franco’s Nationalist forces. A large portion of the town was destroyed during the three-hour attack, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians.

The attack came to represent the cruelty of contemporary warfare and served as the inspiration for Pablo Picasso’s well-known anti-war work, “Guernica.” The bombing also acted as a foreshadowing of the disaster that would come about during World War II, as the German Luftwaffe would later strike a similar amount of havoc on several cities throughout Europe.

6. German and British spies operated in Spain

Although Spain carried itself as a neutral country they were positioned between the two opposing forces of WWII that were the destination of intelligence agents from both Germany and Britain. The two countries were keen on spying on each other and they did so in Madrid. Kim Philby was a famous British spy who was revealed to be a Soviet double agent and Juan Pujol Garca provided the Germans with intel about the British government. 

7. Spain did not have a great relationship with the United States

Spanish civil war by from Wikimedia Commons

General Francisco Franco, who came to power after winning the Spanish Civil War with the help of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, controlled Spain under an authoritarian system throughout World War II.

Franco, who had a soft spot for the Axis, permitted German and Italian troops to conduct combat operations on Spanish soil. Although fighting the Axis forces at this time, the United States and the other Allied nations had a suspicion of Franco’s government. Because of Spain’s pro-Axis inclinations during the war, diplomatic relations between the two countries were not established by the U.S. government until 1951, and tensions lingered there for many years.

8. Spanish citizens scattered and fought in the war on both sides

The Nationalists, commanded by General Francisco Franco, and the Republicans, who backed the democratically-elected government, were the two main factions in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, which raged from 1936 to 1939. Several Spanish nationals joined the Nationalist forces sponsored by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, while others fought with the Republicans, supported by the Soviet Union and foreign volunteers from all over the world.

Families and communities were split apart by political disagreements, making the conflict an unpleasant experience for the Spanish people. Foreign powers used the war as a front for their ideological conflicts, which attracted attention and support from around the world.

9. Spain offered support to Italy and Germany

Tungsten by Aariuser I from Wikimedia Commons

Spain assisted Italy and Germany, two Axis countries, during World War II under the dictatorial rule of General Francisco Franco. Franco sympathised with the fascist governments in Italy and Germany and gave them material and diplomatic support, despite Spain’s formal neutrality throughout the war.

Spain supplied the Axis forces with necessary resources, such as wolfram, or tungsten, which was used in the manufacture of weaponry, and permitted German and Italian troops to conduct military operations on its soil. Spain’s assistance during the war was crucial in maintaining the Axis powers and extending the war. However, Spain’s support also made it a target of Allied forces, which viewed Franco’s regime as a threat to global peace and stability.

10. Spain was punished for supporting the Axis powers

There were consequences that Spain had to face for supporting the Axis forces during the war. The country experienced isolation and trade restrictions and international sanctions that almost paralysed its economy. The Allies feared that Spain would pose a threat to world peace and security because they saw Franco’s leadership as a repetition of what they were fighting which was fascism and authoritarianism. However, as the country’s economy started reviving it remained neutral in the Cold War which helped them come out of its isolation in the 1950s. 

Eventually, Spain developed into a wealthy, democratic country with a booming economy and thriving culture that they are well known for. The legacy of Spain’s support for the Axis power during WWII is just another reminder of the consequences of war and the importance of working together to build a peaceful and prosperous world.