World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
16 Mar 2011 09:27:15 AM

SQUEEZE MY HAND AND I'LL SQUEEZE YOURS HARDER

Hitler's meeting with Franco was talk the talk, but didn't walk the walk!...
Talks that went nowhere Franco marked time
with long winded dialogue.
Franco made demands he know Hitler could not agree on while Hitler wanted action and he wanted it now.

Franco wanted food and military equipment, among other things, this proved too much and no agreement was reached.
Both of the dictators tried to out fox the other, and this time Franco won...Franco kept
Spain out of the war, in truth Spain had nothing to offer the Germans.
Franco turned to neutraity in 1943, when the war was turning against Germany.

Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945,committed suicide in his bunker
in Berlin on April 30, 1945.

Francisco Franco continued to rule Spain under authoritarian dictatorship from 1939 to 1975.

2.  Bill says:
17 Apr 2012 06:03:06 PM

SPANISH MARCH:

Spain under Franco didn't enter the war as a
belligerent, and in fact frustrated German designs on British Gibralter.

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE:

Spain's only involvement in WWII was through Nationalist volunteers, However many fought with both Allied and Axis Forces.
The largest was the Spanish Blue Division that fought on the Eastern Front against the USSR. A total of 45,000 served during the war, the last survivors returned to Spain in 1954.

Many from Spain fought on the Allied side others fought for personal reasons many of them were defeated Rupublicans who exiled to France and fought with the French Foreign Legion, Free French Forces and with the French Resistance, even double-agents worked for the Allies.


BUYING TIME: PLAYING CAT & MOUSE

Spain was pressured by Hitler to enter the war, Franco wanted a buying time strategy,
Franco played for time and told Hitler he wanted to wait until Britain was going to collapes and side with the Axis. Spain still relied on oil from the USA but supplies were restricted.

JUMPING FROM ONE FOOT TO THE OTHER:

Even the Vichy French got into this with its concern's over Vichy territory in Africa and possible Spanish moves in that area.

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES:

Spain made plans to defend the country its troops were stationed in the southern part of Spain against an Allied attack from Gibralter. Later troops were moved to the mountains along the French border in case of an attack by Germany.
By the time the Allies were winning, Franco received assurances that the Allied armies wouldn't invade Spain...

NOT IN MY BACKYARD: A MEETING GOING NOWHERE

Franco even meet with Benito Mussolini in
Italy in 1941, Hitler requested Mussolini to
talk Franco into joining the war. Once again like the meeting with Hitler, this meeting was going nowhere.
During this meeting Franco asked Mussolini, If you could get out of this war, would you? Mussolini raised his arms and said, "If only I could"...This ended diplomatic efforts to get Spain into the war. By 1944 the Allies were gaining advantage over Germany, the Spanish declared "Neutrality" and wanted to stand in the middle with the wining side...

AFTERMATH:

Although Spain didn't enter WWII Franco did support the Axis, after WWII Spain was for a period isolated in the post-war world.
Trade and imports with most countries were
limited or stopped altogether.
Did you know, Spain wasn't allowed to join the United Nations until 1955 this was ten years after the end of WWII. Spain joined
NATO in 1982.

Francisco Franco:
Ruled Spain until his death in 1975

Benito Mussolini:
Was shot by Italian partisans April 28,1945

Adolf Hitler:
Committed suicide in his Fuhrerbunker in
Berlin April 30,1945

Spain and Germany did trade during the war
but this was limited and some essential materials were shipped and received between them during the war.
Spain acted as a go between for Germany for Industrial Diamonds and other material.