[Mobhack]

Just some stuff I picked up on reading the occasional "what if Spain threw in thier lot with the nazis" sort of threads that appear from time to time on the alternative history forum.

Basically the consensus is that spain is toast if they join hitler's crusade. Big importer, from allied countries or via shiping that crossed Allied controlled oceans from the neutrals. Still devastated and recovering from the civil war. poor infrastructure, damaged by same. still a lot of unhappy campers in the general population who would kick off in revolts if Spain started sending big armies out of country to help germany (which germany would have to fully equip and supply as spain could not do so, even if the the allies let the supplies continue. Which they would not!).

If Germany decided to "do a Napoleon" and unilaterally go through Spain to deal with Gibraltar in a "special military operation to help our fascist brothers" then they would have the same situation as the little Corsican did in the Napoleonic wars. Or Poutine has in the Ukraine today.. After all "guerilla warfare" as a military/political term originated there and then!. Everyone and thier dog in Spain would be popping off at isolated Axis invaders. Both the Francoists and the remaining left sympathisers. Poor infrastructure, basically a nightmare scenario for a Germany who is knees deep in Russia and cannot divert many front line divisions - so would have to probably use garrisons from France and maybe Norway or italy, leaving the atlantic wall and Italy less guarded... And the Allies would land expeditions and act like the British did in the Napoleonics, with help from the regular Spanish army. Except this time add in the USA, the Commonwealth and all that lot as part of the expeditionary forces. An "open" Spain would remove the need for Operation Overlord in all likelihood?.

So Franco sitting on his hands and professing his friendship to his "pal" Adolf while only allowing a token support (Azul div) while keeping friendly with his food suppliers was exactly the right thing to do for Spain at the time. And Hitrler doing a "Yugoslavia" on the Spanish is right out - unless he was off his meds perhaps?