Why didn't Spain join the Axis powers in fighting World War II?

Question

Ideologically, Spain was a fascist country like Germany or Italy. The Germans assisted the fascists in overthrowing the Republican government which lead to Franco being installed as ruler. So why didn't the Spanish fight alongside the other fascist powers in World War II?

Answer 1

There are two completely different answers to this question. You have to decide which one you consider most credible.

The “Official” version is that Hitler wanted Franco to join in WW2 on the side of the Axis. But that Franco was cautiously clever and kept Spain neutral, although helping the Axis in some ways, such as by sending the “Blue” division to fight in Russia. In that “Official” version of history, even in 1940 Franco foresaw that the Axis might lose. When, later on, Hitler approached him with the suggestion for a combined assault on Gibraltar (to keep the British out of the Mediterranean), Franco again managed to postpone the issue until the opportunity was past.

The problem with that “Official” version is that it seems to have been written with the benefit of hindsight, to make Franco appear much wiser than he actually was. Personally, I find the "Revisionist" version more credible: -

Here is a summary of the Revisionist version. It has been documented by a number of historians, including for example in J. Tussell's book "Franco, España y la Segunda Guerra Mundial": -

• Franco DID want to enter the war on the Axis side. Hitler did not want Spain as an ally!

• When Franco saw France crumbling under German attack in mid-1940, he wanted to jump onto the Axis bandwagon.

• Franco offered to join in the Axis attack in 1940. But, as his price, he demanded most of the French colonial territories in North Africa.

• From Hitler’s point of view, that would have meant losing Vichy France as a friendly, puppet state.

• Moreover, for Germany, if Spain became an ally, it would have had to be supplied with weapons, fuel, aircraft, etc. And Spain’s exposed situation on the Atlantic Coast demanded that it be well defended: scarce German troops would have to be sent to Spain to back up the Spanish forces.

• In fact, Spain could offer little more than its geographical situation. And Hitler wasn't very interested in the Mediterranean – that was supposed to be Mussolini’s plum.

- - - - -

Spain was not truly neutral in WW2 – it just was not openly a belligerent. Spain did send troops to aid Hitler in his attack on Russia. And Spain did provide secret refueling and rearming facilities for German U-boats, as well as passing on intelligence information to the Germans – including the carefully crafted British deception (“The Man Who Never Was”) to fool the Axis into failing to defend Sicily to the fullest possible extent.
That Spain never declared war against the Allies was Hitler’s choice, not Franco’s.

Answer 2

Like the others have already stated, many Spanish volunteers did go to fight Communism on the Eastern Front, but Spain itself was weak after fighting a 3 year Civil War. After the war, Spain was receiving grain supplies from America and could not afford to have it cut off. Plus, entrance into the war would have left Spain vulnerable to attack from the Allies once they landed in North Africa. Franco knew that the Germans were not in a place to guarantee Spain's defense.

In short, it just wasn't worth the risk to join the war.

Answer 3

Spain was in a very weak condition following the civil warand Franco was aware that any foreign military adventures would leave him vulnerable to a revolt against his power..
Some Spanish soldiers did take part in the fighting on the Eastern Front but this was not official Spanish policy

Answer 4

General Franco could not see any political, financial or territorial benefit in doing so. Under pressure from Hitler he did permit volunteers to be recruited to fight alongside the Germans on the Eastern front, but despite pro-german speeches he skilfully kept Spain neutral.

Answer 5

Spain had been thoroughly trashed by their Civil War. Hitler could never make Franco an offer worth risking the survival of his regime.

Answer 6

Yes, Spanish soldiers of the Blue Legion, or the 250th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) in the German order of battle, DID fight alongside the other Fascists powers in Russia as "volunteers." In particular, they fought for three years (August 1941 - March 1944) mainly at the siege of Leningrad.

Answer 7

Spain never really got to involved in Europe's affairs.

Answer 8

Can anyone tell me what is the right answer for this question?

Answer 9

maybe they don't have enough power yet that time