Franco and Hitler at Hendaye, 1940
Franco and Hitler at Hendaye, Spain (1940)[Postcard photographs of Franco meeting Hitler]
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posted by ritsonvaljos at 12:57 pm
Friday, October 30, 2009
Franco and Hitler at Hendaye, Spain (1940)[Postcard photographs of Franco meeting Hitler]
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5 Comments:
After the fall of France in the summer of 1940 the Third Reich under Adolph Hitler was still in the ascendancy and controlled most of Western Europe. Although Spain at that time was not involved in the European war but its dictator General Franco was sympathetic to the Nazi cause.
As can be seen from the above photographs Franco met Hitler at Hendaye, near the French border where Hitler tried to persuade the Spanish to join with Germany and Italy in the war. Despite the cordial exchange of greetings and subsequent months of negotiations Spain stayed out of the conflict throughout the war.
A few days later Hitler told Mussolini that he would rather have three or four teeth taken out than go through another nine hours negotiating with Franco.
For his part, Franco said "These people want us to come into the war for nothing". Franco had his greedy eyes on French North Africa.
I read that in the narrative, Peter,
I should have given the date of the meeting was 23 October 1940 and the following day Hitler met with Marshal Petain (Head of the new Vichy French Government).
The main sticking point about Spain joining the war on the Axis side was probably the need to guarantee food and fuel supplies. Spain could well have been blockaded by the British Navy from its supplies coming from South America. The British may also have taken the Canary Islands, which would have been likely had the Spanish attempted to invade Gibraltar.
The meeting took place at October 23, 1940.
To Anonymous
The date 23 October is correct.
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