History /
Polish Volunteers in the Spanish Civil War [140]
Do you have any idea how much courage he need to have to refuse powerful German leader? Hitler could invade Spain.
He needed no courage.Hitler never threatened to invade Spain.He proposed Franco benefits for his help.During the discussion,Franco almost agreed and there were some generals who interrupted Hitler and took Franco away for some time to advice him change his attitude.Hitler was outraged because they did not leave him in privacy with Franco.
You are somehow right, this is risky move. However Franco was successful.
He won after both foreign fascist and foreign socialist troops left the country.
This is just speculation, this was early stage of the war. You cannot judge a man for the things that he did not do.
Ask the Turks if it was speculation.They did the same.Franco was unwilling to cooperate with Hitler before it was sure that the latter would win the war.Hitler needed to present one major victory in eastern front.
Honestly I'm not aware. One could suspect that British and American diplomacies encouraging him to refuse Hitler.
Of course they did.Spain played double game.It was the place where all meetings between german and allied officials during the war took place often leading to hidden agreements.