Things that are wrong with the video, And what is actually right:
Francisco Franco’s Spain never extradited nor made arrangements to extradite German Nazis for trial. There is no record to suggest this. — Spain, Under Franco, was actually known for being a Nazi-safehaven after Ww2. A lot of escaped Nazis and European-fascists went to Spain where they were protected by the regime. Such as Otto Skorzeny, Otto Ernst Remer, and Leon Degrelle. — Spain was very reluctant to allied demands of repatriation. Even refusing at times to do anything about the Nazis in Spain.
This is a misconception; Francisco Franco during certain periods of the war would either put Anglophiles or Germanophlies in his cabinet, and Positions of power to balance out his relations with both the Axis powers and Allied powers as to deter invasion from either and to keep trade up with both. — He also never did this at the end of the war, Only during parts of it. Sometimes, when Germany was getting the upper hand, He’d actually promote Germanophiles for foreign policy.
Yet again, Not true. Spain was isolated after Ww2 by the victorious Allied powers.
Spain still kept trade up with Germany in 1944, and Still let their Submarines anchor and refuel at their ports aswell as allowing them to keep their intelligence in Spain. — Also, Spain like Sweden and Portugal, Espoused Neutrality during the war so they really didn’t fear for allied actions and still kept their sovereignty and foreign-policy, Even if it crashed with Allied demands/policy. — It’s press even announced Hitler’s death as if he had died ‘Heroically in combat’, After Ww2. — Along with many other things.
False/Misconception. The British, Under Winston Churchill and the conservative wartime cabinet were nice to Francisco Franco, Whom they had bribed Francoist officials and had gave, along with the U.S., Millions of tonnes of grain and petroleum to keep Spain neutral. — Their goal was to keep Spain neutral from the beginning. — Though, The postwar British government, Lead by Atlee and the Labour Party actually opposed Franco’s regime and had supported the international-isolation and condemnation of it. Aswell as withdrawing the Ambassador and diplomats from Madrid. Labour also supported the Republican position in the Civil-war.
This is blatant misinformation. The U.S. was against removing Franco because they thought it would lead up to another civil war, and they didn’t want anymore trouble in Europe after a major world-conflict. — They were opposed to Military-intervention; And, instead, pursued isolation. — Also, The U.S. emerged from Ww2 as a superpower. Whilst the British lost their empire after ww2, and their infrastructure and military resources were depleted and destroyed, were in severe debt to the Americans, and relied from them for postwar aid to rebuild Britain. — If the U.S. Actually wanted to invade Spain or coup Franco (which, they didn’t). Britain would have no power to stop them lest they wanted aid cut. But even then, The postwar Labour government disliked Franco and found him repugnant. So If the U.S. actually wanted to do this, They‘d have no objections. — Also, Truman had rejected French and soviet offers/demands to militarily intervene into Spain or embargo it. — There were also never any official postwar American or allied plans to intervene or invade Spain, Though they had considered it and explored the possibility of it.
Complete bullshit. The entire reason why Spain wasn’t really invaded after Ww2 is because they weren’t Hostile, Didn’t pose a threat, And America and Britain didn’t want to cause another war for no reason and no gain other than more destruction in Europe and a possibility of a Soviet-Satellite being installed on their doorstep right around as the cold-war came in.
This is complete bullshit. Spain literally supplied the German war effort with critical materials/minerals, Supplies, Volunteers, and allowed them To refuel at Spanish ports. — Spain also collaborated with German intelligence and the German government heavily. This is why it was isolated after ww2.
Not true. He played his cards right, And appeased both sides whom neither really didn’t want to invade him and of both whom had actually wanted to appease him to join their side or stay neutral. — He also knew Britain and America didn’t want to do shit in Spain.
This isn’t true, either. His government only did this because the Japanese had slaughtered and massacred a Spanish community in the Philippines. Not this. — Also, Spain via telegram actually had congratulated the Japanese when they attacked pearl habor. — And Spain was isolated by the west after ww2, Franco had actually tried to foster closer relations with Latin America and the Arab states to overcome this Allied onslaught of isolation.
This makes no sense. The Allies isolated Spain after Ww2, And disliked his regime. So Franco’s actions weren’t theirs, — Also, He left out how Spain gave 50,000-80,000 volunteers to fight with the Germans against the soviets. Another reason why he wanted him out, Along with Stalin supporting the republicans in the civil-war and not really taking a liking to Franco, Whom he resented.
This video also completely left-out the heavy support and collaboration with the Axis during Franco’s rule, Aswell as Spain’s isolation by the west, After the war. He left out alot of shit. I feel like this was on purpose. — This video also has some really bogus and blatant false claims/misconceptions. I felt I needed to debunk it.
TL;DR The Allies never wanted to invade Spain, In the first place. They didn’t want to push Franco into becoming Officially Axis, Where they would have to open another front in the European war and allow Germany to move forces into north-Africa. — After Ww2, They were opposed to it because they were exhausted after the war, were focused on reconstruction and peacemaking, and they didn’t want anymore needless trouble in Europe. They also didn’t want a soviet satellite on their doorstep when the Cold War popped up, And knew if they were to overthrow Franco that they would’ve just done that. — Though, They did isolate, sanction, and disapprove of his regime.
Sources:
U.S. and U.K. Policy pdf
Arts & Culture Nazis Received Warm Welcome in Postwar Spain, New Book Says - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Five years ago, an investigative journalist browsing through Spanish government archives stumbled on a list of 104 Nazis who hid in Spain after World War II and were being sought by the Allies. But the Nazis were never handed over. Irujo was shocked to discover how they escaped punishment not...
www.jta.org
MI6 spent $200m bribing Spaniards in second world war
Newly released documents reveal secret services paid out fortune in bid to stop Franco joining war on Hitler's side
