Spain during WWII

[The Rut]

Why Didn`t Spain enter the second world war on Germany`s side?

[Pinotage]

I'd guess

• They'd just gone through a horrific civil war
• Franco wanted to consolidate his grip on the country
• They had nothing to gain from it
• It suited Hitler to have a pro-Hitler neutral nearby

[rogersaurus]

Because we'd have kicked their arses as well. I think I remember seeing a documentary on the Hitler-Franco meetings which implied that one or two influencial Spanish politicians deliberately disrupted negotiations because they didn't want to go to war. I think Hitler also wanted to house mititary units in Spain but when he arrived, realised the country's infrastructure was so poor after the civil war (crumbling roads etc.) that it would take weeks to mobilise from there and so was of no use.