The non-belligerence and neutrality of Spain during the Second World War

Spain's international attitude during the Second World War is typical of the smaller powers' ambiguities and hesitations as regards the larger states at war. Franco, whose stance was definitely considered in favour of the Axis in 1939, chose a "wait and see" neutrality during the Phoney war while, at the same time, his foreign policy was both revenchist and revisionist. The crux of the matter was the year 1940: the pressure of geostrategic factors and Hitler's minimal trust in the Caudillo prevented Spain from going to war and benefiting from German victories. Spain's non-belligerency, maintained for more than three years, is a testimony to the political communion between Franco's Spain and the Axis. Returning to a less ambiguous attitude was a long and difficult process. Neutrality was not officially acknowledged before the autumn of 1943 and the Anglo-Saxons' unrelenting pressure in 1944 did not bring about the complete severing of the bond with Germany. Franco's ideological choice made Spain's isolation on the international scene easier after the Allies' victory in 1945.