Morroco Spain war

Khanzeer

Banned
It's the mid 1970s , the Spanish are about to leave Western Sahara however bowing to the wishes of the International court of Justice they Support independence of Western Sahara rather than it joining Morocco

In return Morocco attacks Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla

How will such a war fare ? Both Spain and Morocco are allies of the US and are pretty well armed , will the Spanish be able to defeat Morocco militarily and liberate these cities?
 
It's the mid 1970s , the Spanish are about to leave Western Sahara however bowing to the wishes of the International court of Justice they Support independence of Western Sahara rather than it joining Morocco

In return Morocco attacks Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla

How will such a war fare ? Both Spain and Morocco are allies of the US and are pretty well armed , will the Spanish be able to defeat Morocco militarily and liberate these cities?

I remember watching one of that ten minute long videos on youtube about the history of Spain in the twenty century. According to it the Morrocan government was not happy with Spain retaining Celta and Melila, so they launched a full blown offensive in the area and got crushed by the spanish army and the french foreign legion. If that is true then the northern front goes the same and the majority of the combat happens in the south.
 

Khanzeer

Banned
I remember watching one of that ten minute long videos on youtube about the history of Spain in the twenty century. According to it the Morrocan government was not happy with Spain retaining Celta and Melila, so they launched a full blown offensive in the area and got crushed by the spanish army and the french foreign legion. If that is true then the northern front goes the same and the majority of the combat happens in the south.
Can u please send me the link of that Moroccan offensive against Spain ?
 
If Morocco attacks Spain, Algeria is more than happy to stab Rabat in the back and the Polisario Front uses the chance to bring havoc all around while the Spanish Air Force crushes the Moroccan rival (which was outclassed) and Spanish bombs begin to fall all over the place. Chaos follows, the Morroccan monarchy falls and a whole new mess breaks up.

However, Washington wouldn't like this a bit, so...
 

Khanzeer

Banned
Did Morocco have an aircraft carrier? I mean Spain's was tiny and old but it had one.
so dusted off some old books and per 1978 records
spain had 30 x F-4C + 20 mirage F1 and 30 mirage III + 50+ F-5A
and morocco 25 mirage F1 and 40 F-5A

but Morocco has only OPV and gunboats while spain had 1 x CV , 13 DD and 8 submarines

so morocco's best bet is to try to overrun the enclaves quickly before the spanish can bring in reinforcements.They will have massive manpower superority

moroccons can probably gain local air superority before spanish bring all their assets to bear against them
and present the world with a fait accompli ?
 
moroccons can probably gain local air superority before spanish bring all their assets to bear against them
and present the world with a fait accompli ?

Maybe. However, this reminds me of the Falklands' fait accompli - with the difference that Ceuta and Melilla are a tad closer to Cadiz than Port Stanley to Liverpool, and that the Spanish government of the 1970 is one order of magnitude more nationalistic than Thatcher's.

I will add that if the Moroccans only fight over African territory, including African air space, they are only fighting Spain. But if they make the mistake of attacking a Spanish naval or air unit in the Atlantic or the Med, then Spain can demand NATO/OTAN support under the Alliance's charter. No NATO/OTAN country would be happy to commit to a colonial war in Africa, but they would probably feel bound to side with Spain diplomatically and logistically. Moroccan ambassadors would be sent packing, Moroccan assets abroad would be frozen together with Moroccan trade, Spain would be supplied with all the ammo and armaments it might need, etc.
 
If Morocco moves before 1975, they are going to catch hell. If they do that year... it might go well for them for a time. If later than 1975, that may be interesting.

. But if they make the mistake of attacking a Spanish naval or air unit in the Atlantic or the Med, then Spain can demand NATO/OTAN support under the Alliance's charter.

Spain didn't join the NATO until 1982.
 

Darzin

Banned
I think Morocco would win, unlike the Falkand Islands, Morocco is right next to Ceuta and Melilla, they'll be able to seize the territories easily enough ad more importantly reinforce them I don't see how Spain can take them back after Morocco invades, I see this playing out closer to Goa then the Falkands.
 
I think Morocco would win, unlike the Falkand Islands, Morocco is right next to Ceuta and Melilla, they'll be able to seize the territories easily enough ad more importantly reinforce them I don't see how Spain can take them back after Morocco invades, I see this playing out closer to Goa then the Falkands.

The Spanish military was structured and trained to fight just this war (and probably still is, at least to a point), with significant amphibious lift not to mention much greater air and naval capabilities. They don't have to land at either Cueta or Melilla; Tangier or Tetuan would do just fine.
 
Add the air superiority of the Spaniards to the issue. Morocco could be bombed back to the Stone Age.

Furthermore, Algeria, as I pointed out before. They had supported the Polisario Front, as Alger was quite worried with the Moroccan expansionism that led to the Sand War. Morocco going to conquer Ceuta and Melilla? Mmmmm... I wonder what Boumédiène would think about it.
 
I think Morocco would win, unlike the Falkand Islands, Morocco is right next to Ceuta and Melilla
Yeah, but so is Spain...

they'll be able to seize the territories easily enough
I doubt even that much. The Moroccans were never able to over come Spanish garrison forces durring the Ifni War. The Spanish Legion isn't just going to over and die, so Spain absolutely can send reinforcements before the cities fall.
 
Well, let's assume that in the scenario that Spain forces back the Morocan assault, what would they do afterwards?

Would they continue to advance to take over all of Morocco and install a puppet government? Demand territorial concessions? Same for Morocco - if they're able to take the cities, what would Spain do? Let them have it? Invade Morocco?
 

Khanzeer

Banned
Is there
Well, let's assume that in the scenario that Spain forces back the Morocan assault, what would they do afterwards?

Would they continue to advance to take over all of Morocco and install a puppet government? Demand territorial concessions? Same for Morocco - if they're able to take the cities, what would Spain do? Let them have it? Invade Morocco?
I don't think miltariliy it is feasible for either parties to extend the area of operation
 

Ramontxo

Donor
Well, let's assume that in the scenario that Spain forces back the Morocan assault, what would they do afterwards?

Would they continue to advance to take over all of Morocco and install a puppet government? Demand territorial concessions? Same for Morocco - if they're able to take the cities, what would Spain do? Let them have it? Invade Morocco?
Wait for Argelia to occupy the rest of Morocco.
 
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