consequences of Portugal entering WWII?

Sorry if this was discussed already.

What are consequences of Portugal joining World War 2?

How about Portugal joining on the side of the Axis?

How about them joining the side of Allies (maybe Japanese invade Macau, does this also mean a Spanish involvement in the war?)
 
If it goes to the Axis, it will probably accomplish little more than setting the stage for a South Africa wank.
 

Lusitania

Donor
Portugal had entered the 1st world war, not becasue it wanted to but because a convoy of german merchant ships pursued by royal navy had sought sanctuary in the Lisboa estuary. The Portuguese under pressure from Britain turned them over. The Germans responded by declaring war on Portugal.

The Portuguese economy which was already shaky and its merchant fleet all got destroyed.

Now in 1932 Salazar came to power with the objective of straightening out the country. He knew that Portugal had kept its colonies due to the WWI. He knows that to align its self with nazis (he hated Hitler and thought he was a fool) would be suicide for Portugal. Its African colonies and India would be lost in a flash.

Portuguese government repeated councilled Franco not to get involved with the Italians or Germans.

With that I do not believe he would ever bring the country to the Axis unless he could be assured of the Portuguese overseas provinces being protected.
 

Larrikin

Banned
Japanese and Portugese colonies

Sorry if this was discussed already.

What are consequences of Portugal joining World War 2?

How about Portugal joining on the side of the Axis?

How about them joining the side of Allies (maybe Japanese invade Macau, does this also mean a Spanish involvement in the war?)

The Japanese did invade Portugese East Timor and Portugal did not get involved. I would say about the only way to get Portugal actively involved in WWII would be for Portugal itself to be attacked by one side or the other.
 
The Japanese did invade Portugese East Timor and Portugal did not get involved. I would say about the only way to get Portugal actively involved in WWII would be for Portugal itself to be attacked by one side or the other.

So Spain entering the War? can' see any other way either of them would possibly want it to enter on their side.

IF it was an ally, would you see some more international anger when India takes Goa?
 

The Vulture

Banned
I think Salazar, for all his ideological similarities to Hitler and Mussolini, would be far more likely to side with the Allies. He was a pretty shrewd guy, and knew that the Axis offered him nothing to gain in Africa or the South Pacific.

IIRC, Portugal allowed the British to use Portuguese territory for airbases and allowed British ships into their naval yards. Theirs was one of the oldest alliances in European history.
 
The think Portugal saw the benefits of neutrality. It is, however, an interesting question. I don't how much they would have helped the allies. In the peace of World War II Only the Soviets and Poland gained land so there would not have been any rewards. If they joined the axis, I think the Allies would have invaded in 1942, to secure the traffic to Africa which would have delayed Torch.
 
I wonder what an Allied Portugal could do? Fascist or not, there's the old alliance with Britain, and if Salazar hated Hitler personally, so much the better.
 
A possibility for Portugal siding with the Axis during WW2 would be the failed assassination attempt against Salazar in 1937 to succeed and someone even-more right-winger to replace him, but capable enough to avoid and defeat military rebelions from the old republican right and left (like happened with Salzar in OTL). This would require some kind of apparent moderation (pre-WW2) to avoid sparking even more rebellious (for example from the old republican right).
For Portugal to side with the allies, it would take some kind of attack from the European members of the Axis.
 

Lusitania

Donor
A possibility for Portugal siding with the Axis during WW2 would be the failed assassination attempt against Salazar in 1937 to succeed and someone even-more right-winger to replace him, but capable enough to avoid and defeat military rebelions from the old republican right and left (like happened with Salzar in OTL). This would require some kind of apparent moderation (pre-WW2) to avoid sparking even more rebellious (for example from the old republican right).
For Portugal to side with the allies, it would take some kind of attack from the European members of the Axis.

In 1942 or 43 the Germans sunk two Portuguese freighters angering the Portuguese government and while still facist they allowed the Allies to start using the Azores as a base for the Atlantic operations.

Coincidently the American government prior to this had made a declaration that they never would allow the Azores to fall under Axis control. When pressed by Portuguese government for clarification of what they meant they did not respond.

So Salzar knew that Portugal would loose royaly if it sided with a specific side. I believe that Salzars opinion was that as long as both Portugal and Spain stayed neutral the German's would leave the Iberian Peninsula alone.
 

Cook

Banned
The Japanese did invade Portugese East Timor and Portugal did not get involved. I would say about the only way to get Portugal actively involved in WWII would be for Portugal itself to be attacked by one side or the other.

Strictly speaking the Japanese did not violate Portuguese neutrality.
That had already been done by the Allies.

Australian forces landed in East Timor in December 1941 without permission from the Portuguese.

The Japanese attacked Dili on 19 February 1942 and Australian Commandoes, the 2/2nd Independent Company withdrew into the mountains and conducted a guerrilla war, successfully tying down a much larger Japanese force.

The Portuguese Administration insisted on remaining neutral throughout the occupation.


http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/japadvance/timor.html

http://www.anzacday.org.au/education/activities/timor_ww2/history.html

 
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