PC/WI Third Spanish Republic

From a certain point of view the Nationalist faction of the SCW had some pretty bad luck. First of all the coup failed pretty badly and caused a long civil war. Second of all alot of the core Nationalist leadership died, leaving Franco incharge and we know how that turned out. So the POD here is that Franco is added to the body count and leadership of the nationalist passes on to Queipo de Llano, or Cabanellas. Both of them were high ranking, respected (particualy Queipo, he was somewhat like a Spanish MacArthur with his propaganda ability. I mean he said he captured a city with 15 soldiers, and people believed him) and fought for the Nationalists side. However both of them favored the idea of a Nationalist republic (not the Spanish Republican style of republic of course) instead of fascism or Francoism. I also heard that Mola, who had almost as much support as Franco, might have had nationalist republic sympathies but im not sure.

Damn it why did the republicans call themselves republicans, its making it too hard for me to explain myself. :mad:

So anyways the point being Franco dies and one of the people listed above becomes the new leadership. The Nationalists win the civil war and instead of creating a Fascist state they create a Nationalist Republic, with some fascist tendency to satisfy the extremely right wing factions of the coalition. The new government would be extremely conservative of course and would stand for most of the things the Nationalists stood for, but it would be a republic though and arguably a lot nicer than Franco's Spain. Of course the left wing factions on the opposing side of the war would get the shortend of the stick still but thats not preventable, after all they did just fight a war.

So is it plausible? How would the world change?

If this post makes you confused, im sorry, i cant type and explain that well and typing Nationalist Republicans and Republican Republicans is too weird.

Inspired by the pick a side thread.
 
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Many of those in the war against the 2nd Republic were monarchists and of course there were 2 major and separate monarchist factions. Overthrowing the 2nd Republic to replace it with a new style republic would have antagonised that wing of the rebels. Apart from being defeated, the 'liberal/socialist/etc' republicans would abhor the 'nationalist' nature of the new republic.

If the leaders of the new republic wanted it to survive they would have to adopt severe measures against the many dissatisfied (and mainly still armed) opponents. They might have to out-Franco Paco Ranas himself!

In view of his military strategy, were Franco to have died in the early days of the uprising it's very likely that the insurgents would have won the civil war earlier than in OTL. So I suppose there might be a first civil war, say 1936-37, followed by this nationalist republic and then a second civil war breaking out in say 1938 or 1939. If WW2 breaks out in September 1939 as in OTL and this second civil war is still raging then a whole raft of possibilities opens up for involvement by other European powers – and perhaps the course of WW2 itself.
 
That would depend on when Franco dies. Whether it is after 24 July 1936 when General Miguel Cabanellas assumed the presidency of the Junta de Defensa Nacional in Burgos on 24 July 1936, or after 29 September 1936 when the Junta appointed Franco as Generalissimo and head of government of Nationalist Spain.

On 3 September 1936 nationalist forces were only 100 kilometres from Madrid. But Franco did not force on north-eastwards to the capital and so maintain the momentum before a proper defence of the city could be organised. Instead he swung south-eastwards towards Toledo where the nationalists were defending the fortress of the Alcazar in Toledo, which had enormous symbolic value.

So with Franco having died before September 1936, the advance on Madrid might have continued and the city captured in that month or October and thus a much earlier victory in the civil war.

Quiepo de Llano threatened republicans with the promise "on my word of honour as a gentleman that for every person that you kill, we will kill at least ten". (1)

But he and Cabanellas had the great disadvantage from the nationalist viewpoint of being Freemasons.

(1) From The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 by Antony Beevor.
 
The Falange was Republican.
Hm really? They seemed more socialist than republican from what i read. Then again, socialism and fascism tends to blend alot.

Apart from being defeated, the 'liberal/socialist/etc' republicans would abhor the 'nationalist' nature of the new republic.

In view of his military strategy, were Franco to have died in the early days of the uprising it's very likely that the insurgents would have won the civil war earlier than in OTL. So I suppose there might be a first civil war, say 1936-37, followed by this nationalist republic and then a second civil war breaking out in say 1938 or 1939. If WW2 breaks out in September 1939 as in OTL and this second civil war is still raging then a whole raft of possibilities opens up for involvement by other European powers – and perhaps the course of WW2 itself.
Well the liberal/socialists lost the war in otl and hated otl Spain also. I dont think its possible at all to satisfy them in any scenario when they lose the war.

A second SCW would be very interesting (horrible but interesting) especially if it continues into ww2. The Nationalists could completely fall apart into its component factions with so many weapons in circulation. How much sides would there be in such a scenario? Caralists, Monarchists, New Republicans, Fascists, Liberal/Socialist in exile? All the threads about Hitler invading Spain to get to Gibraltar usually assume Germany and Italy would fail horribly, could they do better in a civil war? Probably not, but any drain on Axis resources is good for the allies. Might reach an earlier end to ww2.
But he and Cabanellas had the great disadvantage from the nationalist viewpoint of being Freemasons.
Ah didnt know that. Well thats bad
 
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