Spain in WWI?

Is there any POD in the early 20th century (or possibly late 19th century) that could have Spain joining in WWI? Whether it joins the Entente or the Central Powers is up for debate, (though it'd likely be more interesting for it to join the CP) what sort of effect could Spain have had?
 
There was a timeline a long time ago that had Spain 'win' the Spanish-American War. They were able to hold onto Cuba and Puerto Rico but the US still got the Philippines.

I can't remember the specifics, but Spain ended up on Germany's side (being more diplomatically involved in European affairs due to their sort-of-victory over the US of A) and as a result Italy joined too.
 
On reason for the Franco-Prussian War was the possibility of a Hohenzollern candidate for the Spanish throne.

Assuming
[FONT=&quot]Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen took the throne he would require some help to remain in control, which would undoubtly be some form of alliance with Germany in return for putting down rebel Republican and Carlists. France would thus have to consider fighting on another front come the First World War.
[/FONT]
 
Spanish war aims

and what would be the war aims for the Spanish? There were no european ones and the american ones would not be in the gift of the winning side so the only possibility would be to take over French North Africa (now there is a poisoned chalice) so the only scenario feasible is to enter on the Central Power's side.

No disrespect to the Spanish army, but I suspect the French terrritorial reserves in the South West could have held them.

The Portugese position would be a tricky one. Perhaps Gallipoli replaced by an expeditionary force landed to support the Portugese and a new Peninsular War?
 
and what would be the war aims for the Spanish? There were no european ones and the american ones would not be in the gift of the winning side so the only possibility would be to take over French North Africa (now there is a poisoned chalice) so the only scenario feasible is to enter on the Central Power's side.

No disrespect to the Spanish army, but I suspect the French terrritorial reserves in the South West could have held them.

The Portugese position would be a tricky one. Perhaps Gallipoli replaced by an expeditionary force landed to support the Portugese and a new Peninsular War?

Well, the very entrance of Spain into WWI itself could change things up, so its hard to tell what aims they might have. What it really relies on though is the POD. Spain just deciding to join the war 'for teh lulz' isn't going to work, so we have to find something that could give them a reason.

It'd be interesting to see how a war in North-West Africa between France and Spain would go. So to would the situation of Gibraltar.

It would certainly be interesting, thats for sure.
 
If there was any fighting in the Pyrenees, it would probably play out like the Central Powers' efforts against the Italians in the Alps, but here the French would probably come out on top on account of their superior mountain warfare units.

However, the fact that France would be forced to commit troops to a southern front would divert units from the fight against Germany on the western front, which could have some rather severe effects in the long run.
 

BlondieBC

Banned
Is there any POD in the early 20th century (or possibly late 19th century) that could have Spain joining in WWI? Whether it joins the Entente or the Central Powers is up for debate, (though it'd likely be more interesting for it to join the CP) what sort of effect could Spain have had?

Take one of the Morocco crisis, have France and Britain gang up on Spain to give Spanish Morocco to France. Then have the Spanish people enraged over this combined with some really arrogant statements in the British Press, and Spain could be a part of the CP by 1910.

Now Spain joining the CP for any reason has many butterflies. Portugal and Britain may formally join the Entente. Spain has to prepare for Naval Warfare and Amphibious assaults. France has to prepare for a 3 way war. etc.

Now Spain not being a part of the CP in 1914, and still joining the war is hard to do, and likely only to happen once it is clear the Entente will lose, and probably after Britain suffers a major naval defeat.
 
and what would be the war aims for the Spanish? There were no european ones and the american ones would not be in the gift of the winning side so the only possibility would be to take over French North Africa (now there is a poisoned chalice) so the only scenario feasible is to enter on the Central Power's side.

No disrespect to the Spanish army, but I suspect the French terrritorial reserves in the South West could have held them.

The Portugese position would be a tricky one. Perhaps Gallipoli replaced by an expeditionary force landed to support the Portugese and a new Peninsular War?

There is a Eurpoean one. It's called Gibraltar.
 
Spanish sympathies in the war were split on mostly political lines with the Right favoring the CP (though their navy had strong ties with Britain) and the Left favoring the Entente. The king favored the Entente, esp. France, but was deadset against entering the war on either side. Amusingly there were voices on the Left that advocated both reducing the size of their military still further and joining the Entente.

One possible way to get a CP Spain via the backdoor is to have Portugal sink into a full fledged civil war and Spain intervenes on the side of the Portuguese Right while the Entente actively supports the Left (or alternatively backing a restoration of the extremely Anglophile Manual II) and things escalate.
 
One possible way to get a CP Spain via the backdoor is to have Portugal sink into a full fledged civil war and Spain intervenes on the side of the Portuguese Right while the Entente actively supports the Left (or alternatively backing a restoration of the extremely Anglophile Manual II) and things escalate.

The problem with this is that I can imagine Britain and France "abandoning" Portugal, at least until the end of WWI, and then supporting it.

Anyway as you said there was almost no chance without serious butterflies, and even if enters, it would almost do it on Entente´s side, which is a lot more "boring" ( just more meat for the grinder of France ... ) It would be a diplomatic victory for the Entente.

The real problem is: Spain was winning too much money selling things to both sides ( more the Entente, but it sell to both ) so ...
 
Take one of the Morocco crisis, have France and Britain gang up on Spain to give Spanish Morocco to France. Then have the Spanish people enraged over this combined with some really arrogant statements in the British Press, and Spain could be a part of the CP by 1910.

It was France and Britain who agreed to make a Spanish Morocco in the first place.

In fact, if we just keep the ball rolling as it was during one of the Morocco crisis and war is declared it's almost a given that Spain would join against Germany. Spain did send ships to Moroccan waters and occupied Larache & Alcazarquivir in response to the Agadir Crisis in OTL.

Another earlier POD would be to avoid the Spanish-American War altogether, and then just continue with OTL events more or less. This results in the Ferrol naval academy not closing down for a decade and a larger Spanish naval presence, and avoids the deadset neutrality policy adopted in the aftermath of the war. Once Germany adopts unrestricted submarine warfare (a policy that resulted in the loss of several Spanish merchant ships and deeply damaged German-Spanish relations IOTL), Spain would join the Allies much like Portugal did, and with the same results (i.e. skyrocketing debt and token gains in Africa).

For Spain to join Germany it would require a very early POD in the 19th century. Going against France is unlikely, going against Britain is even more unlikely, and going against both at the same time dinamitates two centuries worth of national policy.
 
Top