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Is Communist Spain any more useful than Fascist Spain in a war?
Spain isn't communist...yet. It's still a democratic republic that's headed by the Popular Front. I won't spoil it, but the Spanish leftists are feeling a sense of gratitude to both the British and French for saving their butts from annihilation.
Interesting very interesting but talking frankly...yes..because unlike germany, they've a border with france meaning a less worry, plus Spain can allow to trade with USA and Co using spanish flag and i doubt ENTETE and germany would bother spain over it
 

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Reverse Course

July 1937. The civil war in Spain had been going on for exactly 1 year now. During that time, the nationalists under Generalissimo Sanjurjo had been gaining ground both in the east and the north in Asturias. Across all fronts, the Republicans were no match for the highly skilled Spanish army and legionnaires. The government soon began becoming desperate and started courting for outside support. Luckily, they had the backing of France, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union who then began supplying the Republic with weapons and supplies.

On the Edge
Despite being supplied abundantly, it wasn’t enough to reverse the territorial losses on the ground. In July 1937, the two sides fought at Brunete just west of Madrid. It soon became a disaster for the Republicans as their center collapsed, leaving Madrid exposed to a Nationalist capture. Seizing the opportunity, the troops stormed into the capital as their enemy scrambled to organize a hasty defense. Despite stiff resistance, Madrid fell to the Nationalists on July 25. By August 1st, the Second Spanish Republic teetered on its own collapse into civil war as low morale caused infighting to spill out onto the street.

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Fighting on the streets of Madrid, 1937

The outcry following the fall of the capital rallied the hawkish Frenchmen in Paris. They had been clamoring for a military intervention since day 1 but most people saw little merit of their argument, Madrid’s capture gave them a huge boost as most of the party members started being swayed by their points. France already has 2 potential enemies on their borders and mustn't be surrounded by a third one. With pressure coming from sections of society to do something, Chairman Cachin opted for military intervention and soon notified the British and the Spaniards of their intentions through diplomatic channels. Over the next few days, the French army mobilized near the Spanish border waiting for the time to strike.

Entering the Fray
On August 8th, the time finally came as French troops stormed across the border into the Nationalist territory. Another country that took part in the operation was the British, who deployed their marines and Navy took help to assist in the intervention. With the 2 countries wanting to experiment with the new strategies, tactics, and technology, Spain was the perfect testing ground. The French experiment the use of aerial bombardment and fast-moving tanks followed by infantry using a tactic called ‘La Guerre Eclaire’. Meanwhile, the British tested their new aircraft carriers off the coast where they deployed planes ready to drop bombs over enemy areas and the use of marines and light infantry which were used as effective shock troops.

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RNS Birmingham off the Spanish Coast, 1937

Facing the twin might of France and Britain, the Nationalist forces were hopelessly beaten in every engagement. On all fronts, they were pushed back and hope became distant for them. In an emergency meeting by the Nationalist junta, the generals voted to evacuate Spain and head back to northern Morocco. Those that couldn’t make the trip by plane or boat opted to flee towards the Portuguese border. Soon enough, the border crossings became filled with refugees clamoring to get in while fleeing the advancing communists. Ultimately, tens of thousands manage to get across the border before the Republicans arrived to close the crossings.

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Spanish refugees gathered near the Portuguese border

In the midst of the escape, Generalissimo Sanjurjo got on a two-seater plane that was filled to the brim with his personal belongings, making the plane heavy. The weight dragged the plane down until it crashed, killing Sanjurjo but sparing the pilot. In A Coruna, Emilio Mola got on a ship that was unfortunately sunk by British planes as it left the harbor. The few ones such as Franco and Primo de Rivera managed to flee to Northern Morocco by planes that were luckily not attacked. Other groups that had also evacuated were the men of the Army of Africa and the Spanish Legion, two units that were the most loyal to the Nationalist cause and their generals.

With the whole country secured under their control, the Republicans conducted mass arrests, trials, and executions of Nationalist supporters wherever they found them. Historians call this Spain’s very own ‘Red Terror’ even though the sheer depravity of it wouldn’t occur until 1943. Countless people were purged as they were labeled as reactionaries guilty for counter-revolution. Even the church was not safe as the priests and nuns were persecuted while the various religious orders were put under huge surveillance by the government.

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Spanish militiamen opening fire on a statue of Jesus Christ

A Death Wish
With the collapse of the Nationalists happening just across their frontier, the Portuguese government struggled in trying to make contact with anyone that could guarantee in the event of an invasion. They tried entering into negotiations with Germany, but that was still ongoing by 1938 when the foreign minister received a letter from the French ambassador. What he read widened his eyes and made his hands shake.

It was an ultimatum. The French demanded they hand over all the Nationalist leaders in their country to the Spanish government, failure to accept the demands would result in a full-scale invasion of Portugal. To the Portuguese government, this meant either handing over the rebels or war.
I'm surprised that Germany didn't send an ultimatum to France to stop the invasion
 
I agree. The Germans seemed to have fallen asleep at the wheel. It seems that the Depression seems to have totally crippled the Empire politically, diplomatically, economically and militarily.

I cant imagine the Germans doing nothing while Communists gain more power.
 
I agree. The Germans seemed to have fallen asleep at the wheel. It seems that the Depression seems to have totally crippled the Empire politically, diplomatically, economically and militarily.

I cant imagine the Germans doing nothing while Communists gain more power.
It is sadly written in most central power victory fics i read that imperial Germany managed worse than weimar Germany somehow i doubt that i mean take this timeline a large number of extra vassals(puppets) Allies, ´the Imperial Army is still a thing with a large standing force, the Imperial Navy is ever expanding meaning more factorys and shipyards, the merchant Navy is still there and growing, no reparation payments and so on its a shame that it seems to be a belief of a majority that all that does not count for a better germany after a victorious ww1.
 
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It is sadly written in most central power victory fics i read that imperial Germany managed worse than weimar Germany somehow i doubt that i mean take this timeline a large number of extra vassals(puppets) Allies, ´the Imperial Army is still a thing with a large standing force, the Imperial Navy is ever expanding meaning more factorys and shipyards, the merchant Navy is still there and growing, no reparation payments and so on its a shame that it seems to be a belief of a majority that all that does not count for a better germany after a victouris ww1.
The thing is the political will itself, SPD was already the largest party pre war and would still be post one, here the conservatives where the one got the hot potato of a depression like event and how the SPD enter power when their enemies where becoming stronger.
 
The Red Revenge
The Red Revenge

When the French ultimatum was given, the government debated whether to hand over the leaders or not. While some wanted to give in, others weren't persuaded and wanted to fight them head-on. Nevertheless, Portugal tried appealing to Britain for defense, citing the old Anglo-Portuguese treaty signed in the late 14th century. It didn't work though, as the British even joined hands with the French in demanding that Portugal hand over the rebel leaders.

Despite the huge pressure, Portugal was still reluctant to do it and so a few days later, it defiant said no. With that reply given, France and Britain declared war on Portugal the next day. At that very moment, communist troops stormed across the border and began blasting their way towards Oporto and Lisbon. Despite heavy resistance, the Portuguese army was no match for the speed and firepower of France and Britain.

When it became increasingly clear that the country was lost, the King and his government opted to flee to the distant Azores. This was temporary, however, as the British navy began assaulting the islands which forced the government to flee further towards Angola.

Back in the mainland, a new government was instituted by leftists across the spectrum. The new government declared itself a republic, changing the flag and creating a new constitution. All of this was created not in Lisbon, but in the small city of Evora which was a bastion of left-wing politics. Officially, it was known as the 'Portuguese Republic but more commonly known as the 'Evora Republic' or simply 'Evora Portugal'

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Flag of the Evora Republic

With the fall of the Portuguese mainland, France's southern flank secured as she now had two countries under its influence. Despite this blunder, Chancellor Otto Wels was still determined to maintain his foreign policy of 'Detente' with the communist powers. But this time, he was facing increasing resistance from the right for his foreign policy blunders. There was only one more crisis that would make everyone lose faith in him.
 
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Pretty clearly SPD is not going survive on next election. And probably next move is casus belli for Second Great War.

I think that it'll be the Soviets that make their move

Soviets have not much room do anything. At least whole Eeastern Europe from Finland to Balkans is under German influence. Stalin is not idiot. He knows that USSR wouldn't stand that without France and Britain and even then they probably lost. Only secure direction is Eastern asia.

I guess that next spark is British invasion to Ireland.
 
It is sadly written in most central power victory fics i read that imperial Germany managed worse than weimar Germany somehow i doubt that i mean take this timeline a large number of extra vassals(puppets) Allies, ´the Imperial Army is still a thing with a large standing force, the Imperial Navy is ever expanding meaning more factorys and shipyards, the merchant Navy is still there and growing, no reparation payments and so on its a shame that it seems to be a belief of a majority that all that does not count for a better germany after a victorious ww1.
Better than Weimar? Without a doubt. However I'd very much assume, that unless they win early somehow, then a Germany victorious in WW1 would have a lot of the same issues that Britain and France did in OTL. Who you might remember also stayed neutral in OTL's Spanish Civil War. For Germany in TTL like them in OTL, there just was no good side to support here. Portugal on the other hand was a blunder, but also a realistic one given the historical appeasement precedents.

The one thing I consider unrealistic about Portugal, is the lack of an internal fallout in Germany afterwards. Invading the place without and real CB, that's TTLs version of Hitler occupying the rest of Czechia. It wouldn't cause Germany to declare war, but it would cause a major internal shift regarding re-armament and drawing a line in the sand against any future acts of agression. This isn't the Social Democratic Party of OTL's Cold War, traumatized by WW2 and too worried about appeasing the Tankies lest they loose them to the Green Party. This is the Social Democratic Party that throughout WW1 was as patriotic as anyone and then was boosted into power on the wings of victory. They'd not be this pacifistic.
 
Line in the Sand
Line in the Sand

In Germany, the fallout from the invasion of Portugal was immense. The right-wing and conservative parties unleashed hell on the government for failing to stop the spread of communism all around. Even the general public was outraged that Chancellor Wels had just sat back and watched as Portugal got consumed by the red menace.

The Red Blueprint
In 1939, the 3 communist powers gathered in Leningrad to carve out a treaty. In the secret discussions, the map of Europe was carved up into several spheres of influence for all 3 nations and with some huge territorial changes that were planned in the future. The Danube federation was split up into various small states, Germany was to be broken up into 3 countries and the Ottoman Empire was to be hugely shrunken in size.

At first, this agreement was known as the Molotov-Laval Pact due to the names of the respective foreign ministers. But with the addition if Britain, the names were transformed into the Leningrad Pact. This became a military alliance that would surround the Reichspakt in both the east and the west.

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The planned map of Europe according to the Molotov-Laval Pact

Niemals!
In 1938 also, the Germans went to the polls to elect a new government. This time, the SPD became so unpopular that a conservative coalition of Zentrum, DKP, and the NLP won a majority of the Reichstag seats. A new government was formed under Kuno von Westarp as Chancellor with Adolf Hitler becoming the foreign minister. His close ally, Franz von Papen, became interior minister and Werner von Blomberg became defense minister.

In that same year, Otto Wels died. He would later be known as a naive idealist and one of Germany's worst chancellors.

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Kuno Graf von Westarp, German Chancellor

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Adolf Hitler, Foreign Minister
 
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Oh, a secret treaty on the divisions of other countries? Pray it won't leak or things will get ugly.

Also, Foreign Minister Adolf Hitler. No matter where one goes, he seems to leave his mark in history.
 
Wels seems being regarded as same way as Chamberlain is seen in OTL.

WW2 is going break out soon. And it is not going to be easy one.

Just wondering what will Hitler's plan be for Russia.
 
Russia's problem is that they lost Ukraine and the oil fields of the Caucasus, it will cost them more to industrialize the country in order to fight against Germany and its allies.
 
There's no way the Ottomans don't harness Islamic fervor to resist communism.

On questions about Germany, what's the ideological character of the three parties in the new rightist coalition? Also, I'd like to know how Hitler got high enough in the Zentrum party to become foreign minister.

What's the scope on the other Nazis? Goering is probably a senior air general, while I could see a bunch of others being major politicians
 
Goering only got as high as he did because of his Party membership though. ITTL the Luftstreitkrafte was never dissolved and his superiors aren't going to like his attitude.

Say, did the story ever explicitly state that Boelcke or Richthofen died in the war?
 
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