What neutral country in WW2 was most likely to join the war?

What neutral country in WW2 was most likely to join the war?

  • Spain

    Votes: 31 33.0%

  • Portugal

    Votes: 26 27.7%

  • Sweden

    Votes: 8 8.5%

  • Switzerland

    Votes: 5 5.3%

  • Turkey

    Votes: 24 25.5%

  • Brazil

    Votes: 29 30.9%

  • Ireland

    Votes: 11 11.7%

  • Saudi Arabia

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 4 4.3%
  • Total voters
    94

thaddeus

NOMISYRRUC said:
I doubt that Portugal would want to join the Axis. AFAIK they had nothing to gain and a lot to loose. Portugal in the war on the Axis side would not help Hitler and Mussolini either. The Portuguese armed forces would contribute nothing and the British would take Madeira and the Azores before the Germans could set up U-boat and Fw200 Condor bases there.

If Portugal did enter the war it would be on the British side. As long as Franco keeps Spain neutral there is no fear of direct attack from Germany or Italy.
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the NY Times had long article in recent years looking at neutrals (and their trade with Germany) and (at least part) reason Portugal did not join Axis was feared loss of colonies (not Azores but the valuable Angola and Mozambique.)

my reference was to whether Spain could force some type of federation or just momentum leads Portugal to join. the alternative is that they try to remain neutral but are forced to grant use of Azores and steady supply of tungsten.

probably requires a different personality than Franco but a Spain still holding gold reserve and a coup over in (?) year or so? might have more expansive view?
 

oofo

It is possible to get Franco to join the war in the Axis. Hitler sent Abwher head William Canaris to negotiate an alliance with him in Autumn of 1940. Of course Canaris was actually part of the German resistance. He convinced Franco that Germany would lose the war no matter what happened, so Franco refused the alliance offers that Mussolini and Hitler sent him.
 

fastmongrel

oofo said:
It is possible to get Franco to join the war in the Axis. Hitler sent Abwher head William Canaris to negotiate an alliance with him in Autumn of 1940. Of course Canaris was actually part of the German resistance. He convinced Franco that Germany would lose the war no matter what happened, so Franco refused the alliance offers that Mussolini and Hitler sent him.
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The fact that British Intelligence was paying about 2 million pounds sterling a year into Swiss accounts for Franco and his Generals probably helped.
 
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