WI: Jose Sanjurjo's plane doesn't crash

Many people who don't know much about the Spanish Civil War, but know about Nationalist Spain, would think that Fransisco Franco was always meant to be Caudillio of Nationalist Spain. But he wasn't.

In fact, a man by the name of Jose Sanjurjo, one of the chief masterminds of the 17th July 1936 military rebellion which started the Civil War, had dreams of becoming the planned fascist regime's leader. He led the Nationalists in cooperation with Franco and Generals Emilio Mola and Gonzalo Queipo de Llano.

However, those dreams would never come to pass because Sanjurjo was killed in a plane crash caused by heavy luggage he brought with him. The plane was travelling from Estoril, Portugal, where he was living in exile, to Spain.

Soon after, Mola died in similar circumstances, leaving Franco in charge of the Nationalist cause and causing suspicion, even to this day, that Franco assassinated his fellow conspirators.

So what if Jose Sanjurjo's plane made it to Spain and Sanjurjo was able to become leader of Nationalist Spain?
 
Many people who don't know much about the Spanish Civil War, but know about Nationalist Spain, would think that Fransisco Franco was always meant to be Caudillio of Nationalist Spain. But he wasn't.

In fact, a man by the name of Jose Sanjurjo, one of the chief masterminds of the 17th July 1936 military rebellion which started the Civil War, had dreams of becoming the planned fascist regime's leader. He led the Nationalists in cooperation with Franco and Generals Emilio Mola and Gonzalo Queipo de Llano.

However, those dreams would never come to pass because Sanjurjo was killed in a plane crash caused by heavy luggage he brought with him. The plane was travelling from Estoril, Portugal, where he was living in exile, to Spain.

Soon after, Mola died in similar circumstances, leaving Franco in charge of the Nationalist cause and causing suspicion, even to this day, that Franco assassinated his fellow conspirators.

The suspicion is only among those who are ignorant of the actual event. Sanjurjo's death by excess baggage happened in front of numerous witnesses and was clearly his own fault. It ranks among the most ridiculous deaths in history.

So what if Jose Sanjurjo's plane made it to Spain...

Or he takes the other plane. The 7-passenger Dragon Rapide which had previously brought Franco from the Canary Islands to Spanish Morocco was sent to Portugal to take Sanjurjo to rebel HQ in Salamanca. But "daring aviator" Antonio Ansaldo also showed up with his little two-seater, and Sanjurjo thought it was more dramatic to fly with him.

and Sanjurjo was able to become leader of Nationalist Spain?

Sanjurjo's choice of flying with Ansaldo shows his sentimentality and taste for dramatic gestures. This was different from Franco, who was very cold and calculating.

I don't know what difference it would make during the Civil War. Sanjurjo seems to have been a competent soldier, as much as Franco.

Where it might affect things is (if WW II unfolds as OTL) in 1940. Franco was interested in Spain joining the Axis, but only if Hitler made it safe and worthwhile. Germany would have to provide Spain with all the food, fuel, and other necessities Spain imported at that time, and reward Spain with territory such as French Morocco, while guaranteeing Spain's safety from Allied bombing or invasion, and providing forces required to take Gibraltar (super-heavy artillery and engineers). Hitler couldn't meet Franco's conditions, and after several hours of negotiating, said he would rather see his dentist than deal with Franco again.

That's OTL.

If Sanjurjo is Caudillo instead... Most Nationalist Spaniards of the time felt Spain was morally indebted to Germany for aid in defeating the Red Menace, and were immensely impressed by the blitz of France. ISTM quite possible that when France has fallen and Hitler calls on Spain, Sanjurjo would be carried along by this sentiment, and join the triumphant Axis without Franco's preconditions. This would be very bad for Spain in the end, and very bad for the Allies at the time.

I won't go into the consequences of that (they've been explored in threads specifically on that topic).

OTOH, Sanjurjo may be realist enough to avoid that folly. In which case, Spain's role in the war is about the same. Later on, there is one big difference: Sanjurjo was about 20 years older than Franco, so his time as Caudillo will end much sooner - perhaps as early as the 1940s. That could lead to an earlier restoration of the monarchy, but in an authoritarian state, or to succession of a new Caudillo, perhaps setting a precedent for the future. Devolution to a non-authoritarian government (as happened OTL after Franco) could happen if Sanjurjo dies in the 1950s.
 
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There's a mod for Hearts of Iron III where there's a chance that if Sanjurjo survives, then Sanjurjo becomes Prime Minister and dictator of Spain where he restores the Carlist claimant, Xavier of Bourbon-Parma to the throne. Although I don't think that would occur, Carlists would be better represented if Sanjurjo led the Nationalists.
 

samcster94

Banned
Whe
The suspicion is only among those who are ignorant of the actual event. Sanjurjo's death by excess baggage happened in front of numerous witnesses and was clearly his own fault. It ranks among the most ridiculous deaths in history.



Or he takes the other plane. The 7-passenger Dragon Rapide which had previously brought Franco from the Canary Islands to Spanish Morocco was sent to Portugal to take Sanjurjo to rebel HQ in Salamanca. But "daring aviator" Antonio Ansaldo also showed up with his little two-seater, and Sanjurjo thought it was more dramatic to fly with him.



Sanjurjo's choice of flying with Ansaldo shows his sentimentality and taste for dramatic gestures. This was different from Franco, who was very cold and calculating.

I don't know what difference it would make during the Civil War. Sanjurjo seems to have been a competent soldier, as much as Franco.

Where it might affect things is (if WW II unfolds as OTL) in 1940. Franco was interested in Spain joining the Axis, but only if Hitler made it safe and worthwhile. Germany would have to provide Spain with all the food, fuel, and other necessities Spain imported at that time, and reward Spain with territory such as French Morocco, while guaranteeing Spain's safety from Allied bombing or invasion, and providing forces required to take Gibraltar (super-heavy artillery and engineers). Hitler couldn't meet Franco's conditions, and after several hours of negotiating, said he would rather see his dentist than deal with Franco again.

That's OTL.

If Sanjurjo is Caudillo instead... Most Nationalist Spaniards of the time felt Spain was morally indebted to Germany for aid in defeating the Red Menace, and immensely impressed by the blitz of France. ISTM quite possible that when France has fallen and Hitler calls on Spain, Sanjurjo would be carried along by this sentiment, and join the triumphant Axis without Franco's preconditions. This would be very bad for Spain in the end, and very bad for the Allies at the time.

I won't go into the consequences of that (they've been explored in threads specifically on that topic).

OTOH, Sanjurjo may be realist enough to avoid that folly. In which case, Spain's role in the war is about the same. Later on, there is one big difference: Sanjurjo was about 20 years older than Franco, so his time as Caudillo will end much sooner - perhaps as early as the 1940s. That could lead to an earlier restoration of the monarchy, but in an authoritarian state, or to succession of a new Caudillo, perhaps setting a precedent for the future. Devolution to a non-authoritarian government (as happened OTL after Franco) could happen if Sanjurjo dies in the 1950s.
Where does Sr. Mola fall into this?
 

Archibald

Banned
It always amazed me that Franco rivals died in a string of aircraft accidents (two or three of them, can't remember).
 
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