'The Soul of Spain' - A Spanish Civil War HoI3 AAR

The month was slightly interesting.

First, there were parades and air shows and many government sponsored activities to rejoice the Victory of the Nationalist in the Civil War (also known as the War of Republican Aggression). There were many public rallies about the importance of being loyal to the State, many radio shows and school plays stressing the importance of duty to the State, and just basic lectures about being a good citizen.

Franco, himself, visited most of Spain in a tour to all the major cities. He told the people about their “Happy New Life”, about the vast resources Spain had to offer, about their massive factories and huge tracts of farming land, and Spain’s wonderful image outside its borders.

Of course, history had totally been rewritten to show how Franco was forced to save Spain from the greedy Russian Mafia gangsters, backed by the Capitalists, and had brought it to the sate of Freedom and Happiness it was now in.

Also, the Air Force finally, on the 12th of May, received a new Tactical Bomber Wing.

It joined 1 TAC Group in Tarragona where it would help protect the border Spain shared with France.

The press was more than happy to talk about the increase by “100%” of Spain’s ability to rain death on its enemies.


This allowed the industry to focus on the new cargo ships that had been ordered so long ago.

Outside of Spain not much was happening. The war in Asia seemed less like a conflict and more like a tug of war in which nobody was winning. Europe was still trying to decide how to stop Germany without going to war with Germany.

The month of June was a mixture of good and bad. The normal happened: agreements were cancelled, technology was advanced, and promises were broken.




Yet, even without the new convey ships, the supplies going into Laayoune finally reached the levels required to keep the local soldiers happy and healthy.

The African Defense Force on the other hand were still having issues.


In the rest of the world the war in Asia was no longer even being noticed, Germany seemed to be building up its strength, and a new comic book was issued in the USA. The USA also created the "minimum wage" which guaranteed workers 25 centers per hour and a maximum 44 hour working week.


More importantly in the news, during a rematch at Yankee Stadium, Joe Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round. *


-------------------------------------------------------
* True Fact: When Louis died in 1981 Schmeling would be one of the pallbearers at the boxer's funeral.

The month of July brought interesting news and rumors to the populace of Spain.


Advances in radio technology could unlock many secrets of the universe to both the private sector and the military.


It also seemed that the French were reaching out to the Spanish government.


But nobody believed that - why even brother to talk to the French? They were a nation of artists, crazy inventors, and were more worried about their colonies in Asia then the threat of Germany right next door? What would they want of Spain? And why should Spain help them?


For the military things were looking up. Their supplies lines were finally working and they had been promised more toys.


Japan, in their Asian "War" (a word many people found humorous), were making some headway against the Chinese.


But nobody believed they would be able to hold those pieces of land for very long. The Japanese seemed pretty terrible at war for such a war-like Empire.

The only news worth speaking of in the month of August was the launching of a series of transport ships, which would allow Spain to trade with nations across the ocean and around the globe.


At this point the only trading partner Spain had to worry about outside of Europe was Liberia. The irony of a Fascist nation trading with a African nation created from a colony of Freed blacks from the USA was lost on most government officials.


The fact that Spanish conveys now sailed the seven seas was NOT lost on the government officials and was much hyped in Spanish newspapers and radio broadcasts


Outside of that not much of interest seemed to be happening. If Germany had any more plans for its neighbors they were smart enough to keep it to themselves. The Japanese invasion of China had been downgraded to a "Police Action" in most Spanish publications.

Sir Garnet said:

Best to avoid entanglements with those pesky and invasive French who were notably unfriendly during the recent unpleasantness in Spain. The Germans and French will hold each other's attention, Britain will make sure the balance of power stays balanced, and Spain can safely take a nice stroll in the sea air and sunshine - whether domestically or abroad you have wisely left in the hands of the ever-wise leader.

Click to expand...

Yes. Also, in some ways it is relaxing. All I have to do is watch, move military around when need be and keep track of what is going on so I can look up photos and stuff on the net later. Much of the time I try to see what is happening with the rest of the world. Right now the French seem more interested in Japan, to be honest.

Another slow month. Not much seemed to be happening in Spain or in the world. And what was happening seemed mostly to be like a Chess game - a lot of staring with, once and awhile, nations moving the pawns about.


There were hints of something happening behind the scenes in Europe, as British officials were said to be visiting Germany. Rumors were that there was a deal being made but few, outside of Germany, knew the details.


On the 27th the League of Nations declared Japan the "aggressor" against China (no doubt due to the sudden, amazing, gain of Chinese soil by the Japanese military that month). The response from Japan was completely foreseeable with anybody who had the IQ of a chipmunk.


Of course the League of Nations, without any real power behind it, was more of a whistle blower than a true force for good. On the other hand, it was comedy gold for the media who loved to make fun of it in cartoons and in print.

The month of October suggested currents under the calm surface of Europe. Franco felt left out - something was going on between the heads of state and Spain was not being given part of the action.


On the 18th France surprised those within the Spanish government, who felt the French had tunnel vision only for Asia, by joining in a military alliance with Yugoslavia. It seemed as if some of the nations of Europe were trying to block Germany from trying to expand.


While this happened outside the borders inside the borders the Spanish scientists and engineers were advancing military technology in leaps and bounds. Well, more like small steps, but it was still advancing.


So Franco and his staff watched Europe, waiting for the first move, waiting for the opening shot, that would start the next war.

In the month of November Franco decided to review what was happening in the world around him and Spain.

First, in Europe, Germany was becoming the main focus of the local powers. France and England both were wary of the increasingly powerful nation. To the point where France was even trying to put out feelers to the Spanish government, trying to bring them into the fold of the "Capitalist Allies". The UK was working on the Americans, trying to get them to overcome their own neutrality to join the "Allies".


But there was a problem. Not all the Capitalists were, well, allied in their views. Outside of England and France much of the "Allies", being positioned in Asia, feared Japan more than Germany. Even Portugal was still worried about Japan getting too close to it's Asian colonies.


Both the USA and the Communist International felt Japan was more a threat to them then Germany. When the USA wasn't complaining about Japan and acting tough it was trying to find enjoyment in escapism with football games or weird stories about aliens and monsters. It was as if half the time they wanted to police the world and the other half they wanted to forget all about it.


Ironically, Japan felt Germany WAS a major threat also, even while its war with the Chinese continued.


Germany was not unaware of what was happening behind closed doors and was now looking at France as a true threat. Franco was not sure WHY the Leader of the Third Reich was dismissing the United Kingdom. It could just be the aggressive actions France had started to carry out in the last few months. Or maybe the Germans felt the UK could not project enough military power onto the European continent to be a issue.


The Spanish government was hard at work getting ready for the next war. But who would be the target?


France? Portugal? Would it join the Allies against Germany? Only time would tell...

In the Post-War period most people look back at this world and wonder just how the Powers That Be thought the next war would be thought. Spain, whose Navy was tiny, was developing the naval technology while the Soviet Union was issuing gas masks to Cossacks who were still armed with 19th Century rifles and rode horses into battle.


In other words students of history can't help but notice that Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world were preparing to re-fight the Great War.



In Spain winter brought clear skies with a few storms along the coast. In the United Kingdom it brought snowstorms. Large ones.


While in the USA the populace continued to show just how weird they were when they decided to start branding babies at birth. Spanish officials assumed it was so they could keep track of their citizens over their life time.


Once again the people of Spain were able to point to themselves and say, "Well, at least we're better off then those poor, poor Americans. Unemployed, living in a capitalist free-market system, branded at birth."

Of course, in these enlightened days, we can look back and laugh at the silliness of the 20th Century.

TehDarkMiner said:

Hm, well perhaps you should invade the US and free them of their capitalist free-market system

Click to expand...

I doubt that would happen - my only full length game of Hearts of Iron 3 was as Germany, who won, and even then I was only able to keep the USA out of Europe. Well, my AI controlled Theater HQs as that game I controlled the government and allowed total AI control of the regular military. Kind of the flip-side of this game.

Two things happened in the new year of 1939. First, it was noticed that the Japanese had finally pushed their WHOLE battle line into China.


Bets were being held in Franco's staff on how long it would take before China took all the land back.


The other event was more exciting. A Two Brigade Division of Light Tanks had been deployed to the French-Spanish border under command of the 11.2 Corps.


The commander of the 112.5 Tank Division was an experienced Panzer tactician. A rare find in a time of peace. And the leader of the Corps was a Trickster, Commando, and part of the Old Guard. A interesting mixture of skills but maybe the best for somebody on the border with the French. The French did not seem impressed.

February was a slow month. Within Spain the only big piece of news was more breakthroughs with the technology of farming.


This, of course, WAS a big deal to the Spanish who were trying to recover from the damage of the Spanish Civil War (or “War of Republican Aggression” as it was called in the textbooks) had done to the nation's infrastructure. While making it so fewer farmers were needed to produce the same amount of food it would also allow more men available for military service.


The rest of the world just kept moving along. It was rumored that Germany had launched a massive new battle ship (but rumors were never encouraged within the border of Spain - the thought police found them hard to control). Even if this was true Franco and his staff, in fact, were not impressed. The British Battle Fleet was huge and nothing Germany could do at this point would allow them to catch up with the UK in naval power.


Nothing much happened in Asia and the United States of America was continuing in their natural course of weirdness.

March is a interesting month. First, it was the first month of the year in which the weather allowed armies to, well, march. It was the traditional start of the campaigning season. Of course, as it was named after Mars, the God of War, this the month was linked to military action and events. A link commonly understood by historians and students of history.


Yet it seemed to start out so peaceful. The last of the conveys were launched by the 8th and Franco was enjoying the fact that trade, and his supply lines, were up and working. Lovely what having even a few more transports could do for you.

Franco spent much of the month exploring the Spanish positions along the borders.




Then, on the 27th, while he was enjoying a small afternoon snack of pastries he was given the not-so-shocking news. Germany had annexed Czechoslovakia.


Not REALLY surprising, what with all the “secret” meetings between Germany and England.


Still, as he was about to sit down to a late dinner, he was surprised by the follow up news of Italy annexing Albania. Franco in fact demanded that this news be conformed and when it was, he found himself a tad confused. Surely the Italians did not think themselves equal to other European powers?


Grabbing a piece of Africa was one thing - but grabbing a part of Europe....

It seemed that the threat, from Germany, WAS taken seriously and soon both the Netherlands, on the 30th, and Denmark, on the 31st, started to mobilize their reserves.


This could make things messy, as the Netherlands’ independence was protected by the United Kingdom. Meaning if they were attacked the Brits would join in.


By the end of the month a slightly bemused Franco noticed that Japan had grabbed another small chunk of China.

Yes, March was a very interesting month indeed.

sebas379 said:

Things in Europe are slowly heating up indeed. Japan still seems to be bogged down, have they not yet tried any amphibious attacks?

Click to expand...

Not that I have noticed - I have been checking the coast of China but no changes. I am not sure just what Japan is doing with the Navy.