The best testimony that history has left on the meeting of Hitler and Franco at Hendaye was provided the transcript of the interview made the baron de las Torres, Luis Alvarez de Estrada and Luque, Spanish translator present at the meeting.

But before you begin the journey to Hendaye, where Hitler hoped to Franco at three in the afternoon, there have been contacts between Spain and Germany. On September 17, Hitler sent a letter to Franco in which he takes for granted Spain's entry into World War II. That same month, before being appointed foreign minister, Serrano Suner, met with Ribbentrop and Hitler in Berlin. In that interview, the Spanish delegate brings to the table as a condition for entry into the conflagration the return of Gibraltar, Morocco's annexation and food, particularly wheat.

But Spain was still a neutral country and had been declared on 12 June 1940.

The Interview ...

With an hour late on schedule, the Spanish delegation arrives at the station of Hendaye. Following the presentations, for hitherto neither Hitler nor Franco had met personally, gather in the parlor car of the Führer, at a rectangular table occupied besides the two leaders, the Minister of Business Affairs, Ribbentrop, Field Marshal Keitel, Serrano and the two performers, prohibiting entry into the room to anyone else.

 

After initial good words for Hitler to his interlocutor, recalling the "deed" carried out by Spain "against communism", and reviewing all the events in the thirteen months that have elapsed since the Second World War, of which the führer insists he did not want to say, but that has been "forced to accept all the consequences," he goes on to describe the excellent position that Germany is in the conflict, adding phrases which shows, in exaggeration, the superiority I wanted to handle the meeting: "I am the master of Europe and as I have at my disposal two hundred divisions, there is nothing but obey."

Magnified, Hitler said that the fall of Britain is imminent, and that is where Spain can play an important role. For various reasons, the Fuehrer thinks, and says this, that Spain is an opportunity that may never be resubmitted to their interests. Gibraltar, the Canary Islands and Morocco were the circumstances.

As regards Gibraltar, Hitler refers to the exaltation of the rock country to be "a piece of land that is still in enemy hands." A piece of land that is also "the most important point for navigation in the Mediterranean." The idea of the Führer was to close the passage of the Strait, while counting with control of both Gibraltar and Ceuta. With respect to Morocco, Hitler makes a historic trip concerned with the past to point to Spain as the country should possess all French Morocco and Oran. Territories in the first half of the meeting, the Fuhrer promises to Spain.
Finally, the Canary Islands to the Fuhrer, are also situated in a strategic point for submarine warfare.

After exposure of Hitler, Franco took the floor and answered one by one the issues raised. Franco acknowledges that Gibraltar is a "piece of Spanish land", however, invoking for the first time and repeated ad nauseam, as we shall see-to the recent Spanish Civil War to the Spanish people into the Second World War would be "sacrifice" because "not closed the wounds of all kinds has gone through." Furthermore, compensation for entering the conflagration would be very small, even though Gibraltar back to Spanish rule in exchange for going to war against England. On the other hand, Franco tried to see Hitler, repeatedly, that it would be interesting to close the Suez Canal to Gibraltar, to cut the passage through the Mediterranean. Perhaps the argument, elusive, was due to the attempt by Franco to "put land" to the claims of the Führer, but I waved repeatedly at the meeting.

You may not have too many arguments that contradict the Fuhrer, Franco introduced a new idea began to clarify his position: "To provide the necessary things to have them in hand, and so far, Axis does not have them" .

With respect to the Canary Islands, Franco acknowledged that he was not adequately protected, "there are weapons there is insufficient". At this point, Franco replied that that there can not be attacked by the Allies. That's when Hitler brings to the table an offer that would be repeated throughout the meeting to counter the evasive attitude of Francisco Franco that Spain would have military weapons and trained more than enough to protect ...

Stress begins

As we have seen so far the conversation between the two presidents wielding unfolded views which prevailed disagreement. Franco tried to justify his refusal to go to war with arguments that, as credible, might actually convince Hitler. Given that the meeting lasted for nine hours and, despite the need to be employed the services of two translators, we can deduce what happened after these early interventions, considering that hardly any new arguments were used.
Prior to the occurrence of a break, Hitler insist to see Franco in the "great opportunity" for Spain would enter the war. And he tried every way possible, arguing that "victory was close," that "Spain would not get another chance as good or better" ...

After a break, after a four-hour meeting, at the edge of the top ten in the evening, Hitler introduced a new element hitherto unpublished. The Fuhrer says the need is to know what will be the position of Spain (as if she sensed already): If you go to war or not. The reason is that the next day met with Marshal Petain and Laval M. Montoire and needed to know the attitude of Spain "to act accordingly with respect to France," widely employed. Franco replied that he does not believe that anything having to do the attitude of Spain "in talks of a power that just made offers, then one of two, or such offers are nothing more than bait for a possible entry of Spain into the war or not you intend to comply if the attitude of the government of Germany defeated France is not too hard ".

Picture of meeting Hitler and Marshal Petain in Montoire, a day after meeting with Franco.


This response does not like anything Franco Führer, and writes the translator, the baron de las Torres, perhaps because it was a great truth. Is this diatribe continues the conversation, and with more tension. Franco Hitler asking to clarify whether or not entering the war and Franco saying he sees no reason the need to give a conditioned response to conversations with Pétain. Moreover, again offering the above arguments: that "Spain out of a bloody war that has caused a million deaths in all respects" his condition is dire because of the lack of food and weapons ..."

Within the tight routine that has been established in the conversation Franco introduces a risky thesis. He says that, in fact, Spain is already helping the Third Reich with its declared neutral, since that would mean that the front of the Pyrenees no allied troops. This argument is contrary to Hitler as much "is not enough or what Germany needs." And, again, and repeated the hackneyed arguments fly back to the tense atmosphere that is already seated in the parlor car.

Seeing that both positions are not only kept away but seem irreconcilable, the havoc caused führer launches, suggesting-in agreement with the minister Robbentrop-nothing unless it is signed by Spain a commitment to enter the war alongside the shaft when Germany sees fit, noting that this would happen later in time.

Franco, to that proposal, again argued that the war had not brought benefits to Spain and also the nation was not ready to face a conflict of such magnitude.

Hitler loses patience at that point, when the clock strikes twelve at night, as transcribed by Baron de las Torres "gave proof of his pride or his poor education, rising from the table, completely Military and sour farewell to those present. " Earlier, the Fuhrer has approached Robbentrop saying: "I have enough, as there is nothing to do, we'll understand in Montaire" ...

Baron de las Torres concludes his exhaustive transcript saying "the attitude of the leader or have been more manly or more patriotic or more realistic, since it has remained firm against the claims of the Führer and has been overlooked, with the utmost dignity, bad manners, not to recover their desires, of the Führer-Chancellor.


 

Photomontage of course one of the highlights of the meeting in which Franco sees with his eyes closed in the picture above, and corrected, with eyes open, on the bottom.
  

"I would rather let me draw the teeth before returning to meet with Franco"

This phrase has been attributed to Hitler in his meeting with Franco at Hendaye is from the transcript that Count Ciano took place the meeting between Hitler and Benito Mussolini, on October 28, five days later. In that conversation is also known that Hitler was the view of Spain, which he considered "engaged in a great disorder." And they also knew what he thought of Franco, who she said was "a brave heart, but he is a man that only by fluke has become chief. It has the stature or political or organizer."

In extensive memoirs that Churchill wrote are also references to the controversial conversation between Franco and Hitler at Hendaye. Referring to written words of the Führer to Mussolini, Hitler had prepared the invasion of Gibraltar, I needed step by Spain on 10 January 1941, with specially trained troops. Hitler thought that Franco was committing "the biggest mistake of his life." Also believed that he was receiving assistance in the form of food by the Allies, but that it would end and that time "would be launched on him." The final criticism would come after these words: "I am therefore very saddened by this decision of Franco, so little commensurate with the assistance that we and you, Duce, given when he was in difficulties."

The month of December was the month as more troubled surrounding these facts. On 9 Churchill interview with the Duke of Alba. Britain pledges to maintain normal trade with Spain. For the English the Spanish attitude was essential. In the commercial, Vizcaya mine iron was extracted from the British ammunition. Furthermore, it was essential that the Spanish ports were not refueling place for Italian and German submarines. As Churchill would recognize, for two years, Britain had an expedition of five thousand men ready to invade the Canary Islands where Gibraltar was invaded, either by the Germans themselves or by Spain.