The Rise of the Second Spanish Empire: Francisco Franco's Adventures in the New World

Volrath50 · 22-06-2003, 17:55

I wasn't originally going to make this into an AAR, but then it started getting a bit fun when Latin American countries started falling to the mighty Spanish forces, so I figured it would be a good time to write my first AAR.

I'm playing with CORE 0.3, on Normal/Normal. I was Liberia for the first part of the game, then switched to Nationalist Spain when the Civil War started. I'm currently up to 1941, so give me some time to catch up.

The Rise of the Second Spanish Empire

Francisco Franco during the Bilbao campaign.

The Spanish Revolution started on July 18, 1936 with massive Nationalist uprisings all around the country, taking Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla, and ended about four months later, with the surrender of Republican troops in Bilbao.

The revolution consisted mostly of Nationalist troops racing around the country, taking territory from the Republicans. The decisive, and last battle of this brief war was the Battle of Bilbao, in which Republican troops held out in the mountains for over a month, until they finally surrendered to Francisco Franco himself.

Republican troops hold out in the mountains near Bilbao.

This quick victory allowed Franco to quickly rebuild and industrialized the country, building up a powerful Army and Air Force, in addition to Spain's already large, but outdated Navy. He first disbanded the militia that had sprung up during the war, and then replaced them with a permenant and well armed force.

Spain's remarkable gains in weapon technology cannot be ignored. As soon as the fighting stopped, Franco diverted most of the county's economic might into developing new weapons to fight new wars with, such as flamethrowers, rifles and mines. Amazingly, in January 1939, Spain became the first country to successfully manufacture a submachine gun, quickly selling the technology to Germany.

After several years of heavy industrialization, Spain started to feel the need for natural resources, not having enough to run their own industry. About this time, Franco started making speeches calling for the unity and friendship of all Spanish speaking people. Many consider this shortage of resources to be the beginning of Franco's obsessive quest to take back Spain's former colonies, and become a world power again.

Hitler's invasion of Poland, on September 1, 1939 gave Franco the opportunity he needed. Waiting until most of the French forces had repositioned themselves away from the Franco-Spanish border, Franco took the Axis and the Allies by surprise when Spain's three armoured divisions smashed through French lines in North Africa, coinciding almost exactly with the delivery of the formal declaration of war to Paris.

Spanish tanks roll over the Moroccan countryside.

A meeting between Hitler and Franco was soon arranged in neutral Italy, in which the details of Spanish participation in Hitler's new war were hammered out. Germany would give Spain thousands of tons of raw material, new technology, and Germany would recongnize Spain's claims on Gibralter and Morocco, temporarily distracting Franco from Spanish America.

Spain had just joined the greatest war in recorded history, and this decision was to drastically alter the destinies of the Spanish speaking people of the world.

Hitler and Franco meet in Siena, Italy.

DK_FROGGY · 22-06-2003, 18:07

Hi...

Nice start, also a quite good style

Keep up the good work... I'll be following this AAR...

DK_FROGGY

Volrath50 · 22-06-2003, 18:13

Quote:

Originally posted by DK_FROGGY
Hi...

Nice start, also a quite good style

Keep up the good work... I'll be following this AAR...

DK_FROGGY

Thanks.

Originally I was going to have it be a basic screenshot AAR, with minimal commentary, but then my commentary started sounding like my history books, so I decided that is how I would write it.

DK_FROGGY · 22-06-2003, 19:08

No matter if it was the way you wanted it or not i think it's looking like being a good AAR

. When will the next update be???

DK_FROGGY

Volrath50 · 22-06-2003, 19:27

Now.

Treacherous Spanish Sneak Attack
September 19, 1939

Spanish tanks attack Morocco

Unscrupulous Spanish forces under the leadership of General Sanjurjo have attacked the noble troops of France in Morocco without warning or provocation. A massive Spanish armoured column has reportedly broken through disorganized French lines and is moving on Tlemcen, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

This comes two weeks after France began redeploying soldiers stationed on the Spanish border after a Spanish guarantee of neutrality. Fifteen minutes after reports of this came in, the Spanish ambassador to France delivered the declaration of war. Gibraltar is reported blockaded, and Great Britain is threatening Franco with war if he does not withdraw from Morocco and Gibraltar. French president Albert Lebrun has vowed revenge, stating that he will make Napoleon's invasion look pleasant in comparison.

There was no immediate word from Germany, which supported Franco during the Spanish Revolution, although unofficial sources report that the attack was as much a surprise for Hitler as it was for France. Additional French forces have been deployed at the Italian border, fearing a similar attack from Mussolini. Generalissimo Francisco Franco came to power in 1936 in a short revolution, after German and Italian support, and has supported Hitler since.

EDIT: Added screenshot.

DK_FROGGY · 22-06-2003, 19:31

Yippi... I like this... will you use many screenshots???
Keep it up...

DK_FROGGY

Volrath50 · 22-06-2003, 19:33

Yeah, I have several screen shots, and will make more once I catch up to myself. I'll have another one in one of my next updates.

DK_FROGGY · 22-06-2003, 19:36

Already looking forward...
I like AAR's with screenies more than those without...

BTW. How do you get your screenies to come up directly on the page, instead of in a link???

DK_FROGGY

Volrath50 · 22-06-2003, 21:26

Spanish Sahara Taken
October 2, 1939

French troops occupy the Spanish Sahara, rescue abandoned soldiers.

French troops have occupied the Spanish Sahara after little, if any fighting. French commanders in the vicinity report that the Spanish division in the area had no bullets, rusting guns and had to grow their own food.

"It's really sad when you think about it," commented Jacques François, a French officer involved in the assault. "It appears that they were stationed there before the revolution, and then promptly forgotten about. They tried to send for help, but no ship came to pick their pleas. After their food ran out, and no replacements came, they appropriated some land, and tried growing their own crops in the harsh Saharan terrain."

Many Spanish soldiers have opted to remain in the Sahara, being accustomed to land, and having not seen Spain in over three years.

"Many soldiers, with nothing else to do have deserted and started new lives, some even converting to Islam and marrying one or more wives," claims Juan, an anonymous Spanish soldier. "I personally will not be joyous to return to Spain, after they abandoned us in this godforsaken wasteland. I haven't seen my wife since I came here in ‘35! Who knows what has happened since?"

The Spanish embassy in London declined comment, but indications are that the paperwork involved in their mission was destroyed during the revolution, and was never fixed.

Volrath50 · 22-06-2003, 21:37

Quote:

Originally posted by DK_FROGGY
Already looking forward...
I like AAR's with screenies more than those without...

BTW. How do you get your screenies to come up directly on the page, instead of in a link???

DK_FROGGY

Just use the [*img] [/img*] tags (remove the *s). Put the URL for the image between them, and it should work.

Fuhrerdammerung · 23-06-2003, 00:15

Too bad you are still gonna have to war with the allies until they are annexed.................
(I wish there was an EU2-esque peace system in HOI)

Volrath50 · 23-06-2003, 00:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Fuhrerdammerung
Too bad you are still gonna have to war with the allies until they are annexed.................
(I wish there was an EU2-esque peace system in HOI)

Not neccesarily. I've got nothing against writing myself a nice peace event if I consider it balanced. I'm already using CORE, and have changed some stuff, so if anyone can come up with good conditions for a Spanish peace, than I might use the event.

Update soon.

Volrath50 · 23-06-2003, 00:41

North Africa: 1939

Spanish action in North Africa was quick and decisive. The armoured column under General Sanjurjo broke through French lines immediately. The disorganized French had little to combat Franco's tanks with, and despite a few setbacks, such as the temporary loss of the Spanish Sahara on October 2, the Spaniards swarmed though North Africa, possessed by newfound glory. Tlemcen fell on October 4, Fez on October 7, and Casablanca fell on October 9. France launched an assault against Ceuta on October 5, but it was doomed to failure as the Spaniards refused to give so much as an inch. After a briefly successful counter attack, the French forces in Morocco were surrounded and destroyed, and the Spanish Sahara was retaken.

A Spanish tank rolls through Tunis during the Christmas campaign.

Franco's war machine then turned its attention east, in what has been called the Christmas campaign. Oran fell on December 5, Algiers on December 17, Tunis on December 20 and Gabès on Christmas which was jointly celebrated with an Italian force in Lybia. After Gabès which the last remnants of the French North African force retreated into the desert, where they were hunted down forced to surrender to General Sanjurjo.

North Africa, for the time being, belonged to Spain, no longer considered a backwards, poor part of Europe, but a strong, ambitious power, much like Germany. And that is just how Franco wanted it.

Spanish North Africa

Alikchi · 23-06-2003, 00:50

I like how this is shaping up. Good writing, nice screens. It's nice to see Spain as a real power again.

Keep it up!

Alexandru H. · 23-06-2003, 08:15

D-Day in Madrid....

Nice writing!

DK_FROGGY · 23-06-2003, 11:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Volrath50
Just use the [*img] [/img*] tags (remove the *s). Put the URL for the image between them, and it should work.

I tried to, but i just get a link, i can try in this reply to:

I will write it, just with space between [IMG] and the url, so it dont make a picture.

[IMG] http://www.webbyen.dk/billed.asp?PrivatBilled=2392839 [/IMG]

(WTF this also links to the pic?)

What am i doing wrong??

Che Guevara · 23-06-2003, 11:57

Good AAR.

Hotdog Fish · 23-06-2003, 11:58

I hope CORE got rid of that event where Nationalist Spain has to give back all of France's North African territory. If I where you to avoid wasting your time I would attack Southern France, definatly take some fast units up the West Coast but move your main forces up to Vichy to cancel out the Vichy French event, actually if you do that you can keep your North African possesions. But this all relies on getting Vichy to avoid the creation of Vichy France. But I digress, so far a very good AAR, I especially like the inclusion of pictures and 'newspaper clippings'

Volrath50 · 23-06-2003, 12:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Hotdog Fish
I hope CORE got rid of that event where Nationalist Spain has to give back all of France's North African territory. If I where you to avoid wasting your time I would attack Southern France, definatly take some fast units up the West Coast but move your main forces up to Vichy to cancel out the Vichy French event, actually if you do that you can keep your North African possesions. But this all relies on getting Vichy to avoid the creation of Vichy France. But I digress, so far a very good AAR, I especially like the inclusion of pictures and 'newspaper clippings'

They didn't, but I made my own event: Capture of Venezuala impresses Vichy Leaders. I give them 10000 oil, they give me Morocco.

BTW, I hope to have an update sometime in the Afternoon, as I've got exams all today.

Volrath50 · 23-06-2003, 12:11

Quote:

Originally posted by DK_FROGGY
I tried to, but i just get a link, i can try in this reply to:

I will write it, just with space between [IMG] and the url, so it dont make a picture.

[IMG] http://www.webbyen.dk/billed.asp?PrivatBilled=2392839 [/IMG]

(WTF this also links to the pic?)

What am i doing wrong??

To be honest, I don't know. Try using the IMG button in the vB code button box.

22-06-2003, 17:55	#1
Volrath50 Lord of All the Beasts Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 242	The Rise of the Second Spanish Empire: Francisco Franco's Adventures in the New World I wasn't originally going to make this into an AAR, but then it started getting a bit fun when Latin American countries started falling to the mighty Spanish forces, so I figured it would be a good time to write my first AAR. I'm playing with CORE 0.3, on Normal/Normal. I was Liberia for the first part of the game, then switched to Nationalist Spain when the Civil War started. I'm currently up to 1941, so give me some time to catch up. The Rise of the Second Spanish Empire Francisco Franco during the Bilbao campaign. The Spanish Revolution started on July 18, 1936 with massive Nationalist uprisings all around the country, taking Madrid, Barcelona, and Sevilla, and ended about four months later, with the surrender of Republican troops in Bilbao. The revolution consisted mostly of Nationalist troops racing around the country, taking territory from the Republicans. The decisive, and last battle of this brief war was the Battle of Bilbao, in which Republican troops held out in the mountains for over a month, until they finally surrendered to Francisco Franco himself. Republican troops hold out in the mountains near Bilbao. This quick victory allowed Franco to quickly rebuild and industrialized the country, building up a powerful Army and Air Force, in addition to Spain's already large, but outdated Navy. He first disbanded the militia that had sprung up during the war, and then replaced them with a permenant and well armed force. Spain's remarkable gains in weapon technology cannot be ignored. As soon as the fighting stopped, Franco diverted most of the county's economic might into developing new weapons to fight new wars with, such as flamethrowers, rifles and mines. Amazingly, in January 1939, Spain became the first country to successfully manufacture a submachine gun, quickly selling the technology to Germany. After several years of heavy industrialization, Spain started to feel the need for natural resources, not having enough to run their own industry. About this time, Franco started making speeches calling for the unity and friendship of all Spanish speaking people. Many consider this shortage of resources to be the beginning of Franco's obsessive quest to take back Spain's former colonies, and become a world power again. Hitler's invasion of Poland, on September 1, 1939 gave Franco the opportunity he needed. Waiting until most of the French forces had repositioned themselves away from the Franco-Spanish border, Franco took the Axis and the Allies by surprise when Spain's three armoured divisions smashed through French lines in North Africa, coinciding almost exactly with the delivery of the formal declaration of war to Paris. Spanish tanks roll over the Moroccan countryside. A meeting between Hitler and Franco was soon arranged in neutral Italy, in which the details of Spanish participation in Hitler's new war were hammered out. Germany would give Spain thousands of tons of raw material, new technology, and Germany would recongnize Spain's claims on Gibralter and Morocco, temporarily distracting Franco from Spanish America. Spain had just joined the greatest war in recorded history, and this decision was to drastically alter the destinies of the Spanish speaking people of the world. Hitler and Franco meet in Siena, Italy. Last edited by Volrath50; 22-06-2003 at 21:33.

22-06-2003, 18:07	#2
DK_FROGGY Major Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: DenmAARk Posts: 719	Hi... Nice start, also a quite good style Keep up the good work... I'll be following this AAR... DK_FROGGY __________________ Back to regain my 620th High Poster spot.. Cold War Mod Forum Cold War Mod Homepage ------------------------------------------------ #0036 - HOI M.I.A Company - MOD Platoon - Company Poker 672nd Highest Poster 15 Years and IQ = 124 according to this test... "Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes..... That way, when you critisise them, you're a mile away, and you've got their shoes!"

22-06-2003, 19:08	#4
DK_FROGGY Major Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: DenmAARk Posts: 719	No matter if it was the way you wanted it or not i think it's looking like being a good AAR . When will the next update be??? DK_FROGGY __________________ Back to regain my 620th High Poster spot.. Cold War Mod Forum Cold War Mod Homepage ------------------------------------------------ #0036 - HOI M.I.A Company - MOD Platoon - Company Poker 672nd Highest Poster 15 Years and IQ = 124 according to this test... "Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes..... That way, when you critisise them, you're a mile away, and you've got their shoes!"

22-06-2003, 19:27	#5
Volrath50 Lord of All the Beasts Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 242	Now. Treacherous Spanish Sneak Attack September 19, 1939 Spanish tanks attack Morocco Unscrupulous Spanish forces under the leadership of General Sanjurjo have attacked the noble troops of France in Morocco without warning or provocation. A massive Spanish armoured column has reportedly broken through disorganized French lines and is moving on Tlemcen, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. This comes two weeks after France began redeploying soldiers stationed on the Spanish border after a Spanish guarantee of neutrality. Fifteen minutes after reports of this came in, the Spanish ambassador to France delivered the declaration of war. Gibraltar is reported blockaded, and Great Britain is threatening Franco with war if he does not withdraw from Morocco and Gibraltar. French president Albert Lebrun has vowed revenge, stating that he will make Napoleon's invasion look pleasant in comparison. There was no immediate word from Germany, which supported Franco during the Spanish Revolution, although unofficial sources report that the attack was as much a surprise for Hitler as it was for France. Additional French forces have been deployed at the Italian border, fearing a similar attack from Mussolini. Generalissimo Francisco Franco came to power in 1936 in a short revolution, after German and Italian support, and has supported Hitler since. EDIT: Added screenshot. Last edited by Volrath50; 22-06-2003 at 21:18.

22-06-2003, 19:31	#6
DK_FROGGY Major Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: DenmAARk Posts: 719	Yippi... I like this... will you use many screenshots??? Keep it up... DK_FROGGY __________________ Back to regain my 620th High Poster spot.. Cold War Mod Forum Cold War Mod Homepage ------------------------------------------------ #0036 - HOI M.I.A Company - MOD Platoon - Company Poker 672nd Highest Poster 15 Years and IQ = 124 according to this test... "Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes..... That way, when you critisise them, you're a mile away, and you've got their shoes!"

22-06-2003, 19:33	#7
Volrath50 Lord of All the Beasts Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 242	Yeah, I have several screen shots, and will make more once I catch up to myself. I'll have another one in one of my next updates.

22-06-2003, 19:36	#8
DK_FROGGY Major Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: DenmAARk Posts: 719	Already looking forward... I like AAR's with screenies more than those without... BTW. How do you get your screenies to come up directly on the page, instead of in a link??? DK_FROGGY __________________ Back to regain my 620th High Poster spot.. Cold War Mod Forum Cold War Mod Homepage ------------------------------------------------ #0036 - HOI M.I.A Company - MOD Platoon - Company Poker 672nd Highest Poster 15 Years and IQ = 124 according to this test... "Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes..... That way, when you critisise them, you're a mile away, and you've got their shoes!" Last edited by DK_FROGGY; 22-06-2003 at 19:58.

22-06-2003, 21:26	#9
Volrath50 Lord of All the Beasts Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 242	Spanish Sahara Taken October 2, 1939 French troops occupy the Spanish Sahara, rescue abandoned soldiers. French troops have occupied the Spanish Sahara after little, if any fighting. French commanders in the vicinity report that the Spanish division in the area had no bullets, rusting guns and had to grow their own food. "It's really sad when you think about it," commented Jacques François, a French officer involved in the assault. "It appears that they were stationed there before the revolution, and then promptly forgotten about. They tried to send for help, but no ship came to pick their pleas. After their food ran out, and no replacements came, they appropriated some land, and tried growing their own crops in the harsh Saharan terrain." Many Spanish soldiers have opted to remain in the Sahara, being accustomed to land, and having not seen Spain in over three years. "Many soldiers, with nothing else to do have deserted and started new lives, some even converting to Islam and marrying one or more wives," claims Juan, an anonymous Spanish soldier. "I personally will not be joyous to return to Spain, after they abandoned us in this godforsaken wasteland. I haven't seen my wife since I came here in ‘35! Who knows what has happened since?" The Spanish embassy in London declined comment, but indications are that the paperwork involved in their mission was destroyed during the revolution, and was never fixed. __________________ Finished AARs: The Rise of the Second Spanish Empire

23-06-2003, 00:15	#11
Fuhrerdammerung Colonel Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Burninating the Countryside Posts: 881	Too bad you are still gonna have to war with the allies until they are annexed................. (I wish there was an EU2-esque peace system in HOI) __________________ Proud Member Of Worst HOI Players Club Proud Member Of Worst EU2 Players Club Still without Vicky..... A tale of camraderie, war, hope, and heartbreak: Gott mitt uns: A Tale of the German Soldier (check it out, its really not that bad)

23-06-2003, 00:41	#13
Volrath50 Lord of All the Beasts Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 242	North Africa: 1939 Spanish action in North Africa was quick and decisive. The armoured column under General Sanjurjo broke through French lines immediately. The disorganized French had little to combat Franco's tanks with, and despite a few setbacks, such as the temporary loss of the Spanish Sahara on October 2, the Spaniards swarmed though North Africa, possessed by newfound glory. Tlemcen fell on October 4, Fez on October 7, and Casablanca fell on October 9. France launched an assault against Ceuta on October 5, but it was doomed to failure as the Spaniards refused to give so much as an inch. After a briefly successful counter attack, the French forces in Morocco were surrounded and destroyed, and the Spanish Sahara was retaken. A Spanish tank rolls through Tunis during the Christmas campaign. Franco's war machine then turned its attention east, in what has been called the Christmas campaign. Oran fell on December 5, Algiers on December 17, Tunis on December 20 and Gabès on Christmas which was jointly celebrated with an Italian force in Lybia. After Gabès which the last remnants of the French North African force retreated into the desert, where they were hunted down forced to surrender to General Sanjurjo. North Africa, for the time being, belonged to Spain, no longer considered a backwards, poor part of Europe, but a strong, ambitious power, much like Germany. And that is just how Franco wanted it. Spanish North Africa __________________ Finished AARs: The Rise of the Second Spanish Empire

23-06-2003, 00:50	#14
Alikchi Second Lieutenant Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Indian Territory Posts: 173	I like how this is shaping up. Good writing, nice screens. It's nice to see Spain as a real power again. Keep it up!

23-06-2003, 08:15	#15
Alexandru H. On Probation Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: New thing. I'm busting chops. Posts: 4,415 Blog Entries: 9	D-Day in Madrid.... Nice writing!

23-06-2003, 11:57	#17
Che Guevara First Lieutenant Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Brabant Posts: 258	Good AAR. __________________ Nylon Now You Lazy Old Nippon

23-06-2003, 11:58	#18
Hotdog Fish First Lieutenant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 221	I hope CORE got rid of that event where Nationalist Spain has to give back all of France's North African territory. If I where you to avoid wasting your time I would attack Southern France, definatly take some fast units up the West Coast but move your main forces up to Vichy to cancel out the Vichy French event, actually if you do that you can keep your North African possesions. But this all relies on getting Vichy to avoid the creation of Vichy France. But I digress, so far a very good AAR, I especially like the inclusion of pictures and 'newspaper clippings'