Churchill and Spain : the survival of the Franco regime, 1940-45 / Richard Wigg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wigg, Richard, 1928-

Series:

Routledge/Cañada Blanch studies on contemporary Spain ; 13.

Routledge/Cañada Blanch Studies on contemporary Spain ; 13

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Diplomatic history.

World War, 1939-1945.

Diplomatic history.

Great Britain--Foreign relations--Spain.

Great Britain.

International relations.

Spain.

Spain--Foreign relations--Great Britain.

Physical Description:

211 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Routledge, 2005.

Summary:

The book draws upon Foreign Office documents and reports - many of which remained secret until the 1990s or only became available in 2005 under the UK Freedom of Information Act - and the wartime papers of Churchill and Samuel Hoare, Britain's special envoy to Madrid, to investigate this important aspect of Spanish and British history. Churchill and Spain explores the political, economic and diplomatic relations between Spain and Britain during the Second World War and explains how Churchill's lenient policies towards Franco helped significantly in the survival of Franco's regime after the war. In particular, the book demonstrates how the tolerance shown towards Spain's wartime trading in wolfram allowed the rebuilding of the country's gold reserves, which proved crucial in enabling Franco's Spain to endure post-war international isolation.

This book will be of use to scholars and students of European twentieth-century history, as well as those interested in Churchill's international role in the Second World War.

Contents:

1 1940: In the hour of need 4

2 1941: A balancing country 25

3 1942: Ambiguous assurances 45

4 1943 (January-October): Franco toughs it out 65

5 1943 (November-December): The wolfram war 99

6 1944 (January-September): Churchill intervenes I 114

7 1944 (October-December): Churchill intervenes II 143

8 1945 (January-July): A wringing of hands 168

Epilogue: Hoare versus Churchill over Spain 187.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [206]-208) and index.

ISBN:

0415360528

OCLC:

56956205