Chapter 121: Franco's Bargaining Chips
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“Sir Envoy,” Akado said with a smile, sitting down on the sofa. He accepted a cup of hot coffee from Anna and said to the Spaniard before him, “In war, you have to rely on us. So I suggest you’d have better prospects playing football.”
“Führer… Sir,” the Spanish envoy’s face showed some displeasure, but he still pleaded, “Spain has fired the first shot against the Comintern for the Western world! As one of the leading capitalist countries, Germany should stand with Spain! Shouldn’t it?” Clearly, the Spanish envoy had not understood Akado’s “humor” about football.
As he spoke, he walked to the desk, picked up an economic document, and flicked its corner, making a tapping sound. “You see. America’s Ford company is preparing to build three car factories in Germany to compete with the Mercedes-Benz company for market share across Europe.”
Then he tossed the document back onto the desk and picked up another one. “Romania hopes to import our export model 38T tank. This order was originally for Czechoslovakia, but now it has been transferred to me.”
Seeing the somewhat bewildered Spanish envoy, Akado continued, “Germany has just taken back the Eastern Province, as well as the Sudetenland Province and the Slovak Province. We have too much to digest, too many things that need to be perfected. Without a necessary reason, Germany does not want to complicate the European situation at this stage.”
Akado said, “without a necessary reason,” which, upon entering the Spanish envoy’s ears, was automatically understood as “if there is a necessary reason, then Germany will intervene.”
So the Spanish envoy immediately said, “Mr. Führer! Our leader, Franco, promises you that under his rule, Spain will firmly support Germany’s foreign policy positions.”
“That kind of promise isn’t even used in children’s fights anymore, Sir Envoy,” Akado laughed out loud. “You must understand that if you can support me for your own interests today, then you can also betray me for your own interests tomorrow. What I need is a treaty that guarantees tangible benefits, Sir Envoy!”
“This…” To be honest, Franco had sent this envoy to Germany to seek aid as a last resort, because the traditional great powers who had won the last war were not interested in participating in the Spanish Civil War due to the economic crisis.
The British and French governments had both clearly stated their non-interventionist positions. Although they had secretly supplied Franco with a considerable amount of weapons and ammunition, on the surface, they still maintained the detached facade of mediators.
The United States government and other powers were too far away to reach, so they had no major response to the Spanish Civil War either. Therefore, the only thing Franco could count on now was his backup plan, which was Italy—a nation that hadn’t been particularly impressive since the Roman Empire—and Germany, a country that had just lost a war and whose influence was still somewhat lacking.
“In that case, please, Mr. Führer, make a list. If we can accept it, we will immediately begin full cooperation,” the Spanish envoy said. At this point, he decided to be blunt, spreading his hands and pushing the problem entirely onto Akado, adopting a posture of “if we can agree, we’ll talk; if not, we won’t.”
“You know, I came from the Wehrmacht, and this time, we will have to rely on the Wehrmacht’s efforts. Therefore, I must ask for some benefits for the Wehrmacht, some tangible benefits that can be seen and touched,” Akado said, his smile gone and his expression serious. “So let’s first talk about the military’s conditions.”
“Mr. Führer, I know that Germany has always hoped to have a naval base in the Mediterranean. Spain is willing to provide such a port, leasing it to Germany for 99 years at the price of 1 Mark,” the Spanish envoy said. He knew he had to show some so-called sincerity, so he generously stated his offer.
“In the Atlantic, I want three ports; and in the Mediterranean, I want two, also in the form of a lease, but the infrastructure must be built by Spain,” Akado said, holding up five fingers. “Five ports! That’s my condition!”
“Three! We can lease you three at most! And Spain must be allowed to set up customs at these three ports!” the Spanish envoy gritted his teeth and held up three fingers.
“Fine! Two in the Atlantic, one in the Mediterranean,” Akado nodded. “However, we need Spain to import 15 million barrels of oil from France and Britain. Germany will pay for it, but it must be purchased in Spain’s name. Understand?”
“Additionally, I now also represent the interests of many German financial groups, who have elected me as their representative. I cannot neglect my duties, don’t you agree, Sir Envoy?” Akado asked, and without waiting for the envoy to reply, he continued, “Therefore, I want Spain to lower its tariffs on German goods by twenty percent and to allow Germans to make investments in any sector within Spain.”
“We can only lower tariffs by ten percent at most! Otherwise, we won’t be able to answer to countries like Britain and France!” the envoy said, waving his hand.
“Twenty percent!” Akado snorted coldly. “Not a bit less.”
“If that is all, then on behalf of our leader, Mr. Franco, I agree to your conditions,” the Spanish envoy replied, pulling out his handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, his voice somewhat exhausted.
“Is that all? How is that possible?” Akado waved his hand. “Spain must sign an agreement to formally become allies with Germany and Italy. When fighting a common enemy, German troops must be allowed to deploy in necessary areas.”
“How can that be?” The Spanish envoy’s body tensed up immediately. “Deploying troops on our soil is absolutely impossible! Spain also cannot sign such an alliance agreement. If our people found out, we would immediately lose public support.”
“Of course, it would be a secret agreement! And this agreement is only to prevent countries hostile to Germany from damaging German facilities within Spain. It’s not about permanently stationing troops in Spain. You can draw up the terms for that!” Akado said, hoping to allay the envoy’s concerns.
“Even so, I feel Germany’s demands are too much,” the Spanish envoy said, his tone thick with dissatisfaction.
“You have no choice, Sir Envoy! I have accurate intelligence that just one day ago, General Franco lost his defensive line! Córdoba has been occupied by the Republican army! Now, the Republican forces are advancing toward Seville. If Franco doesn’t get a large shipment of arms and aid soon, you can go back in a few days and keep watch over his corpse!”
“This… the price we are paying is too great! Mr. Führer! I hope you can mercifully make some concessions,” the Spanish envoy sighed helplessly, his tone almost pleading.
“Concessions will not be accepted by the various circles in Germany. However, would you like to hear what Spain stands to gain?” Akado asked with a smile. “Or rather, would you like to hear what Spain’s future leader, Franco, can get?”
“What?” the Spanish envoy asked subconsciously, taken aback.
“Germany will dispatch a 500-man officer corps to train Mr. Franco’s army. At the same time, we will send a force of over 2,000 troops to Spain to take over partial command of the Spanish army and help Spain win the civil war,” Akado said, handing a document to the envoy. “If the battle situation changes, we will send reinforcements, up to a maximum of over 30,000 men.”
Akado walked to the map and showed the envoy the route. “Passing through northern Italy, they will board transport ships. The best planes and the best tanks in the world, produced by Germany, will all be shipped to the Spanish battlefield. This military equipment will help Mr. Franco easily defeat his opponents.”
“Mr. Führer, can you guarantee that the troops are the most elite and the equipment is the best?” the Spanish envoy asked with a frown. “The equipment we need is what the German Wehrmacht is currently using, not obsolete junk.”
“If you don’t mind the trouble and you like used goods,” Akado joked, his mood excellent as the negotiations neared their end, “I don’t mind you going to our Wehrmacht’s barracks and picking it out yourselves!”
“When can these materials and personnel be in place?” the Spanish envoy asked anxiously, getting to the question he most wanted to know.
Akado immediately provided the answer that satisfied him most. “Sir Envoy, the first transport ship, already filled with bullets and shells, can set sail from Italy to Spain at any time.”
“We need a large number of rifles and ammunition, but what we need most are machine guns, a large number of light machine guns… Of course, we are also in dire need of planes and artillery,” the Spanish envoy’s spirits lifted as soon as he heard this.
“Go find my Foreign Minister, Merkel. As long as you sign the agreement, all of these things can be shipped immediately,” Akado said with a smile, like a fox that had gotten what it wanted. “As a friendly sponsorship, I will also lend you a new type of fighter plane. It’s a fine piece of equipment, I guarantee you it can defeat any enemy aircraft! But the rental fee will be calculated separately. Don’t look at me with such a resentful expression; this plane has only just entered service here in Germany. I had to do my utmost to persuade General Kesselring to part with 50 of them…”
On September 17, 1934, Germany and Spain signed a secret treaty of alliance. The German Navy obtained secret bases south of the English Channel. And Franco’s army, having received reinforcements, began a frantic counter-attack, turning the tide in one fell swoop and giving the capitalist countries hope once again of defeating Bolshevism in the Spanish Civil War.
Under the protection of the Italian Navy, German transport ships formed an almost continuous line across the Mediterranean, shipping large quantities of weapons, equipment, and personnel to Spain to do their part in striking down international communism. Thanks to this aid, the previously sluggish Czechoslovakian industry was revitalized with vibrant life in the hands of the Führer.
