What If Spain Had Joined Hitler During World War II?

Would the outcome of the war be different?

(By Heinrich Hoffmann/Krakow-Warsaw Press Publishing (Creator: Heinrich Hoffmann) — Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe, PD-US, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61427764)

In the early 20th century, Spain pulled off something that few other countries managed to do — they remained out of both World War I and World War II. While the rest of the world was pulled into the two bloodiest conflicts in human history, Spain stayed away due to a confluence of unique political situations. (While Spain managed to avoid both World Wars, they had to contend with a horrific and bloody Civil War that came during the Interwar Period.) However, in 1939, on paper, Spain’s fascist dictator, General Francisco Franco, seemed to be a natural companion to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. In fact, Germany heavily supported Franco’s side during the Spanish Civil War and promoted fascism within the country.

Despite being natural bedfellows, Franco managed to sidestep Hitler’s pressure to join him in his quest for world domination and wisely stayed out of World War II. But what if he hadn’t? What if Franco had decided to take up arms and join his fellow fascist dictators during World War II? Would anything have changed? Could Germany have won with the support of Spain?

The entrance of Spain into World War II would have had a seismic shift on the conflict, especially when it pertains to North Africa and the Mediterranean…