Скачать или смотреть Neutral on Paper, Fighting for Hitler: Spain’s Blue Division in WWII

Although officially neutral during World War II, Spain quietly sent thousands of volunteers to fight for Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front. This unit became known as the Blue Division (División Azul).

Authorized by Francisco Franco, the Blue Division was Spain’s way of repaying Adolf Hitler for German support during the Spanish Civil War—without officially entering the war. Volunteers fought mainly against the Soviet Union, driven by fierce anti-communism rather than formal alliance.

Between 1941 and 1944, around 45,000 Spanish soldiers served in German uniforms, most famously during brutal fighting near Leningrad, where they suffered heavy casualties from cold, artillery, and Soviet counterattacks. While technically volunteers, many were pressured to join, and service conditions were among the harshest on the entire Eastern Front.

As the war turned against Germany, international pressure—especially from the Allies—forced Franco to withdraw the division. Some Spaniards, however, stayed on and continued fighting in smaller German units even after Spain officially recalled them.

Spain remained “neutral” in name—but the Blue Division shows how that neutrality had sharp ideological limits.

This video is for EDUCATIONAL and HISTORICAL purposes ONLY.