Chapter 1630 Taking Over the Army
As Tajian said, Spain is on the verge of civil war and neither side is likely to compromise, so war will be the determining factor in how the situation in Spain develops next.
Franco was a qualified general and also a qualified politician. The former allowed him to quickly accumulate prestige in the war and strengthen his control over the army, while the latter allowed him to not lose out in the competition with other opponents.
Now with the support of East Africa, his chances of winning will only be greater.
"Mr. Tajian, since you have chosen me, I will not let you be disappointed with this investment."
After making up his mind, Franco immediately finalized the cooperation relationship between the two parties.
"However, I wonder what your country ultimately hopes to gain from this investment?"
There is no love without reason. Franco knew very well that East Africa's investment in him must be exchanged for corresponding benefits. Therefore, he must understand East Africa's demands.
Tajian smiled and said to Franco, "East Africa and Spain are friendly countries. We will certainly not harm your country's interests. In the future, Spain can play an important role in East Africa's exchanges with Europe."
"Therefore, in the future, as long as Spain can guarantee our legitimate rights and interests in Spain, and ensure the synergy between the two countries in regional cooperation, such as jointly maintaining the safety of navigation in the Strait of Gibraltar, which is beneficial to the common interests of both sides, that is what the Empire demands."
"On this basis, the two countries can further expand political mutual trust and strengthen cooperation in areas such as economy..."
The conditions offered to Franco by East Africa were very relaxed, which made him feel relieved. He was afraid that the East African lion would ask for too much, making it difficult for him to deal with the situation.
Franco then discussed with Tajian the specific details of how they would work together and made some assurances.
Although East Africa finally bet on Franco, for the Nationalists behind Franco, the support from Germany and Italy was the real big deal.
Basically, the main interests that the Spanish Nationalists can promise have already been divided up between Germany and Italy, including Spain's mineral resources, consumer markets, etc., which are open to enterprises from both countries, as well as in-depth military cooperation.
However, whether Germany and Italy can finally get what they want is full of uncertainty. After all, Spain has basically stayed out of the chaos in Europe in the past.
Time passed quickly and it was July 1936. On July 8, Sorot, one of the leaders of the Nationalist right-wing party, was kidnapped and killed by left-wing elements. This random incident became the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the conflict between the two sides was completely intensified.
At the same time, the Nationalists' military actions in Morocco had been noticed by the Republican government, and the Spanish military, which was planning the rebellion, also planned to act in advance.
On July 11, the rebel radio signal "Clear skies throughout Spain" was sent, a code to notify all rebel units to launch the uprising as planned.
On the same day, Franco, who was far away in the Canary Islands, announced his support for the rebellion and prepared to fly to Spanish Morocco on a small British private plane to take over the African Corps.
At the Las Palmas Airport in the Canary Islands, the sky had already darkened completely. Franco and several of his subordinates hurried here.
His adjutant said to Franco with a serious face: "General, flying to Morocco by this plane has huge security risks, especially since we have to go to Morocco at night."
Franco was very emotional at this time. He said to his adjutant: "Now, if we want to quickly accept the Moroccan army, we must move quickly, and flying to Tetouan is our only way to leave here."
Since Franco was "exiled" here, it was obvious that the Republican government could not be completely unprepared, although Franco was theoretically the supreme military commander of the Canary Islands.
But in reality, the Canary Islands' civil government, police system and local garrison all have personnel loyal to the central government in Madrid.
One of their duties was to monitor the famous right-wing general, and if any one of these people was "serious", all of Franco's plans might fail.
Just like the kidnapping and murder of Solote before, if there really were extremists who were not afraid of sacrifice and shot Franco, his life might have ended there.
Or it could be another situation where everyone turned a blind eye to Franco's departure, but someone still tipped off the Madrid government via telegram. If Franco chose to depart by sea, the Madrid government might issue an administrative order, forcing the navy to intercept him.
So, after comprehensive consideration, Franco finally chose airplane as his means of transportation, and went to Morocco to take office with only a few confidants.
Franco said: "Only a few people know about our departure this time, so as long as the plane does not encounter extreme weather, it will definitely land smoothly."
"By the time those Madrid insiders on the island realize what's happening, we'll already be in Morocco. Therefore, this small risk is definitely worth taking."
"Get on the plane now and follow the pilot's instructions."
Following Franco's order, several people began to board the plane and find their seats.
The pilot of Franco's plane was a British man, and as long as the price was right, there was no need to worry about his reliability.
After settling into the cabin, Franco said to the pilot, "Mr. Baby, our safety this time is completely in your hands. I believe you can lead us to a successful landing in Tetouan."
Tetouan, the capital of Spanish Morocco, was the political, military and administrative center of Spain's colonies in North Africa.
Controlling Tetouan meant controlling the entire legitimate administrative system of Spanish Morocco. Franco's landing there basically meant taking over the supreme power of the entire Moroccan protectorate.
Of course, what is more important is that Tetouan is the location of the African Corps headquarters, which allows Franco to obtain the initial military capital for the rebellion.
Pilot Baby said to Franco, "Don't worry, General Franco! My skills are absolutely reliable. I will definitely get you all to your destination safely. Of course, I hope you can fulfill the price we agreed on when you arrive in Tetouan."
Franco assured her, "Of course. After all, someone of my status and position wouldn't break a promise. Furthermore, if you successfully reach Tetouan, I'll give you some extra bonuses."
Baby was waiting for Franco to say this, even though he knew that sending this Spanish general to Morocco this time might have a drastic impact on the situation in Spain.
But Baby didn't care about this at all. He only knew that after this flight, he would get a lot of money to improve his life. As for the unrest in Spain and the lives of the people, it had nothing to do with him.
While the two were talking, Baby started the plane and quickly climbed up, flying from Las Palmas Airport into the dark starry sky.
At this time, most of the residents on the Canary Islands have fallen asleep, and there are only a few light sources, which become dimmer and dimmer as the plane rises.
After completely leaving the airspace above the Canary Islands, the group could basically only see the clouds and stars in the sky. The Atlantic Ocean was also shrouded in the night, almost blending into the darkness.
At this time, Baby can only judge the direction by dials such as the magnetic compass and localizer, and correct the aircraft's heading from time to time, which is a great test of the pilot's driving ability.
There is a section of open sea from the Canary Islands to the Moroccan coast, where it is impossible to use landmarks for navigation, let alone at night.
Therefore, Baby's driving this time requires accurate calculation of the course and airspeed, and full consideration of the wind conditions over the Atlantic Ocean. After approaching the coast of Morocco, that is, the mainland, he will use his excellent vision to identify some large landmarks, such as mountains and towns.
All in all, this night flight was extremely challenging for the pilot's skills. Fortunately, Baby performed with ease, which gave Franco and others great confidence.
In this way, the plane flew for an unknown amount of time. Franco and the others were a little sleepy. Finally, after being persuaded by his adjutant, Franco fell asleep.
When he opened his eyes again, he could already see a ray of morning light. Franco opened his eyes, his whole body aching. He asked, "How much time has passed? How long will it take us to reach Tetouan?"
The adjutant said, "It's been six hours since we took off. According to Mr. Baby, we should be able to reach our destination in another hour or two. It will be completely light by then, so landing shouldn't be a big problem."
Just like that, more than an hour later, as Franco waited, Baby said, "We should have arrived at our destination. The city below should be Tetouan."
Franco and his adjutants looked down through the cabin windows. The sun had already risen completely, and there was a city located between the ocean and the mountains. The city was not large, but Franco was basically certain that this was Tetouan.
The so-called ocean is actually the Mediterranean Sea, and Tetouan is located in a narrow plain surrounded by coastal mountains, and the surrounding mountains are part of the Rif Mountains.
The Rif Mountains are a huge natural barrier that militarily protects Tétouan from direct attacks from the interior.
During the Spanish colonial period, this mountain range effectively blocked attacks from the local Rif tribal rebels and provided a relatively safe rear area for the colonial capital.
It is difficult for the enemy to break through the mountain barrier from the inland, but forces from the sea can provide support for it.
It is this unique terrain that makes Tuan the ideal capital and military base for Spain's rule in Morocco. It will also become an excellent geographical stage for Franco to receive and deploy his elite African Corps.
Soon, Franco's plane landed safely at the military airport in Tetouan. At this time, the personnel of the African Corps Command had been looking forward to his arrival.
Including General Moret, the supreme leader of the African Legion at that time, and Colonel Reasi, commander-in-chief of the Foreign Legion.
In fact, this group of people now holds real power. If they do not obey Franco's arrangements, Franco will probably have no choice. The reason why they are willing to obey and hand over power to Franco is because of Franco's prestige and character.
Franco was the youngest general in Spain at the time. He was hailed as a hero as early as the Moroccan War. His fame at home and abroad was far greater than that of generals such as General Mollet who were limited to the African Corps.
At the same time, within the Nationalists, Franco's image was that of a "moderate" individual. Unlike some other fanatical royalists or fascists, such as José Antonio, the founder of the Falange, Franco was seen as a cautious, pragmatic officer without a clear ideological label.
This image enabled him to become a "compromise candidate acceptable to all factions" and to unite a wide range of right-wing forces, from royalists and conservative Catholics to the fascist Falange.
The officers in Tetouan are mostly pure soldiers and lack this political integration ability.
Therefore, Franco's qualifications, reputation and the fact that he successfully reached the headquarters of the African Corps made him the natural choice to serve as the supreme commander.
The officers in Tetouan understood that only by obeying a unified leadership could they effectively combine the strength of the African Legion with the local rebels.
Of course, Franco himself has an important "trump card" in his hand, that is, he has many "friends". Franco is the only one who can get aid checks from countries such as Germany and Italy. Based on this alone, his leadership position is irreplaceable.
There was no problem letting these officers of the African Corps fight, but they were not good at handling logistics.
Apart from Franco, other major leaders of the Nationalists were mainly active in the mainland at this time, such as General Mora, who launched a rebellion in the north of Spain.
Therefore, at this time, Franco was the best solution they could choose among the several major leaders of the National Party.
Soon after getting off the plane, Franco greeted the military and administrative personnel of Tetouan one by one and denounced the "Madrid government".
"...the government has been infiltrated and controlled by the Soviet Union. We cannot allow this government, which represents Soviet interests rather than Spanish interests, to continue to exist. We must take power back and return it to the hands of the Spanish people..."
"...Our allies have already fired the first shot on home soil, but we must be clear that the Madrid government has Soviet support. Therefore, the force that will ultimately determine Spain's future lies in our Moroccan military. The Afrika Korps is Spain's most elite force."
"Only we can decide the ultimate fate of this country and help Spain break free from Soviet control and restore its independence."
"Now, I am willing to be the general leader of this restoration of order in Spain, carrying everyone's common expectations. You will also become the heroes of Spain's future and be remembered by history!"
Franco did not show any modesty, and even openly regarded himself as a leader. One thing that must be noted here is that his so-called leadership identity does not only refer to the leader of Morocco and the African Legion, but the entire Spain.
As for why Franco did this, one of the important reasons was to better connect with Germany, Italy, East African countries. After all, only by becoming the leader of Spain could Franco deal with other countries more legitimately.
The officers and administrative staff of Tetouan did not object to Franco's detail at all, because Franco was now their superior, and the other rebel leaders were not there.
(End of this chapter)
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