2. Monitoring Stations for the Axis Powers
In addition to the resupply program that Spain provided to the Axis air and naval troops, the country’s mainland also provided the Axis powers with intelligence support. Franco’s regime enabled the intelligence services to spy on Allied ships as they sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar.
Spain provided fuel and servicing from the reconnaissance airplanes which reported to German observation posts found on the Spanish coast. This gave the reconnaissance planes a much longer range and was the majority of the air support that Franco provided to the Axix powers. Spain was willing to help the intelligence efforts of all of the Axis powers, including Japan but the majority of their help went to Abwher.
The Abwehr, as German intelligence was known, had offices in Spanish mainland and Morocco, with the main headquarters being in Madrid. German intelligence positioned their monitoring stations strategically on either side of the Mediterranean choke-point entrance. This enabled them to keep track of virtually all movements of the Allied navy within the Mediterranean.
Once again the Allies spoke up against the Spanish support of the Axis powers. They threatened to halt all petroleum to Spain if they continued to allow the Axis powers to monitor the Mediterranean through German intelligence in Spain. Franco agreed to the Allied demands, at least on paper. He closed down the German embassy in Tangier and told the Allies that all Germany spies would be removed from the country.
But Franco continued to help the Axis intelligence effort in secret and would do so until the end of the war. Franco’s administration also smuggled to Germany a minimum of 800 tons of war materials in secret in order to appease the Allies.