Fighting for Spain General Mola's way.

[Almost a Christian]

Although Franco himself was declared head of state for the nationalist side early on in the Spanish Civil War it was by no means a secure position..


He was originally just one cautious figure among the military junta..


Slowly after the untimely death of Sanjurjo two eminent figures
Franco & Mola emerged as leaders of the revolt..

By a combination of luck, an uncanny ability to be all things to all men(it was a diverse coalition afer all) & moreover the Italians & Germans gravitating towards the Franco camp it was Franco that gained the ascendancy..


Although Franco was named head of state early on in September '36 Mola was a powerful force too who believed to have favoured a return to a civilian government& democracy & understood to be suspicious of Franco's tendency towards patronage among his subordinates.


Mola's fatal aircrash is generally believed to have put Franco in
an unassailable position of authority.


But what if this wasn't so? What if Mola had enjoyed the confidence
of the Italians & Germans?


Could he have succeeded to power instead of Franco?


Franco was very shrewd & crafty statemens at home he prevented any one
power base from forming trying to be all things to all men but ended
up being no one to any of them. He sold the Bourbon supporters vague
promises of restoration, identified himself with the Falangists stripping it of much of its ideological fervour so as not to scare the Conservatives....


Franco similarily in international affairs did succeed in resisting overtures & pressures on both sides to abandon his neutrality...



But would've Mola have had the same shrewdness? Perhaps a civilian stateman that might've succeeded him would've been less of a success in the neutrality problem. Perhaps Hitler would've become too nervous at the mechanisations of the British in Iberia & he would've decided on one of Naploeon's other follies with a premptive strike in Iberia.


Although unlikely to succeed perhaps cutting of the British at this
stage of the war in the Med would've completely undermined their position in relation to Africa?

Perhaps indeed I have it all wrong & Mola would've cooperated with the Axis?

I'd appeciate your thoughts.