italy has a chance in this. you just have to keep at it. it is your NO so just keep trying.
Problem with spain being an axis power from a historical standpoint is spain never entered the war. Also Spain just got done with a Spanish civil war. Spain did support axis economically, would make sense that spain would give warbonds to axis.
Then you have to deal with the technicality of Portugal sticking with the oldest alliance in the world, an alliance with England. +2 UK as well.
Spain and Portugal signed a non aggression treaty following the regime change in Spain. Historically neither side entered the war. Portugal traded with both sides, but the arms deals went to England.
Portugal and Spain did not want to fight… it’d be like spain having another civil war, they have a big brother little brother relationship. Both did the Age of exploration in different paths, both languages are similar, and both cultures have similarities.
These people did not enter the war for a reason, it would have made the peninsular war insignificant. Spain may as well have thrown full support behind the French and fought Portugal. Prior to that most of the conflicts between Spain and Portugal were in South America. Before that Portuguese restoration war, which made Portugal independent again.
This is all history, which frustrated Hitler because he couldn’t get the Spanish to take Gibraltar and enter the war.
At the end of the day, the Spanish just fought a civil war and typically after a war there is discontent for more war. Add to the fact that Spain initially supported France in taking Portugal, but ended up joining the Portuguese instead. It makes more sense that the two stayed out of the war for them, because they would be different sides otherwise and usually the Spanish and Portuguese don’t fight at home, because the aggressor would lose public support.
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To answer your question again. +2 uk for portugal being neutral or allies +2 to italy for being neutral or pro axis. you still have to declare war on neutrals to take them, because they would resist invasion.
It is a good question to ask why spain did not enter the war.
There is a revisionist theory and official theory that conflicts with my Portugal Spain relations theory.
Spain sent volunteers to assist axis, but from my understanding they were not ordered to join the axis. Spain refueled uboats, but that is a part of trade.
Hitler may have been wise not to have the Spanish as an axis power… because that gives the allies a place to land troops not to mention Portugal would have joined the allies if the treaty with Spain and Portugal was broken.
So from Hitler’s point of view and Spain/Portugal relations point of view. Spain being neutral made total sense.