TheSpanish Civil War was fought from 17 July 1936 until the victory of theNationalist faction on 1 April 1939. After the end of the war, theSpanish Republic formed a government-in-exile inParis andMexico City. Between the start of the civil war andSpanish transition to democracy and the reconciliation with theSpanish Republican government in exile in 1977, nations decided when, how, and if they recognisedFrancoist Spain as the legitimate government of Spain.
| Country | Established | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chile | 5 April 1939 | After Chile recognised the nationalist government in April 1939, the two countries were immediately embroiled in a conflict surrounding the status of Republican refugees seeking asylum in Chile. Spain ended diplomatic relations with Chile on 17 July 1940, after the two countries failed to resolve the matter, though relations were restored on 12 October 1940 after Brazil and Italy mediated the dispute.[1] |
| Guatemala | [when?] | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Guatemala in March 1946.[2]: 298 [3]: 90 |
| Mexico | 28 March 1977 | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Mexico on 25 August 1945.[2]: 298 Mexico reestablished diplomatic relations only after the death ofFrancisco Franco. By 1975, within theUnited Nations, only Yugoslavia and Mexico still recognised, andhosted an embassy to, theSpanish Republican government in exile.[4][5][2]: 298 |
| Panama | 18 March 1953 | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Panama in March 1946.[2]: 298 Relations were soon reestablished as the two countries signed aTreaty of Friendship on 18 March 1953.[3]: 112 |
| Peru | February 1939 | Relations were severed in March 17, 1938, but after General Francisco Franco took power, relations were reestablished in February and both nations reopened their embassies in June.[6] |
| United States | 27 December 1950 | On 1 April 1939, the United States lifted the embargoes placed on Spain, providing limited recognition to the regime,[7]: 16 and the embassy to Spain, previously in Barcelona, now headed by aChargé d’Affaires ad interim, was moved back to Madrid on the 13th.[8] In the aftermath ofWorld War II, public opinion on the Franco regime was low, with most seeing the state as collaborationist withNazi Germany and PresidentHarry S. Truman being opposed to the reestablishment of formal diplomatic relations. However, as theCold War began, and with Spanish agents, US military officials, and US businessmen lobbying for the opening of relations, popular opinion shifted. The appointment of a US ambassador to Madrid was announced on 27 December 1950. In July 1951, negotiations started for an alliance which would eventually become thePact of Madrid.[9] |
| Venezuela | [when?] | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Venezuela in March 1946.[2]: 298 |
| Country | Established | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| People's Republic of China | 9 March 1973 | On 9 March 1973, Spain established relations with the People's Republic of China and severed relations with the Republic of China.[10][11] |
| Republic of China | 1952 | During World War II,Beijing was reluctant to establish relations withMadrid, and in 1946 the Spanish Legation in China was officially closed. The situation improved after theKorean War started, leading to formal relations being established in 1952,[12] with a friendship agreement being signed in February 1953.[13] On 9 March 1973, formal diplomatic relations between the two nations were suspended, as Spain recognised the People's Republic of China instead.[14][11] |
| Japan | 1 December 1937 | Japan recognised the Francoist government of Spain in exchange for German, Spanish, and Italian recognition of Manchukuo.[15] Spain declared a rupture in relations on 12 April 1945,[16] which were reestablished in 1952.[12] |
| Kampuchea | 5 May 1977 | Relations with Kampuchea were only established after the death of Francisco Franco.[11] |
| Manchukuo | 2 December 1937 | In October 1938, a friendship legation arrived from the Japanese puppet stateManchukuo (later part of the People's Republic of China since 1949), and a treaty of friendship was signed in 1939.[15] |
| Mongolia | 4 July 1977 | Relations with Mongolia were only established after the death of Francisco Franco.[11] |
| Philippines | 27 September 1947 | Legations were established in 1947 following the signing of a bilateral friendship treaty on 27 September 1947.[17][12] |
| Thailand | February 1949 | The first permanent representative of Spain arrived inBangkok in February 1949, and aTreaty of Friendship was signed in 1952.[12] |
| Vietnam | 1950 | [12] |
| Country | Established | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | [when?] | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Albania December 1946.[2]: 298 |
| Bulgaria | 27 January 1970 | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Bulgaria on 30 November 1946.[2]: 298 Relations were restored on 27 January 1970.[18]: 90 |
| Czechoslovakia | 28 January 1939 | Government ofRudolf Beran recognized Francoist Government on 28 January 1939.[19] The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Czechoslovakia on 22 August 1946.[2]: 298 |
| France | 27 February 1939 | France and Britain together unconditionally recognised the nationalist government on 27 February 1939.[20]: 583 |
| Germany | 18 November 1936 | Germany and Italy together recognised the nationalist government on 18 November 1936.[20]: 332 [21] AfterWorld War II, Germany was split intoWest Germany andEast Germany. On 10 January 1973, The East Germany became the first communist country to recognise Francoist Spain.[11] |
| Hungary | February 1938 | The Hungarian state led byMiklós Horthy recognised Franco's government in February 1938.[22] After World War II ended, the Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by theHungarian People's Republic on 28 July 1946.[2]: 298 Relations were reestablished with Madrid on 9 January 1977, after Franco had died.[23] |
| Ireland | 11 February 1939 | [24]: 131 |
| Italy | 18 November 1936 | Germany and Italy together recognised the nationalist government on 18 November 1936.[20]: 332 [21] |
| Poland | February 1939 | TheSecond Polish Republic recognised the Franco government in February 1939, after the United Kingdom and France had already done so.[25] After the World War II, the Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by thePolish People's Republic on 5 April 1946.[2]: 298 Relations were restored after the death of Franco on 31 January 1977.[11] |
| Portugal | 11 May 1938 | Portugal had ended formal relations with theSpanish Republic in October 1936 and appointed diplomatic agents toNationalist Spain in December 1937. In 1939, Portugal would go on to sign theIberian Pact, formalising the friendship between Portugal and Francoist Spain.[26][27]: 86 |
| Romania | 5 January 1967 | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Romania on 21 May 1946.[2]: 298 Relations were restored on 5 January 1967.[18]: 93 |
| Soviet Union | 9 February 1977 | The Soviet Union fully supported the Republican government in theCivil War. AfterWorld War II and throughout theCold War, relations were maintained informally through offices inParis and economic ties. After the death of Francisco Franco, Spain and the Soviet Union established formal relations and exchanged embassies on 9 February 1977.[28] |
| Switzerland | 14 February 1939 | Switzerland sent a diplomatic agent to Franco on 3 May 1938, and a representative from the Francoist government had been tolerated and granted privileges inBern since 1937. All this meant that on 24 November 1938,Rab Butler described relationship between the two entities as "de facto recognition".[2]: 93 Switzerland extended full recognition on 14 February 1939, becoming the first democratic country to do so.[29] |
| United Kingdom | 27 February 1939 | In November 1937, the British government exchangedagents with the Franco government, a move criticised byClement Attlee as "de facto recognition of the insurgent government", though a government communiqué stressed that this did not constitute recognition.[2]: 93 France and Britain together unconditionally recognised the nationalist government on 27 February 1939.[20]: 583 TheLabour Party opposed the recognition, withClement Attlee calling it "a gross betrayal... two and a half years of hypocritical pretense of non-intervention".[20]: 584 [30] |
| Vatican City | June 1938 | Francoist Spain proclaimed itself a Catholic nation on 30 October 1936, hoping to win the support of the Vatican, which did not extend formal recognition. On 1 July 1937, the Letters of the Spanish Hierarchy were published, which detailed the Spanish Church's position on the war and stated that the Church endorsed Franco's forces.[31]: 202 In August, Pablo Churruca was serving aschargé d'affaires in Rome, which the Francoist press described as having "the status of official diplomatic representative" but the Vatican insisted that this was not formal recognition,[24]: 130 though in September 1937, the Vatican had sent achargé toBurgos, and in June 1938 full diplomatic recognition was established.[32]: 263 |
| Yugoslavia | 27 January 1977 | The Republican government was recognised as the only legitimate government of Spain by Yugoslavia on 13 April 1946.[2]: 298 By 1975, within theUnited Nations, only Yugoslavia and Mexico still recognised, and hosted an embassy to, theSpanish Republican government in exile.[5] Yugoslavia established relations with Spain in 1977,[11] after the death of Francisco Franco.Fernando Olivié González-Pumariega was the first ambassador of Spain inBelgrade.[33] |
| Country | Established | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 26 October 1967 | Australia, was officially neutral during the Civil War. However, over 66 Australians volunteered and fought for the Republican faction in Spain as part of theBritish Battalion.[34] Formal diplomatic relations were officially established on 26 October 1967, with the Spanish opening an embassy inCanberra on 3 May 1968.[35][36] |
| New Zealand | 28 March 1969 | Volunteers from New Zealand assisted the Republican Faction in the Civil War.[37] Formal diplomatic relations were officially established on 28 March 1969.[38] |
{{cite book}}:|last= has generic name (help)