1940: Gibraltar

Gibraltar's strategic value, as Britain's stronghold for controlling passage between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, was considerably increased when Italy entered the European War on June 10, 1940. After France's military collapse a week later, Britain's ability to withstand the anticipated German attempt at invasion depended largely on continued British possession of Gibraltar. So long as the Italian Navy was effectively bottled up in the Mediterranean, it could not menace British shipping and threaten the British Isles with a severe blockade. But Gibraltar could not indefinitely withstand a prolonged bombardment and siege directed from the heavy gun emplacements already built on Spanish soil at Algeciras and Ceuta — 5 and 12 miles, respectively, from 'the Rock.' It seemed unlikely, moreover, that General Franco could refuse any insistent German demand for transit privileges through Spain, which — after the German occupation of southwestern France on June 22 — held a common border with Germany. Owing to anxiety regarding the possible role which might be assigned to Nationalist Spain as a junior member of the Rome-Berlin Axis, tension at Gibraltar gradually increased during early months of the year as Italy drew nearer hostilities. Intense bombing raids on the Rock in July and September accentuated fears of a major land attack through Spain, but as the year ended Gibraltar was still a most effective asset to Britain in Mediterranean warfare. (See also EUROPEAN WAR: Fourth Phase.)

Contraband Control.

During the first months of the European war, while the Mediterranean remained open for commercial traffic, Gibraltar was a leading contraband-control station for the British Navy. On Jan. 20, 1940, the United States Government issued a sharp protest to Britain because American ships were being detained at Gibraltar from 9 to 18 days, cargoes and mails removed, and in some cases ships diverted to Marseilles — all in violation of American concepts of international law. On May 17, after the Blitzkrieg began in the Low Countries and Italy's entry into the war appeared imminent, Britain tried a final gesture toward appeasement by permitting — for the first time — Italian liners (the Conte di Savoia and the Rex) to pass the contraband-control station without interference.

Evacuation of Civilians.

The first groups of women and children were evacuated from Gibraltar on May 21, to assure that existing stocks of food and other essential supplies would be adequate for the garrison in case of siege. On July 17 — amid reports of German troops in Spain and German plans to attack Gibraltar — Governor Sir Clive Liddell extended the evacuation order to include all women, children less than 17 years old, and men over 45 or physically unfit. These measures led to the evacuation of 14,500 inhabitants.

Spanish Imperialism.

Considerable anxiety during the second half of the year resulted from a vigorous Spanish campaign for return of Gibraltar, which Spain had ceded to England in 1704. On June 26, posters appeared throughout the business sections of Madrid demanding that Britain give the Rock over to Spain, and the government-controlled press pointed out that the powerful British fortress could not be defended against an attack from Spanish territory. Generalissimo Franco made the Spanish demand unequivocally official on July 17, when he publicly told army, navy and air force officers that it was Spain's national mission to control Gibraltar, and that 'Spain has . . . 2,000,000 soldiers ready to face anyone in support of Spain's rights.' During the next 2 days, as an aftermath of Franco's remarks and in celebration of the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war, widespread popular demonstrations in Spain clamored for the 'return of Gibraltar to its rightful owners.'

New Defenses.

British forces at the Rock prepared for a possible tank or artillery attack by starting to dig, on July 20, a canal across the narrow isthmus connecting Gibraltar with Spain. Any forces approaching Gibraltar by land from the north would now find it an island separated from Spain by a waterway 13 feet wide and 13 feet deep. On Dec. 17, London disclosed that 'hard rock' miners from Canada were boring additional tunnels in the huge rock to expedite internal defense movements there.

Bombing Attacks.

Gibraltar experienced its first air raid of the war on July 5. Two days later the French Navy Ministry revealed that two French air squadrons had joined German and Italian units in a third successive daily attack on Gibraltar, as a reprisal for British naval action against French warships at Oran on July 3. At the end of the month, Italian planes renewed their attacks, and British ships were forced to leave the harbor. On Sept. 23-25, more than 100 French planes administered the worst bombing of Gibraltar during the war, in reprisal for British action against French warships at Dakar, capital of French West Africa. Considerable damage was inflicted on civilian areas and some military objectives — including oil tanks, barracks, piers and the naval breakwater. The staunch fortifications at the Rock, however, were reported unharmed.

To help defend Gibraltar, French pilots sympathetic with General Charles de Gaulle and his 'Free French' movement flew 36 French planes to the Rock from Morocco by Sept. 4, and a month later de Gaulle's headquarters in London indicated that other planes had recently arrived. Because of reduced work resulting from the raids and evacuations, the United States consulate at Gibraltar was closed on Nov. 11. See also SPAIN.