Why did Spain occupy Tangier during World War II?

Between 1940 and 1945, Francoist Spain militarily occupied the Tangier International Zone during World War II. This occupation served as a temporary enlargement of Spanish Morocco, interrupting the city's usual multi-nation international governance. Normal international administration was later restored before the city eventually reintegrated into independent Morocco.

What we know

• The Spanish occupation of Tangier took place from 1940 to 1945 as a military occupation by Francoist Spain. [1]
• The occupation operated as a temporary enlargement of Spanish Morocco during World War II. [2]
• The occupation caused an interruption in the existence of the Tangier International Zone, which ran from 1925 until 1956. [3]

Where to go next

• the bigger pictureWhat was the Tangier International Zone?
• compared withHow did the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco function?
• what followedWhen did Tangier become part of independent Morocco?
• how we knowWhat role did Tangier play for Moroccan nationalists?
• whenHow did Tangier develop into a strategic Mediterranean trading hub?
• an unexpected connectionHow did an international zone become a hub for spies and diplomats?Before and after its wartime occupation, Tangier attracted global diplomats, spies, writers, and businessmen due to its unique multi-nation governance.

Sources

• [1]Spanish occupation of Tangier (Wikidata Q86756565) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Spanish occupation of Tangier (1940–1945) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Tangier International Zone · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Tangier · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Spanish protectorate in Morocco · CC BY-SA 4.0