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Juan Antonio Ansaldo
Ansaldo
Historical Figure
Nationality: Spain
Year of Birth: 1910
Year of Death: 1958
Cause of Death: Natural causes
Occupation: Author of Non-Fiction, Pilot
Military Branch: Spanish Nationalists
(Spanish Civil War)
Political Party: Acción Española
Falange
Fictional Appearances:
The War That Came Early
POD: July 20, 1936;
Relevant POD: September 29, 1938
Appearance(s): Hitler's War
Type of Appearance: POV (one scene)

Juan Antonio Ansaldo y Vejarano (24 June 1910 - 29 April 1958) was a prominent Spanish aviator and monarchist. A great admirer of Action Francaise, Ansaldo eventually joined the Falange in 1934, and earned a reputation for violence.

In 1936, as the Spanish Civil War began in earnest, he agreed to take Spanish Nationalist General José Sanjurjo from Portugal to Burgos, Spain. Despite Ansaldo's pleas, Sanjurjo insisted on bringing his heavy baggage aboard Ansaldo's small plane. The plane subsequently crashed. Ansaldo survived, although badly injured. Sanjurjo was killed.

Ansaldo remained in the Spanish Air force until 1945, when he and other monarchists were purged by Francisco Franco. He published his memoirs in 1951.

Juan Antonio Ansaldo in The War That Came Early[]

In July 1936, catastrophe for the Spanish Nationalists' cause was narrowly avoided when Juan Antonio Ansaldo convinced General José Sanjuro to leave his heavy baggage off their small plane, despite the latter's protestations that he could not enter Madrid and rule Spain without uniforms. Ansaldo won out, and managed to safely transport Sanjurjo from Portugal to Burgos to begin the Spanish Civil War.[1]

References[]

  1. Hitler's War, chapter I.
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