On this date in 1941, the Spanish government began to organize a division to serve with the Germans against the Soviet Union. It's effort would be the most successful example of a non German contribution to the German armed forces during World War Two, outside of the complicated topic of Soviet volunteers to the same.
The German government requested that Spain contribute to Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941, the date of the opening of the offensive, hoping for a Spanish declaration of war. Spain did not take that step, but as the Spanish army was favorable to a contribution, Franco agreed to it on June 24, providing that the Spanish army be in charge of the organization of the unit. Organization commenced on this day and recruitment the following day. Technically the unit was not to be a unit of the Spanish armed forces and therefore its contribution not a causa belli.
By early July the unit was sufficiently manned, with over 18,000 volunteers, that it was sent to Germany for further training. It acquired its nickname the "Blue Division" as it adopted a dress uniform that features the Falangist blue shirt, most of its volunteers being Falangists. The same uniform featured a red Carlist beret and the Spanish Legion's khaki trousers. In combat it wore German uniforms. It was incorporated into the Wehrmacht on July 31.
It's performance inside the Wehrmacht would be a good one, showing the dedication of its Falangist volunteers. Ultimately 47,000 Spaniards would serve in the unit, and less than 200 fascist Portuguese, and it would inflict 49,000 deaths upon the Soviets. The unit was responsible for the desecration of the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyina Street in Novgorod, which perhaps says something about the often mistaken assumption that the Falangist held a charitable view on religion.
Indeed, inside of Spain, while Falangist celebrated the German invasion, conservative Spaniards and the Catholic Church opposed the contribution to the German cause and Allied pressure made it increasingly uncomfortable for Franco. In October 1943, by which time the handwriting was on the wall on an eventual German defeat, he ordered its official withdrawal. 3,000 mostly Falangist refused Franco's order and remained, and were incorporated into the SS.
At the same time, but with an undeterminable date in June, French far right politicians approached the German ambassador in France about contributing up to 30,000 volunteers for the same cause. Notable among them was Jacque Doriot who had been a former Communist, but had turned to the hard right.
The Germans accepted the idea, but not trusting the French, limited the contribution to 10,000 men and began organizing them in July. Less than 3,000 volunteers, however, came forward to serve in the unit, showing that it the German cause was not popular even among the hard French right. The Vichy government tolerated its formation but didn't support it, unlike the Spanish government. The unit was ordered disbanded after the western Allies landed in Normandy and its surviving members were incorporated into the SS.
Ironically one of its members was Said Mohammed, a notable member of the Algerian independence movement after the war. He was later sent by the Abwehr into Algeria where he was caught and arrested. He seemed to somehow associate his membership in the unit with Algerian independence. Completing the irony of his life, he died in Parish in 1994.
As noted, the largest number of individuals who served with the Germans during World War Two who were not German, were Soviet citizens, with the numbers ultimately being massive. Their story, however, is much more complicated than those discussed above, so it'll have to be addressed elsewhere.
Kassa Hungary was bombed by unidentified aircraft, which was used as a pretext by the Hungarian government to declare war on the Soviet Union. The event remains controversial today as the origin of the aircraft remains unknown, with the two likely suspects being the Germans, in a clandestine role with the cooperation of the Hungarian government, or the Soviets, by accident. The latter seems the most likely. In any event, Hungary was going to join in with the Germans, so it was a mere pretext no matter who was responsible.
What all this tends to show is how bad the ability of humans to predict the future really is. Germany was receiving support for its invasion of its massive neighbor right and left, but the outcome was very far from certain at the time. With the first couple of days being successful, and with the German record up to that date seemingly in their favor, it was simply assumed they'd win.
