What he's referring to is the Order of the Knights Templer. Originally founded during the 1st Crusades to assist European pilgrims to the Holy Lands. And most notiably established he first banking system in Europe. And finally in 1307AD, were hunted down and imprisoned and tortured by France's King Louis supposedly for acts of heresy, but in truth because they were becoming more powerful than most countries. Many of the Templer's fled south to Spain, and Portugal renaming their order the "Knights of Christ"

To stay hidden from France. One last note Christopher Columbus is rumored to have ties to the Templer bloodline through marriage. and thats why some scholars say when he sailed to America, he had the red cross on a white backround on his sails, The symbol of the Knights of Christ.

Okay boys and girls history lesson's over for today, back on topic.:up:

Portugal remained officially neutral, but they did eventually allow the Allies the use of the Azores in the mid-Atlantic as an air base in 1943, thus making life more miserable for the U-Boats.

Yeah and Portugal was the main source of Europe's wolframium during that time(tungsten).
Mid 1943 (when the allies started building the Azores-base) and Portugal belived an Allied victory was very likely, then the allies got most shares of that precious wolframium.
Before that great pressure was put on the shares of wolframium, Germany trying to outbuy Britain and vice versa.

Tungsten is a very hard metal with a high melting point (in fact highest M.P of all metals), making it an important part in weaponry.

Yep, we allways were a contry of traders/dealers...:D Sell to this one, sell to that one!

How very astute of them :DL

Believed or not, Salazar was a great international politician. Manage to play very well a dangerous game with all the leaders of the contries involved in the war.