852.01/130: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Secretary of State
Berlin, November 3, 1936—6 p.m.
[Received November 3—3:25 p.m.]
[Received November 3—3:25 p.m.]
321. Embassy’s 319, October 30, noon.87 With regard to Spanish situation the Italian Embassy stated this morning that they considered two problems were involved for them.
[Page 550]- First, whether the present Madrid Government would disappear upon the capture of the city by Franco or would remove to another location in Spain such as Alicante or an interior city. In the former event which would be the easiest for the Italians but probably unlikely the Italian Government could immediately recognize Franco Government without further thought. In the event of the transfer of the Madrid Government to another location while this presented a certain difficulty the Italian Embassy believes most probably its Government would assume that the Madrid Government need no longer be reckoned with and Franco would be recognized as the Spanish Government.
- Secondly, was the problem of Catalonia. This was the more serious question. The Italian Embassy felt it would take considerable time to work out. They reiterated as previously expressed to us (see Embassy’s 257, August 18, 6 p.m. 2nd page88) that on no account could Italy contemplate the establishment of a Soviet regime on the Mediterranean. Nothing was said with regard to what specific measures the Italians might take to this end but the definiteness of their attitude was not left in doubt.
In this latter connection the Italian Embassy said that increasing quantities of war material principally trucks and airplanes and personnel mainly aviators were entering Spain via the Black Sea. This also added to the difficulty and danger of the Catalonian matter.
Cipher text mailed to Rome, Paris, London, Istanbul, Riga, Moscow.
Dodd