852.00/4096: Telegram

The Ambassador in Germany ( Dodd ) to the Acting Secretary of State

369. My 368, December 14, 3 p.m.,38 and 361, December 8, 5 p.m. The following confidential statement was made to our Military Attaché this morning by the official representative of the German Ministry of War.

1.
We consider the European crisis which arose as a result of the Spanish Civil War as definitely past.
2.
We do not desire to increase our commitments in Spain. It is our information that both the Soviet and the French Governments similarly desire no increase in their commitments.
3.
The Italian commitment in Spain is at present much greater than the German.
4.
We have no formal troop units at the present time in Spain.
5.
A certain number of Germans are serving the Franco government as volunteers.
6.
We have used the Spanish Civil War to a certain degree for a war test of our new material.
7.
The War Ministry feels assured of an eventual victory by Franco although there will be for the near future a pause in operations which will be utilized by Franco to develop the full manpower at his disposal.

Please repeat to War Department at the request of Military Attaché.

Dodd
  1. Not printed.