852.00/4206: Telegram
The Ambassador in Germany (Dodd) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 29—6:50 a.m.]
377. Although official attitudes cannot be ascertained, evidence from reliable sources confirm the conclusion that Hitler is sending more troops, more airmen and engineers to Spain than ever before. This is being done in spite of opposition from generals of the army and Dr. Schacht. And there is an increasing popular unrest because there is no newspaper information and there is an increasing food supervision.
A few days ago there was evidence that the British-French opposition to continuing the war in Spain was having some effect. Now it seems that Mussolini is quite as active as a month ago and Hitler regards this as a sufficient guarantee to their success. The repeated protests from London and Paris have thus far not had effect and the most authoritative pressman in the Propaganda Ministry ridicules the idea of protests against German-Italian activity. The peace situation is thus acute but I believe the economic situation is such that war is not likely. The idea seems to be to wear down all opposition and use the pacifist attitudes of other countries to utmost advantage, But there is great anxiety here.