124.52/116a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Third Secretary of Embassy in Spain (Wendelin)
134. In its telegram No. 76 of August 10, 7 p.m., last paragraph, you were given discretionary authority to depart if and when you considered it no longer safe to remain. As we have found, however, an understandable reluctance on the part of our officers to take advantage of such discretionary authority we feel it necessary to point out that we do not desire that the lives of our Embassy and Consulate staffs be exposed to serious danger. All press reports available to us indicate that the insurgent drive on Madrid is gaining momentum and emphasize the confusion and disorganization among the government forces. It seems possible, therefore, that the insurgents may in the near future succeed in cutting off Madrid’s communication with the coast and that a disaster of this nature might lead to serious disorder in the capital. Major Carlos Contreras, stated by the New York Times to be a staff officer directing the operations of the militia around Talavera, is quoted as having said that if the rebels broke through the Loyalist lines they would find no Madrid to capture—it would have been burned and utterly destroyed.
Since the last of the Americans willing to leave Madrid have now been evacuated from Spain and those who remain have been repeatedly warned that they do so at their own risk and upon their own responsibility it would seem that the Embassy has now no mission so important that the presence of our officers in Madrid is indispensable at this time. We are aware that it is the intention of certain American nationals having large financial interests in Spain to remain in Madrid come what may and in spite of all urgings to leave. We do not, however, consider this sufficient reason for keeping our Embassy and Consulate staffs in Madrid in the face of serious danger. Neither do we feel that our property interests in Spain are sufficient warrant needlessly to endanger our officers. In view, therefore, of the unpredictability of the situation in Madrid should the Government forces suffer further reverses, we desire that you give [Page 725] immediate serious consideration to the desirability of closing the Embassy and, of course, the Consulate, and departing to a place of safety with the American members of your staff and any other Americans who might then wish to leave before you are isolated by the advance of the insurgent forces.
If you decide to depart you should if possible take with you or destroy codes, seals, and confidential archives; the Senior Member of the Spanish staff should be entrusted with the custody of the Embassy premises until such time as it becomes possible to reopen the Embassy.