852.00/7009
Memorandum by Mr. Erie C. Wendelin of the Division of European Affairs
With reference to Thurston’s telegram No. 828 of November 23, 7 p.m. regarding reports of an armistice in Spain and rumors of impending reorganization of the Government, the remarks made to me yesterday by Señor Meana of the Spanish Embassy may be of interest.
Referring to the rumors of an armistice, Señor Meana said that he had heard absolutely nothing to indicate that there was any foundation to these rumors. He expressed the opinion that the continued delay in the launching of the much-heralded insurgent offensive may be the principal cause for such rumors arising. In this connection he referred to the press reports from Hendaye two or three days ago to the effect that the insurgents now felt it might be better to postpone their offensive until the expected break-down behind the Government lines occurred. Señor Meana insisted that there was no possibility of such a break-down and that in reality this report, if true at all, merely indicated that the insurgents were postponing their offensive because they realized the serious opposition now confronting them and feared that the offensive would be a failure.
In this connection he asserted that the Government now had a well-armed and well-organized army of about 500,000 men, that the formerly weak Aragon front had been radically reorganized and strengthened, that 1,000 Spanish aviators, trained in France and Russia, were now ready for duty and were in active service and giving a very fine account of themselves, that there were at least three fully equipped aviation repair shops now operating in Government territory, capable of making practically all kinds of repairs to airplanes and motors, and that the production of war materials of all kinds was being steadily speeded up. With reference to the last statement he said that the utilization of all available industrial plants in Cataluña for the production [Page 458] of war materials was one of the primary reasons why the Government had moved to Barcelona.
Señor Meana stated that the Government forces were well equipped to carry on the war, with the exception of heavy artillery, in which the insurgents had a marked superiority. With regard to aviation he said that, although the Government’s air force was out-numbered, they felt that they could hold their own because of the new facilities for repairing planes, the development of trained Spanish pilots and the apparent fact that the insurgents were not receiving new planes from Germany and Italy in any great number.
Referring again to the delay in the launching of the expected insurgent offensive, he said that the Government was fully prepared to receive it not only on the Madrid and Aragon fronts, but also on the south coast near Almeria. With reference to the latter sector he said that it had been greatly strengthened recently and that there would not be a second débâcle, such as that which occurred at Malaga, if the insurgents attempt an offensive along that coast. He also remarked that possibly an additional reason for the insurgents’ delay in launching an offensive was the continued resistance of the Asturians in an area south of Oviedo where numerous groups were still carrying on persistent guerrilla warfare.
With regard to the transfer of the Government to Barcelona, Señor Meana insisted that this has had very little demoralizing effect upon the civilian and military population in Government territory. He said that the primary reason for the transfer, aside from the desire to make the fullest use of the potential industrial, economic and military resources of Cataluiia, was in fact that Barcelona offered an incomparably better center for the Government’s activities. He said that ever since its transfer to Valencia the Ministries have been greatly hampered by the inadequate facilities, especially of communication and housing. He also remarked that the food situation, while serious at Valencia, was not nearly so acute in Cataluña.
Señor Meana expressed the opinion that there was some likelihood of a reorganization of the Government in the near future and said that this reorganization might well take the form of the resignation of two communist members of the Government (Messrs. Uribe and Hernandez—the Ministers of Agriculture and Public Instruction, respectively). He said that the resignation of the communist Ministers would not represent in any way the withdrawal of communist support of the Government, but would be a tactical maneuver actually intended to strengthen the Government in prosecuting the war and in combating extremist elements. He said that with the communists out of the Government, the anarchists and P. O. U. M. would no longer be able to accuse them of controlling the Government to prosecute [Page 459] the latter. The Government would thus be able to take whatever steps might be necessary for the full prosecution of the war, and would be able to maintain that all measures taken by it applied equally to all political parties.