852.00/7624: Telegram
The Counselor of Embassy in Spain (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:05 p.m.]
921. In a very frank conversation last night Zugazagoitia, the Minister of Government, stated to me that the military situation is in fact hopeless and that the end is merely a matter of weeks unless outside aid should materialize. He believes this utterly unlikely despite the fact (as he apparently believed it to be) of the continued arrival of German and Italian war material in quantities far beyond those required to complete the destruction of the Government army.
He states that notwithstanding their realization of the hopelessness of their position, this Government will not enter into any negotiations with Franco but will continue the war as long as possible. I received the impression that when further resistance cannot be made the Government will depart—probably leaving a junta of some sort in control to maintain order through the period of transition.
With respect to the question of possible Communist or Anarcho-Syndicalist movements Zugazagoitia stated that the Government is determined that there shall be no disorders and feels that it can prevent them. He added that if these must prove to be the last days of the Republic the Government will at all costs see to it that they are not marred by any further outrages such as those which occurred at the beginning of the war and last May.