852.00/8079
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-mémoire
Bombing From the Air in Spain, and the Suggested Commission
- (1)
- It was contemplated that the Commission’s sole function would be to establish and publish facts concerning bombardments from the air and it was not considered that Governments appointing members to the Commission would be committed to take action of any kind as a result of the Commission’s findings. It was furthermore hoped and expected that the mere fact of the appointment of a Commission might deter the two Spanish parties from any further bombardments of the civilian population of the nature which has been taking place.
- (2)
- It was the expectation that if either side believed that its population had been the victim of illegitimate bombardment, it would be glad to invite the Commission to investigate and publish the facts. In these circumstances any investigation carried out by the Commission would of course require the assent only of the party upon whose territory the bombing attack had been made. The Commission would not impose on either party; it would be in the nature of a facility of which either party might and possibly would wish to take advantage.
- (3)
- It might well be hoped that the Commission will have sufficient mobility to render the removal of any substantial military objectives before its arrival on the scene of an illegitimate bombardment a matter of very great difficulty. In these circumstances it might be hoped that there would be no ground in practice for imputing partiality to any report which the Commission might render. It would however clearly be advantageous for the Commission to bear in mind the possibilities [Page 215] in this direction both in carrying out its investigations and in preparing its reports.
Washington
, June 10,
1938.