740.00/478: Telegram
The Chargé in Morocco (Doolittle) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 29—5:26 p.m.]
15. Your confidential circular telegram of September 27, 4 p.m. French Morocco will immediately be on a war footing. Control of native population will probably prove adequate. No special measures for protection of Americans there seem necessary.
In Tangier events would depend on modification of position of Nationalist Spain which in turn might be influenced by Italy’s action.
Since my despatch No. 1386 of the 10th;15 forces in Spanish zone have been brought to about 30,000 men. They are reported to have orders in case of attempted French occupation of zone to seize Tangier and defend it together with Tetuan and Ceuta abandoning balance of [Page 81] territory. However, responsible Franco sympathizers are against entanglement in European war and Tuesday’s joint Spanish-Portuguese declarations of friendship in Burgos may be significant in view of Portuguese-British alliance.
Tangier authorities planning suppression of any local disturbances in divided Spanish colony or against Italians. In event of war international administration would continue to operate Tangier zone as neutral territory although functionaries of unfriendly powers would have to leave.
There are no known Americans in Spanish zone and protection of few in Tangier not believed to present special problems unless by reason of supposedly unfriendly occupation mentioned the city might be directly involved in war by attempts to dislodge occupants.
In such eventuality American naval evacuation would be imperative. In any case provisioning of zone will be difficult.
- Not printed.↩