852.01/475
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
His Majesty’s Embassy have been instructed to explain that, in coming to the conclusions regarding the recognition of General Franco’s [Page 751] Government set out in the Embassy’s Aide-Mémoire of February 18th, His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom were influenced by the following considerations:—
The decision on the question whether or not to accord full recognition to General Franco turns on the facts of the situation. What His Majesty’s Government have to decide is whether or not General Franco’s Government is the only effective government in Spain. It now seems certain that the establishment of his authority over the whole of Spain is only a matter of a short time and that further resistance could only result in further useless bloodshed. On the other hand the Spanish Government are dispersed and seem to be disunited.
If recognition is justified and called for, it seems that there should be no avoidable delay in according it. The sooner His Majesty’s Government can exert their influence to the full with General Franco, the better; and the more effectively they may be able to counteract German and Italian intrigues.