Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, General, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume II

701.5211/614

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Eric C. Wendelin of the Division of European Affairs

[Washington,] March 29, 1939.

Señor Meana⁴⁹ came in to see me today and referring to his conversation yesterday with Mr. Moffat (copy of memorandum thereof attached)⁵⁰ said that he wished to amplify the remarks which he had made at that time. He said that he and his colleagues at the Embassy, including the Ambassador, had discussed their situation and had come to the conclusion that the best course to follow would be to leave the Embassy as soon as the National Defense Council headed by General Miaja should disappear. He felt that at the outside this would occur within three or four days, and added that as a matter of fact he and his colleagues were tentatively planning to leave the Embassy this weekend. Meana said that he wished to inquire bluntly whether this course of action would be satisfactory to the Department and to this Government. He said that if for any reason we should wish them to leave sooner the Ambassador and his staff were prepared to vacate on twenty-four hours’ notice.

In explanation of this proposed course of action, Meana said that the Ambassador desired on the one hand to avoid giving the impression of deserting his post so long as the Defense Council continued to function and he could be of assistance in any way to it or to this Government; on the other hand he did not wish to lay himself open to the accusation of obstinately clinging to his post when there was no longer any apparent justification for remaining. In response to my inquiry Meana said that in referring to the National Defense Council he meant specifically General Miaja, Colonel Casado, and Señor Besteiro, and no one else. Besteiro was apparently in Madrid, and therefore eliminated from further consideration. If Miaja and Casado should also eliminate themselves by leaving the country or otherwise, he and the other members of the Embassy would consider that the National Defense Council had disappeared. In that event, the Ambassador would immediately inform us of his departure from the Embassy.⁵¹

49. Second Secretary of the Spanish Embassy.
50. Not printed.
51. On March 30 the Spanish Ambassador informed the Under Secretary of State that he would vacate the Embassy with his staff on March 31 at 12 noon, leaving the Embassy property in the temporary custody of the Ambassadors of Colombia and Mexico (852.01/615).