740.0011 European War 1939/12213: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Weddell) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 19—5:15 a.m.]
562. For the Secretary and Under Secretary. My No. 549, June 15, 8 p.m.27 The British Ambassador called on me this morning immediately following a long interview which he had had with the Minister of Industry and Commerce with whom he conferred alone.
In the course of the conversation the Minister said that he had seen the Caudillo within the last few days and had gained the following impressions: That the latter was aware of my efforts to see him but that he did not wish an interview to be granted just now for two reasons:
- 1.
- In the first place the Caudillo understands there is a quarrel between the Foreign Minister and the Ambassador which he does not wish to have to undertake to settle. (The foregoing is completely in line with tactics employed by Suñer in trying to give the impression of personal differences between us as set forth in his note quoted in my No. 550, June 15, 9 p.m.,27 and strengthens my conviction that he is scheming to bring about the withdrawal of the American Ambassador.)
- 2.
- That the Caudillo has recently been under terrific pressure from Mussolini to enter into the Three-Power Pact which he has resisted and he does not wish to receive me in a period shortly following this since this would suggest that he was drawing away in a sense from his friends of the Axis.
In this connection I suggest that the prompt recognition of Croatia (see my telegram No. 558, June 17, 3 p.m.27) is a mild sop to Mussolini. The Minister in question also said he asked the Caudillo why he did not get rid of Suñer to which Franco replied that he would like to do so but that Germany and Italy interfered.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce further remarked that the Caudillo had not been deceived “by the African mirage” created by Mussolini, apparently referring in this connection to Mussolini’s [Page 908] speech of June 10 in which he is reported to have said that Spain is not asked to make a decision but that Spain must know where its true friends and its proven enemies are to be found.