852.6363/698: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain ( Hayes ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 4—3 p.m.]
510. Since Spain has assured us it will resist aggression from any side and since we, of course, have no aggressive designs on Spain, I believe it is in the interest of our military security to demonstrate our confidence in Spain’s determination to resist aggression by agreeing to make available the limited stocks of aviation gasoline proposed in my 501, March 4, 2 p.m.
The next few weeks will probably be decisive in determining whether Spain will be forced into the war. There is no military risk involved in our agreeing in near future to furnish limited quantities of aviation gasoline and the military risk from actually furnishing them at a later date will be negligible in relation to the possible military advantage from furnishing them.
Our Military Attaché9 and Colonel Hohenthal10 regard Spain more as a potential ally than a potential enemy and strongly concur in the desirability from the military point of view of furnishing Spain the amounts of aviation gasoline in the amounts of aviation gasoline proposed.
I therefore repeat recommendation made in my 501, March 4, 2 p.m. that limited stocks proposed be furnished to Spain.