852.00/8086½
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Memorandum
His Majesty’s Government are so horrified at the recent aerial bombardments of Alicante and Granollers which resulted in serious loss of civilian lives without securing any apparent military objective that they are anxious to take all possible action calculated at any rate to check such indiscriminate warfare. It occurs to them that both sides in Spain might be deterred from undertaking such bombardments if they knew that there were some independent commission at the service of either side to proceed quickly to the scene of any bombardment and report on damage done, indicating whether in their view there are any possible military objectives in the neighbourhood. The commission should give immediate publicity to their report. His Majesty’s Government are therefore considering informing both sides in Spain that a small body of military officers has been set up which [Page 206] would reside in France so as to be ready to proceed to either side as required on the demand of the party which has suffered the aerial attack and make a report quite impartially on the facts as they see them. Such a body should obviously be drawn from countries which are in no way identified with either side in Spain. For their part His Majesty’s Government are ready to designate an officer for this purpose and they would be glad to learn as soon as possible whether the United States Government would be prepared to cooperate by sending an officer to take part in the common interests of humanity.
In the view of His Majesty’s Government no political considerations enter into this question and the officers will commit no one but themselves. The object of the proposal is solely to stop, if it is possible, this appalling destruction of noncombatants. It would of course be desirable that the officers should be able to speak Spanish. It is most important that no time be lost in setting up the commission if it is considered practicable. If the United States Government agree with this idea and would nominate an officer to serve Lord Halifax67 suggests that he hold himself in readiness to come to London in the first place for a preliminary meeting to discuss plans and procedure.
A similar enquiry has been addressed to the Swedish and Norwegian Governments.
- Successor to Anthony Eden as British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, March 1, 1938.↩