862.20252/216

The Ambassador in Spain ( Hayes ) to the Secretary of State

No. 1401

Sir: I have the honor to report that I told the Minister of Foreign Affairs on September 28th that I was much concerned about information that had come to me from thoroughly reliable sources, during the past week, about what Axis agents had been allowed to do on Spanish soil against Allied military operations outside. I especially called his attention to the Italian assault force which had been engaged in sabotage activities around Gibraltar and espionage work in Spanish Morocco. I said the picture was not a pretty one and that my Government, when it knew the whole truth, would be bound to take a very serious view of it. However, there were many more German agents than Italian throughout Spain. I had been informed of a considerable recent increase of the Gestapo here and of their supplying arms to the Falange. It was obvious to me, and I imagined it must be to him, that these German agents had been very active, during the last two weeks, trying to foment trouble between Spain and the United Nations. It was apparent in a certain lapse that had occurred during the second half of September in the Spanish press, attributable, I did not doubt, to renewed pressure of the Germans upon Spanish newspapers and the Falange censorship. I felt these German agents were stirring up pro-German elements of the Falange as a prelude to possible German intervention and occupation. The Germans were obviously desperate, and so, too, was the pro-German element in the Falange. I felt that the Spanish Government should put curbs on both.

The Foreign Minister said that if we had any specific information other than what the British had already communicated to him about sabotage and espionage activity of Axis agents around Gibraltar or in Spanish Morocco, he wished to have it. The Caudillo,32 as much as himself, was determined to stop such activity. He believed there [Page 620] were too many German agents in Spain and he intended gradually to see that their number was reduced. However, I must distinguish between the Falange as an organization under chiefs responsible to the Caudillo and certain undisciplined individuals in the Falange. Amongst the latter there was doubtless a good deal of pro-German sentiment and activity, but the organization as such had been most rigorously instructed by the Caudillo to observe real neutrality as between the Axis and the United Nations, and the Minister believed the responsible heads of the Falange were seriously and honestly trying to carry the Caudillo’s instructions into effect.

Respectfully yours,

Carlton J. H. Hayes
  1. Gen. Francisco Franco.