852.6363/746: Telegram

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

680. Your 648, March 20, 1 p.m.16 Foreign Minister made a strong personal plea to me this morning that we furnish the modest amounts of aviation gasoline requested. He reminded me that Spain was showing more and more understanding of the international situation, that he was anxious to hasten this tendency, which was favorable to us, and that he hoped we would not do anything to embarrass his efforts. He said that Spain of course would consent to any kind of supervision of use of this gasoline we might choose to undertake. I said I would renew my efforts.

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Iberia has suspended all services because of lack of gasoline. It has informed public, suspension temporary and due to lag in tanker arrivals and one tanker laid up for repairs. Public knows it was torpedoed by Germans. Only airlines now operating in Spain are German and Italian lines operating from Berlin and Rome to Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon. Consequently the Axis is left with a monopoly in this important service.

Joint Chiefs of Staff will doubtless wish to bear in mind that Foreign Office has repeatedly assured us Spain will resist aggression from either side and that Franco himself has told the Germans this several times. If we are to give Spain assistance in event of attack by Germany we shall want to have available in Spain at least minimum quantities of aviation gasoline.

I repeat that Military and Naval Attachés and Colonel Hohenthal agree with me that while no military risk is involved in agreeing promptly to make aviation gasoline available to Spain the possible military advantages are considerable.

British Ambassador17 concurs fully in my recommendations and is telegraphing London urgently today.

I hope a favorable decision can be reached promptly.

Hayes
  1. Not printed; it informed the Embassy that urgent consideration was being given to the proposal that aviation gasoline be sent to Spain (852.6363/724).
  2. Sir Samuel Hoare.