Office of the Historian

740.0011 European War 1939/9877a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Spain (Weddell)10

Washington, April 10, 1941—6 p.m.

184. At this crucial period in the struggle against totalitarian world aggression, I wish to emphasize the obligation resting upon every representative of this Government abroad to contribute in every way within his power to the success of that struggle. The Government and people of the United States have made it abundantly clear that we do not intend to stand on the sidelines, but that on the contrary we do intend to play our part in resisting the forces of aggression. It is therefore incumbent upon every representative of this Government, and in fact upon every American citizen abroad, to reflect in his own bearing and in his conversation with whomever he may come in contact the absolute determination of his Government and country to see this thing through to a successful conclusion.

The President relies upon you to make clear the scope of our national effort and determination to resist aggression to the civil and military leaders of the Government and of public opinion in Spain. I am confident that you will lose no opportunity in conversation with these leaders, and by every other means within your power, repeatedly to bring home the significance of our position and to stress our absolute [Page 888] conviction that the forces of aggression will be checked and defeated. You need have no hesitancy in expressing our determination and our convictions in the strongest terms.

I desire you to bring these considerations immediately to the attention of the members of your staff and of all our consular officers under your jurisdiction. At the same time every effort should be made to see that authoritative statements of our position, such as the declarations of the President in his speech of March 15 and my statement of April 24,11 are given the widest possible circulation. We are convinced that a continuous, forceful presentation of our position and of the scope of our national effort to resist aggression at this time will have a salutary effect upon official and public opinion in countries such as Spain which have not yet been drawn directly into the conflict, and will help greatly to counteract the cumulative effect of totalitarian propaganda.

I shall appreciate continuing suggestions from you looking toward the most effective presentation and dissemination of our position in Spain.

Hull
  1. Similar telegrams were sent to heads of diplomatic missions in Italy (No. 317, April 29), Finland (No. 64, April 25), Sweden (No. 147, April 25), Rumania (No. 235, May 6), and Portugal (No. 197, April 10). The telegram to the Minister in Portugal (No. 197, April 10) is identical except for the last paragraph which reads: “I desire to emphasize the particular importance of developing as close and friendly personal relations with Dr. Salazar as possible. It is our understanding that Dr. Salazar would welcome frequent contacts with you.” (740.0011 European War 1939/9955b)↩
  2. For texts of speech of President Roosevelt on March 15 and speech of Secretary Hun on April 34, 1941, see Department of State Bulletin, March 15, 1941, p. 277, and ibid., April 26, 1941, p. 491, respectively.↩