Metamorphosis of Non-Intervention

Abstract

In Spain things looked increasingly bad for the Republic. General Franco, confident of victory, expressed his gratitude for the valuable moral and material help which Hitler had given him, and he voiced the hope that he would soon be able to hoist his banner of civilization next to the one already raised in Germany. The encirclement of Madrid, together with Non-Intervention violations, worried the Russians. The Soviet Chargé d’Affaires in London stressed in the Non-Intervention Committee that unless violations were immediately discontinued, Russia would consider herself absolved of all obligations arising under the agreement.¹ She received no satisfaction. At one session at which violations were discussed, the Italian representative “after having energetically refuted and repudiated every single point of the allegations directed against Italy, declared that all these allegations were entirely fantastic and devoid of any foundation whatsoever”; ² Lord Plymouth denied the Soviet request to continue the discussion at a further meeting on the grounds there was lack of evidence that the agreement was being violated. Rumors started that the Soviets were planning to leave the Committee. “Indeed it is hard to believe,” said the Times,“that the Soviet Government however much they agree with Lord Plymouth’s attitude would immediately repudiate their engagements and abandon the neutrality which they have undertaken to observe.” ³