The Rosary, the Republic and the Right by Karl J. Trybus

Author:Karl J. Trybus [Trybus, Karl J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Europe, Austria & Hungary, Political Science, International Relations, General
ISBN: 9781845196141
Google: xVb2oAEACAAJ
Publisher: Sussex Academic Press
Published: 2014-01-15T04:17:19+00:00

FRANCE OUTLINES NON-INTERVENTION

France, as well as the United Kingdom, had serious concerns about the Spanish Civil War. Britain’s interests in Spain were centered on the economics of accessing raw materials necessary for Empire to continue its worldwide dominance. At the same time, Britain would not want other states—like the USSR, Italy, or Germany—gaining influence in the Mediterranean.41 Unlike Britain, France shared a border with Spain, and the French Government was concerned the “Civil War” could possibly spill across the Pyrenees.42 In addition, the French Government worried the conflict in Spain could either hamper or outright prevent clear communication between the métropole and its important North African colonies.43 Finally, like Spain, France’s government was a coalition of leftist parties known as the Popular Front and French politics were deeply polarized. President Léon Blum faced a dilemma—while the more radical parties in his political coalition supported the Popular Front Republican Government of Spain, British plans for neutrality in the conflict appeared more powerful.44 Even though the French did not push for Non-Intervention in Spain first, once Blum’s Government accepted neutrality on 25 July 1936, French representatives worked to communicate its position throughout Europe. After April 1938, Édouard Daladier’s government maintained the policy of non-intervention, but conservative members of the French army wanted to recognize Franco’s government. The French army hoped a Rebel victory would prevent any possible spread of Bolshevism in the western Mediterranean—but still France avoided direct involvement. The Spanish Civil War became an internal problem for the Third Republic’s stability and warranted a quick solution.45 This section will explore the communications between French representatives and the Holy See surrounding the conflict in Spain. Like Britain, the French believed that the Holy See, as the worldwide leader of the Roman Catholic faith, might have been able to influence the trajectory of the Civil War. The French wanted the Vatican to support Non-Intervention to help the French first, and protect the Spanish second.

French Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvon Delbos,46 along with his British counterpart Anthony Eden, had been working on plans for Non-Intervention throughout the late summer and autumn of 1936. Once the British and French Governments had finalized the plan, they sent copies of the Non-Intervention Agreement to leaders throughout Europe, including the Vatican hierarchy in Rome. On 4 December 1936, Delbos sent a copy of the Non-Intervention plans, along with a personal telegram to the Vatican leadership. The plans for Non-Intervention—which were agreed upon by the governments of France, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Portugal and the USSR—outlined the goals as well as the rationalizations for the document. The six states would continue to meet at the Committee of London in order to prevent foreign involvement in Spain and try to create an international plan to mediate the crisis and push for peace.47 Despite the Holy See’s lack of direct involvement in the planning of the Non-Intervention Agreement, the French Foreign Minister had forwarded a copy of it to the Vatican as responses from the Vatican could be debated and might affect the final outcome of the approach.

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