-23-                            
 
 
ficance of German activities in that field is becoming increasingly
momentous.
 
 
                                                                  Even
from the Berlin angle, where the view of German activities abroad is
constantly and effectively clouded by press control and the party
propaganda machine, it has been quite apparent for some time that
National Socialist interest in Spain's civil strife was manifested by
more than moral support of the insurgent group.  Firmly convinced that
the Madrid Government had the support of Moscow, Germany, in concert
with Italy, on the grounds of combating a common enemy even prior to
the publicly announced Italo-German parallelism", and in spite of her
"adherence"
to the neutrality agreement, found ample reason actively to interest
herself in supporting the national insurgents.  Accusations, denials,
and recriminations on the part of both Fascist and Bolshevik factions
marked a period in which it became increasingly apparent that Spain was
likely to become a proving ground for the domination in Europe of one
or the other faction.
 
 
In this development the most important step of Germany, taken in unison
with Italy, was the recognition of a Franco government* before such a
government was established, thus underwriting insurgent success and
 
 
 
* Embassy's telegram No. 338 of November 18, 1936.