On Oct 22, 12:44 am, Don Pieper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> sent an article: "Winston Churchill ‘bribed Franco’s generals to stay out of the war"
Don, This week is awash with "discoveries" that are old hat. It's been known for years that WSC used bribes early in the war to influence Spain, but it would seem more likely that his instrument was Hillgarth, not March, who was later suspected of being a double agent. In dismissing the Spanish author Jose Rey-Ximena's book about Leslie Howard being Churchill's intermediary with Franco (upcoming, Finest Hour 141; see elsewhere on this list), Sir Martin Gilbert writes: "In Volume I of my Churchill War Papers (page 161, footnote 2), I identify Juan March, in a note from Churchill to Admirals Phillips and Godfrey, as capable of playing an important role 'in bringing about friendly relations with Spain....' The note anticipated Churchill’s meeting with Juan March at 5pm that afternoon. But the date was 26 September 1939. And Churchill's main man in Spain was Hillgarth.” Captain Alan Hillgarth, Naval Attaché in Madrid 1939-43 and Chief of British Naval Intelligence, Eastern Theatre, 1944-46, has several index entries in the War Papers, Volume III. On 29 April 1941 Churchill minuted Eden: “The basis of Captain Hillgarth’s policy is of the most secret character, and cannot possibly be mentioned.” Gilbert’s footnote explains that “Hillgarth had been personally charged by Churchill, at the end of May1940, with the task of keeping Spain out of the war. To this end Churchill had allocated $10 millon...for the necessary payments to Spanish officials, primarily senior army officers.” (569) The Hillgarth references clearly show that Churchill’s concern about Spain joining Hitler peaked in 1939-41, and was virtually non-existent by 1943 (when Leslie Howard was supposedly sent to Franco to keep Spain out of the war). --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ChurchillChat" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/ChurchillChat?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
