Roosevelt

This article is devoted to highlighting the international problems of the initial period of World War II that arose around the status of Gibraltar and the Canary Islands. Spain maintained military-political neutrality in the war. The countries participating in the armed conflict (USA, Great Britain, Nazi Germany) tried to use the territories belonging to Spain to their advantage. In 1941–1942 the British leadership developed several options for subordinating the Canary Islands to the UK. The article deals with operations Bugler, Chatney, Puma and Pilgrim.

The article examines approaches of the American authorities to questions of providing the state with a strategic raw material – oil, in the specific conditions of World War II. This evidence revealed  the different approaches of the heads of ministries and departments to Saudi Arabia. The author reveals the role of U.S. business to strengthen political and economic cooperation with the oil emirate. This article demonstrates that a thorough analysis of documents opens up new possibilities for the study of US-Saudi relations in the abovementioned period.