740.00/1995: Telegram
The Chargé in Italy (Reed) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 1—3:18 p.m.]
289. My telegram No. 286, July 29, noon.16 The British Ambassador17 with whom I had a long conversation this morning did not seem to be much impressed by reassuring statements which Ciano has recently been making to foreign diplomatic representatives regarding the general European situation and the pacific intentions of the Axis powers. He expressed the opinion that granted the Italian Government is not contemplating any military adventure and is counseling prudence in Berlin and even if Ciano believes what he had told our Ambassador, and more recently the Soviet Chargé d’Affaires, namely, that he is satisfied that Germany does not intend to provoke a war, all this is of relatively minor importance as the real decision rests with Berlin. A great deal depends he thinks on whether Hitler feels it necessary to present the party rally at Nuremberg with a new success. If Hitler does not, things may go on as they are for some time to come; if he does, Loraine believes that he will not take into consideration such a success in Danzig or the Corridor, as he must now realize that the attempt would mean war with Great Britain and France. Loraine considers it far more likely that Hitler will strike against a nonguaranteed state such as Slovakia or Hungary, possibly the latter as he already has the former pretty much under his control. [Page 202] Hitler would then in effect say to Great Britain and France “Here I am, what are you going to do about it?” There were, however, said Loraine, signs that Hitler was “pulling in his horns” and he referred in this connection to the fact that neither the Prince Regent of Yugoslavia nor the Bulgarian Prime Minister had been subjected to any undue pressure on their recent visits to Berlin.
The French Chargé d’Affaires with whom I also talked today was inclined to take a rather calm view of the situation. He stressed particularly the subsidence of the Italian press and radio campaign regarding Tunis, Suez, and Djibouti which according to his observations was at the present time merely being kept at a point where it would not languish completely.