740.00/2101: Telegram
The Ambassador in Italy (Phillips) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 22—5:40 p.m.]
322. I had an interview with Ciano this afternoon and referred to the hope which he had expressed during our last conversation that he would have a reassuring message to give me following his return [Page 306] from Salzburg.48 He replied that since his return he had passed through periods of pessimism and optimism, and that today he was inclined to be optimistic. The German-Soviet pact of non-aggression which was to be signed tomorrow had changed the situation completely, destroying the British-French encirclement plan and making it very doubtful whether the British and French could embark on war. Chamberlain, he said, had been building up public opinion in England for months to the necessity of some form of military alliance with Soviet Russia before the British could safely embark on war against Germany and he was confident therefore that now both British and French would have to recede from their former positive positions.
I said that it was naturally of great interest to me to know where the Italian Government stood in this difficult situation, that there were no apparent warlike preparations being made here, no warlike propaganda, and that the Italian people seemed to me calm and distinctly hostile to the idea of taking part in any war. I knew of course of the precautionary measures which were being taken but could not believe that Italy was planning to join with Germany in the event of a European war. Ciano did not undertake to refute any of the above remarks but merely referred to Italy’s obligations under the Italo-German treaty of alliance.49
In conclusion I expressed my earnest hope that the Italian Government was doing everything in its power to prevent the outbreak of the threatened cataclysm. Ciano remarked “There will be no cataclysm”; to which I said in reply that I did not feel so certain but I hoped he was right.
Ciano’s optimism is not shared by my British and Polish colleagues with whom I have been in contact today.
Repeated to Berlin, Paris and London.