740.0011 European War, 1939/84: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy ( Phillips ) to the Secretary of State

365. Loraine has given me a detailed account of the various steps which have been taken here by the Italian Government and by him during the last few days in an effort to prevent the present tragedy and after securing the consent of his Government he will give me a copy of a memorandum on the subject.29 In this connection he mentioned a further proposal which Mussolini made through Ciano to him and to the French Ambassador at noon yesterday which called for an armistice between the German and Polish armies to be followed by a conference of all the powers concerned. The Italian proposals were presented simultaneously to the German Government in Berlin and this accounted for the delay of the British Government in carrying out its pledges to Poland.

Phillips
  1. Not found in Department files.