Office of the Historian

740.0011 European War 1939/26517: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, December 14, 1942—7 p.m.
[Received December 15—9:40 a.m.]

5874. From Tittmann.53 No. 208, December 11. Cardinal Secretary of State54 told me today that in view of the Holy Father’s concern regarding the possibility that the city of Rome might be bombed he had formally recommended to the Italian Government that military objectives within the city limits be transferred elsewhere in order to remove pretexts for bombing. Cardinal Maglione added that while he had not yet received written assurances from the Italian Government that his recommendations would be followed, there nevertheless were indications that the transfer was actually in the process of being carried out. When I asked him whether he thought that this meant that Rome might eventually be declared an “open city” he replied rather vaguely “perhaps something to that effect”.

Cardinal said that he wished to communicate the foregoing to myself and my British colleague only and asked that it be kept confidential for the time being. [Tittmann.]

Harrison
  1. Harold H. Tittmann, Assistant to Myron C. Taylor, President Roosevelt’s Personal Representative to Pope Pius XII. Mr. Tittmann was in charge of affairs while Mr. Taylor was in the United States.↩
  2. Cardinal Luigi Maglione.↩