Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

President Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill 1

secret
priority

From the President to the Former Naval Person secret and personal Number 334.

There are some contentious people here who are getting ready to make a row if we seem to recognize the House of Savoy or Badoglio. They are the same element which made such a fuss over North Africa.

I told the press today2 that we have to treat with any person or persons in Italy who can best give us first disarmament and second assurance against chaos, and I think also that you and I after an armistice comes could say something about self determination in Italy at the proper time.

Roosevelt
  1. Sent to the United States Naval Attaché London, via Navy channels.
  2. See Rosenman, pp. 344–345.