Foreign Relations of the United States, Conferences at Washington and Quebec, 1943

740.00119 European War 1939/1579: Telegram

The Chargé at Vatican City (Tittmann) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret
us urgent

[Vatican City, August 8, 1943.]

This is Tittmann’s 145, August 8. Most secret.

Following is from a sure source:

1. The Badoglio Government would like to make peace with the Allies immediately.

2. It is prevented from doing so by German threat to occupy Italy and to take over control of the Italian Government in Rome.

3. Italian armed forces now in Italy are not strong enough successfully oppose the Germans. Two German armored divisions are at present moment in proximity of Rome.

4. Badoglio must therefore play for time in hope that Allies will be in a position to come to help of the Italians in opposing the Germans with sufficient aviation or possibly by effecting a landing on the peninsula, preferably in the north.

5. The suggestion that Badoglio Government may be playing the Germans against the Allies in hope of obtaining better terms from latter is to be excluded. The Government is motivated solely by fear of the Germans.

6. Hitler is in a vengeful mood against Italy and the Germans are seeking a pre[te]xt to occupy the country. German occupation would mean bloodshed.

7. Tension Italian and German troops is growing and an incident arising therefrom may furnish the Germans with the desired pretext. Popular uprisings could also furnish a pretext and could conceivably end in revolution and anarchy. The present state of tension cannot last for more than a few weeks at the most.

8. It is therefore necessary for the Badoglio Government to maintain its authority. In order not to undermine this authority the Allies should (a) refrain from attacking the Badoglio Government and (b) refrain from bombing the civilian population. It would also help if the Allies could inform the Badoglio Government as to any plans they may have in mind for Italy.

9. Attempts have been made to make known the foregoing to the authorities in Washington and London through Lisbon and Tangier. Recent indiscriminate bombings of Naples and cities in northern Italy, however, suggest that the information may not have reached its destinations.

Please inform London.

1. Sent to the American Legation at Lisbon and transmitted in telegram No. 1799 of August 14, 1943, from the Chargé” in Portugal (Kennan) to the Secretary of State; received in Washington in two parts at 5:05 and 10:30 p.m., August 14. The White House Map Room forwarded the text to Roosevelt, who was then at Hyde Park, in telegram No. White 85, August 15, 1943. A paraphrase was telegraphed on the same date to the United States Delegation at Quebec by the War Department.