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

J.C.S. Files

Note by the Secretaries of the Combined Chiefs of Staff¹

secret
C.C.S. 306

[Quebec,] 14 August 1943.

Rome an Open City

Press reports have been received that Rome has been declared an open city by the Italian Government.² General Eisenhower has indicated that he may make an attack against Rome tomorrow, 15 August.

Pending clarification of the situation, it is suggested that the following Fan message might be sent to General Eisenhower:

“Press reports this date indicate Italian Government has declared Rome an open city. Pending clarification and further instructions it is desired that you make no further attacks on Rome nor make any statements from your headquarters regarding the attitude of the United Nations with respect to the action taken by the Italian Government.”

H. Redman
J. R. Deane

Combined Secretariat

1. Circulated for consideration by the Combined Chiefs of Staff. By informal action the message in the final paragraph was approved and sent to Eisenhower as telegram No. Fan 191, August 14, 1943. The text was also sent to the White House Map Room at Washington, which forwarded it to Roosevelt, who was then at Hyde Park, as telegram No. White 84, August 14.

   For the discussion of this paper at the 108th Meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, August 15, 1943, see ante, p. 863.

2. For the notification of this action given by the Apostolic Delegate in Washington (Cicognani) to the Department of State on August 16, 1943, see ante, p. 594.