Office of the Historian

J.C.S. Files: Telegram

The Combined Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Allied Force Headquarters (Eisenhower)1

secret
urgent
Quebec, 18 August 1943.
1.
With the approval of the President and the Prime Minister the Combined Chiefs of Staff direct that you immediately sent[send] 2 staff officers, 1 U.S. and 1 British, to Lisbon to report upon arrival to the British Ambassador.2 For Eisenhower, Freedom , Algiers,[Fa]n 196, from the Combined Chiefs of Staff. They should take with them the Armistice terms already agreed and previously sent to you.3 The British Ambassador in Lisbon has been directed to arrange a meeting with General “C” at which your staff officers will be present.
2.
At this meeting a communication to General “C” will be made on the following lines:
a.
The unconditional surrender of Italy is accepted on the terms stated in the document to be handed to him. (He should then be given the Armistice Terms for Italy already agreed and previously sent to you. He should be told that these do not include political, economic or financial terms which will be communicated later by other means.)
b.
These terms do not visualize the active assistance of Italy in fighting the Germans. The extent to which the terms will be modified in favor of Italy will depend on how far the Italian Government and people do, in fact, aid the United Nations against Germany during the remainder of the war. The United Nations, however, state without reservation that wherever Italian forces or Italians fight Germans, or destroy German property, or hamper German movement, they will be given all possible support of the forces of the United Nations. Meanwhile, provided information about the enemy is immediately and regularly supplied, allied bombing will so far as possible be directed upon targets which affect the movement and operations of German forces.
c.
The cessation of hostilities between the United Nations and Italy will take effect from a date and hour to be notified by General Eisenhower. (Note: General Eisenhower should make this notification a few hours before Allied Forces land in Italy in strength.)
d.
Italian Government must undertake to proclaim the Armistice immediately it is announced by General Eisenhower, and to order their forces and people from that hour to collaborate with the allies and to resist the Germans.
(Note: As will be seen from 2c above, the Italian Government will be given a few hours notice.)
e.
The Italian Government must, at the hour of the Armistice, order [Page 1061] that all United Nations prisoners in danger of capture by the Germans shall be immediately released.
f.
The Italian Government must, at the hour of the Armistice, order the Italian Fleet and as much of their merchant shipping as possible to put to sea for allied ports. As many military aircraft as possible shall fly to allied bases. Any ships or aircraft in danger of capture by the Germans must be destroyed.
3.
General “Charlie” should be told that meanwhile there is a good deal that Badoglio can do without the Germans becoming aware of what is afoot. The precise character and extent of his action must be left to his judgment; but the following are the general lines which should be suggested to him:
a.
General passive resistance throughout the country if this order can be conveyed to local authorities without the Germans knowing.
b.
Minor sabotage throughout the country, particularly of communications and airfields used by the Germans.
c.
Safeguard of allied Prisoners of War. If German pressure to hand them over becomes too great, they should be released.
d.
No Italian Warships to be allowed to fall into German hands. Arrangements to be made to insure that all these ships can sail to ports designated by General Eisenhower immediately he gives the order. Italian submarines should not be withdrawn from patrol as this would reveal our common purpose to the enemy.
e.
No merchant shipping to be allowed to fall into German hands. Merchant shipping in northern ports should, if possible, be sailed to ports South of the line Venice–Leghorn. In the last resort they should be scuttled. All ships must be ready to sail for ports designated by General Eisenhower.
f.
Germans must not be allowed to take over Italian Coast Defenses.
g.
Make arrangements to be put in force at the proper time for Italian formations in the Balkans to march to the coast, with a view to their being taken off to Italy by United Nations.
4.
General Eisenhower’s representatives must arrange with General “Charlie” a secure channel of communication between Italian Headquarters and General Eisenhower.
  1. Paragraphs 2–4 of this message are based on the enclosure to C.C.S. 311, “Suggested Action on Italian Peace Feelers”, August 17, 1943 (not printed). For the discussion of this paper, sometimes referred to as the “Quebec Memorandum”, at the 110th Meeting of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, August 17, 1943, see ante, p. 876.↩
  2. Sir Ronald Hugh Campbell.↩
  3. i.e., the “short” or “military” terms, ante, pp. 519, 522, 565.↩