Office of the Historian

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

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

secret
urgent
Algiers, 3 September 1943.

W–9077/47. This afternoon I was present1 while my Chief of Staff2 signed for me and General Castellano signed for Marshal Badoglio the short term military armistice with Italy,3 (To AGWar for Combined Chiefs of Staff and to USFor for British Chiefs of Staff signed Eisenhower cite fhdsc .) This is Naf 354. Formal signature4 will take place after the announcement of the armistice which as you know is to be timed to fit our operational plans. The present document was absolutely necessary as the basis for definite military planning with the Italian representatives and will be kept secret for the time being. At the final signing to take place later we will arrange to have the highest ranking Italian officials present. I repeat that today’s event must be kept secret or our plans will be ruined. This ends Naf 354.

  1. At Fairfield Camp, Sicily.↩
  2. General Walter B. Smith.↩
  3. For final text, see Department of State, Treaties and Other International Acts Series No. 1604; 61 Stat. (3) 2740.↩
  4. i.e., the “long” or “comprehensive” terms of surrender eventually signed at Malta, September 29, 1943.↩