The British Prime Minister ( Churchill ) to President Roosevelt 93
495. Para 1. All my information goes to show that we should lose a lot in breaking up the present King Badoglio show. Victor Emmanuel is nothing to us but his coordination with Badoglio did in fact deliver the Italian Fleet which is rendering very useful service now and this same combination is at this moment holding the loyalties of a very large part of the unhappy Italian Army and people and of course of Italian Diplomatic Representatives everywhere. Why should we add to the burden of our British and United States soldiers on the march to Rome by weakening any of these aids? We ought not in my personal opinion to countenance a change in the Badoglio King Regime till we are seated in Rome and a really broad based Italian government can be formed.
Para 2. I understand Eisenhower in the main inclines to this view. Surely we should stick to what we have got till we are sure we can get something better and this can only be ascertained when we have Rome in our possession.
Para 3. I do not believe that Sforza counts for anything that will make men kill or die.
- Copy of telegram obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y.↩