740.0011 European War 1939/29643
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of
State (Welles)
[Washington,] May 24, 1943.
The Apostolic Delegate called to see me this afternoon at his request.
The Delegate handed me the memorandum attached herewith which has to do
with the possible bombing of the city of Rome. The Delegate added that
the views of the Holy See with regard to this question were already so
thoroughly known that he did not feel it necessary to say anything
further with reference to this communication.
[Annex]
Memorandum
In view of the discussion in the House of Commons last week in which
it was stated on behalf of the Government that the Allies would not
hesitate to bomb the city of Rome if that became necessary or useful
for the conduct of the war, His Eminence, the Cardinal Secretary of
State, has directed the Apostolic Delegate in Washington to inform
the Government of the United States that the Holy See reaffirms its
often expressed attitude regarding such sad eventuality. The Holy
See ardently hopes that such bombardment will not occur, and repeats
that the Holy Father would be constrained to express vehement
protest against such action.
The Holy See has already manifested the grave reasons for which Rome
should be saved from the horrors of aerial attack, and for its part
has urged and obtained the removal of Axis military objectives from
the Eternal City.
In presenting this matter again to the Department of State, the
Apostolic Delegate begs to recall the specific remarks of his
memorandum of December 4, 1942,22 which was submitted to the Honorable Mr. Berle,
Assistant Secretary of State.