740.0011 EW 1939/33982b Suppl.: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
3801. Personal for the Ambassador. We are most anxious to obtain at the earliest possible moment the reaction of the British Government to the views set forth in my 2958 of April 14, 3 p.m. in regard to possible measures for the preservation of Rome.
The Allied offensive in Italy announced in the afternoon communiqué from Naples make this matter exceedingly urgent.
The most important development since our telegram to you of April 14 was a proposal made to this Government on May 5 by the Spanish Ambassador43 who, under instructions from his Government, stated that the Spanish Government would be willing to be of service in making arrangements for the safety of Rome if the United States would indicate what it is that the Germans would be required to do in order to place Rome in a situation which would be satisfactory to the Allied military authorities. The Spanish Ambassador also said that if the appointment of a Commission for the protection of Rome would be acceptable to the United States the Spanish Government would be glad to see it organized with the participation of the Holy See. Presumably the Spanish Government made a similar proposal to the British Government.
The Spanish Government’s proposal was forwarded to the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff where it is now receiving consideration.
We have been informally advised that the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff see no imperative military reason why a proposal could not be considered to declare Rome an open city with a reservation of transit rights for both sides. Naturally we have no means of knowing whether Germany would agree to such a proposal but if the Germans rejected it the responsibility for further destruction in Rome would be placed squarely on Germany. You may of course inform Mr. Eden about the views on the military aspect of the question which we have received informally from our Chiefs of Staff.
Please telegraph the results of your conversation with Mr. Eden at the earliest possible moment, together with your comments and recommendations.