740.0011 European War 1939/34760: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Naples (Brandt)
301. For Kirk. Department’s 274, June 29,53 to Naples for you.
- 1.
- Joint Chiefs of Staff having considered substance of your telegram
relative to military aspects of Allied occupation of Rome (Naples’
259, June 2253) have
informed Department:
“Referring to the telegram from Mr. Kirk, attention is invited to the cablegram of Mr. Murphy of June 16, 1944 (Algiers 2034 as repeated to Naples for you)53 in which the statement is made that the Supreme Allied Commander had established a policy that the Allied troops in Rome will be kept strictly to a minimum in number, and which recites the cogent military reasons for the utilization of the Air Ministry building by the administrative echelon of the headquarters of General Alexander.”
- 2.
- Recent appeals received by the Department from the Holy See
through the Apostolic Delegate at Washington voicing the concern of
the Vatican for the safety of Rome in view of the presence there of
Allied troops were referred to Joint Chiefs of Staff who in reply
have informed Department as follows:
“It is pointed out that as one of the results of the recent successes in our Italian campaign, responsibility for the defense of Rome has now passed to the Allies. The Apostolic Delegate may be assured that the defense of Rome will be conducted with full appreciation of the special position which that city occupies. In this connection, however, the Joint Chiefs of Staff suggest that the papal authorities appear unduly apprehensive of danger to Rome in view of the present over-all military situation, especially as to the Allied air supremacy over Italy and other military means at hand. The Joint Chiefs of Staff consider that there is little likelihood of serious German air or other attacks upon the city of Rome now or in the foreseeable future.”
The Apostolic Delegate has been appropriately informed in the foregoing sense. Please inform Tittmann.
Sent to Naples for Kirk, repeated to Algiers for Murphy, and London.