Rome Embassy Files 711.9 Italy, Vol. xxxii
The American Ambassador in Italy (Kirk) to the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs (De Gasperi)
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to inform you that the Government of the United States of America proposes to release for publication [Page 1081] on November 6, 1 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, the armistice terms with Italy, in view of the general agreement that there no longer exist objections to their publication, together with the amending Protocol and General Eisenhower’s letter of September 29, 1943, to Marshal Badoglio. Simultaneously there will be published the “Cunningham-De Courten Agreement” and amendment together with Admiral De Courten’s statement of November 17, 1943, and a commentary demonstrating how, in practice, the armistice restrictions have been modified, and giving the substance of the financial and political directives which have been received from time to time by the Supreme Allied Commander permitting modification in the application of the armistice terms.
In advising you of the foregoing, I have the honor to state that my Government would appreciate the concurrence of your Government in the agreed commentary and that, in that event, it would be glad to have the Italian Government join in simultaneous release of the above-mentioned documents. In view of public pressure in the United States for publication of the armistice terms, my Government could not accept postponement of their publication and has expressed the hope that the Italian Government will not raise the question of further consultations.4
I avail myself [etc.]
- The foregoing paragraph is based on telegram 1992, November 2, 1945, 4 p.m., to the Ambassador in Italy, not printed.↩