740.00119 EW 1939/10–1645
The Italian Ambassador (Tarchiani) to the Secretary of State 88
Note Verbale
The Italian Ambassador presents his compliments to the Honorable the Secretary of State and, upon instructions received, has the honor to bring once more to the attention of the American Government the vital importance of an immediate revision of Italy’s international status.
Through the successive events of cobelligerency, of effective participation given by the Italian people with its army and partisans to victory against Germany, of re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the United Nations, of the declaration of war against Japan and finally of the end of hostilities in Europe and the far East, the majority of the Armistice clauses are now more than ever, as it has been widely recognized, de facto and de jure obsolete.
Nevertheless, the armistice continues to weigh heavily on Italy’s difficult situation preventing the Government from regaining the minimum of prestige necessary to restore its authority and to promote economic normalization and the re-establishment of democratic life.
The Italian Government has highly appreciated the action recently carried out by the American and British Governments to put an end to this state of things through a speedy conclusion of a peace with Italy. Unfortunately, the negotiations in London,89 notwithstanding the efforts of the American Delegation and notwithstanding ample proofs of good will given by the Democratic Italian Government, reveal that the solution of the question is far from being immediate.
In this situation, the Government and the Italian people look once more to the United States, confident that the Washington Government with the same spirit by which it was inspired in carrying out the attempt to conclude an immediate peace, will not fail to take the initiative for a substantial change in Italy’s juridical status.
The United States Government certainly realizes the effects of such a decision now on the eve of the elections.
[Page 1070]Italy is well aware of the difficulties of technical and international nature that make an action of the United States Government laborious and therefore all the more deserving.
The attitude of the Russian Government in trying to place on the same level the Italian, Roumanian and Bulgarian situation, does not by any means appear justified, even irrespectively of the fundamental difference between the Italian regime and conditions in the two countries mentioned above.
Italy feels that no comparison is possible between her position and that of those countries: it is sufficient to point out the fact that Italy aligned herself against Germany more than one year before, when the Germans were still in full power, and has fought on the Allied side during two years also joining the war against Japan.
The Italian Government trusts therefore that, in spite of all the above mentioned difficulties, the United States Government, conscious of the vital importance of the problem, will be able to find and support a new juridical formula that may restore in the Italian people the faith which is necessary to progress on the path of a true democratic renewal.
The Italian Ambassador in London has been officially informed that conversations are taking place on the subject between the representatives of the British and United States Governments. He is keeping in contact with the Foreign Office with regard to this matter and is going to discuss the question with Mr. Bevin during these days.
The Italian Government feels confident that the American Government will keep it informed and will take into account Italy’s points of view.
The Italian Ambassador therefore is at the complete disposal of the Honorable the Secretary of State for any communication on the subject.
- Handed by the Italian Ambassador to the Under Secretary of State (Acheson) on October 16, 1945.↩
- First Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London, September 11–October 2, 1945; for documentation, see vol. ii, pp. 99 ff.↩