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  4. Document 549

033.6511/1–747

Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, January 7, 1947.

The Prime Minister and the Ambassador of Italy called at 12:00 noon at the White House to pay their respects to the President.

President Truman reaffirmed the American Government’s sympathy and full faith in Italy’s ability to rehabilitate herself. The President said that it is because of its faith in Italy that America has extended aid in the past and will do what it can in this present critical situation of the Italian people.

Mr. Truman said that he knew the Italians and the situation which they are in and he recalled that one of his beloved war buddy [buddies] of World War I was an Italian-American. The interview was general and the President again expressed his sympathy for the Italian people and the Italians in this country.2

(The President referred to the remarks that the Secretary of State made at the dinner last night at the Mayflower.)

  1. The authorship of this memorandum is not indicated, but presumably it was prepared by Ambassador Dunn or another officer of the Department of State.↩
  2. Tarchiani’s account of this meeting is in America-Italia, pp. 51–52.↩