Office of the Historian

033.6511/10–2148: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy (Dunn) to the Secretary of State

Rome, October 21, 1948—2 p. m.

4066. Late yesterday I took up with Sforza substance of Deptel 2594, October 19.1 Foreign Minister appeared entirely in agreement re desirability of proposed visit General Marras2 to US as guest of US Army. He pointed out, however, that it would not be timely to make public announcement of visit at present in order it might not be linked with current press stories re recent visit Rome of Secretary Marshall.3 Sforza said that if two stories were tied together it would have effect of nullifying very beneficial effects of both. I inclined to agree with him and strongly recommend no press release be prepared until shortly before Marras departure. During next days we will discuss with Foreign Office and Minister Defense suitable text for announcement. My first reaction here is to link up this invitation to visit of General Bradley in Italy last year.

Sforza requested that Military Attaché extend invitation through Minister Defense and said that he would speak directly with Pacciardi in favor of acceptance. Willems is also informing Marras in confidence in order that he can make necessary plans. We assume invitation includes US military air transport for Italian Chief of Staff and would be grateful if Department could confirm foregoing with Department of Army as soon as possible. Agree fully with MAR 4544 and strongly recommend above means of transport be authorized since effect here of visit would be considerably diminished should Marras depart as commercial passenger.

Dunn
  1. In this telegram, not printed, Dunn was instructed to see Sforza and say that the U.S. Army had requested that an invitation be extended to General Marras to visit the United States for about three weeks beginning November 12, the purpose of the visit to see U.S. Army installations and to observe the organization, training, and equipment (033.6511/10–1248).↩
  2. Gen. Efisio Luigi Marras, Chief of the Italian Army General Staff, 1947–1950.↩
  3. For Secretary Marshall’s visit in Rome, see pp. 883 ff.

    Press summaries regarding Secretary Marshall’s visit are to be found in Rome telegram 4047, October 19 (865.9111 RR/10–1948), Rome telegram 4058, October 20 (111.11 Marshall, George C./10–2048), and in Rome telegram 4074, October 21 (865.9111 RR/10–2148).

    ↩
  4. Not found in Department of State files.↩