AS GERMANY'S PARTNER

Evening Star, Issue 25005, 26 October 1943, Page 3

AS GERMANY'S PARTNER

ITALY'S ENTRY INTO WAR

MUSSOLINI'S RESPONSIBILITY

LONDON, October 24. Revelations about Italy's entry into the war were made by Marshal Badoglio in an interview with a correspondent ot ' Tho Times ' in South Italy. Marshal Badoglio said that Mussolini m August, 1939 tried to persuade Hitler not to go to war, but Hitler replied that the question concerned Germany alone. Mussolini then said that Italy could not be ready before 1943, and declared Italian non-belligerency. Marshal Badoglio added: Everyone was convinced that we should not get into the war. Then come May, 1940, with the swift German victories in France and Belgium. Mussolini was convinced that the war was about to end, and without warning his collaborators he wrote to Hitler at the end of May that by June 10 he would declare war. To his military- leaders remonstrances, based on lack of preparation, "Mussolini replied: 'ln September, 1940, everything will be over. I need some thousands of dead to enable me to sit at the peace table as a belligerent.' Count Ciano was against our entry into the war, the responsibility for which rests exclusively on Mussolini." , Answering other questions, Marshal Badoglio said: "I am convinced that Italian policy towards France, Yugoslavia, and Greece after the war will be one of cordial and open friendship. Everyone in Italy regarded the attack against Greece as a wicked thing." Marshal Badoglio said he had not seen Mussolini since November, 1940, when he resigned as chief of the general staff. The coup against Mussolini was carried out within tho Fascist Party. Not one of the numerous members of the rank and file lifted a hand to save him. He fell like a rotten pear."