Hitler-Mussolini Letters ITALY DRAWS CLOSER TO WAR AGAINST ALLIES

Southland Times, Issue 25835, 21 November 1945, Page 6

Hitler-Mussolini Letters ITALY DRAWS CLOSER TO WAR AGAINST ALLIES

No. 2. As early as April 11, 1940, two full months before the actual thrust, Mussolini was itching to lay hands on France. He had worked up a fever of approval over Hitler’s invasion of Norway, and was pushing Italian military preparations to a point where his own country’s entrance into a losing war became only a matter of time.

Benito Mussolini, destined to end his day hanged head downward from the steel crossbeam of a petrol station in Milan, was convinced that Adolf Hitler’s lightning aggression against Norway would win the war for the Axis in Europe. His slavish approval of his partner’s cold-blooded attack upon the neutral kingdom is clearly expressed in this leter forwarded from the Palazzo Venezia on April 11, 1940, 48 hours after the German legions had marched triumphant through the streets of Oslo. FUHRER:

I am most grateful to you for having sent me your message announcing your action in the north and a second one describing its individual phases. It is superfluous to tell you that I approve your action completely since it prevented a French-English landing in Norway, a landing which, as you rightly say, would have created diffi-

culties in the situation for Germany. The Italian people have really admired the lightning speed of your action and have appreciated its inevitability.Mounting vexations of the blockade against Italian sea traffic have aroused in the Italian people a strong “stimmung” (mental attitude) against the Allies, and when they affirm differently in Paris and London they once again are confusing reality with their wishful thinking. I believe that French and English counter-measures on the Norwegian coast will be powerless to reverse a fait accompli whose far-reaching consequences I can already discern. BALKAN SITUATION I take this occasion to bring to your attention the Balkan situation and the ambiguous attitude of Roumania, which has accepted the usual AngloFrench guarantee. The fact that the Roumanian authorities decided to halt a flotilla of the intelligence service after it had travelled 200 miles up the Danube is a sufficient matter for concern. Nonetheless it is, I believe, in our common interest that that part of Europe be kept out of war —but here too we must be prepared to anticipate French and English moves. I confirm that tomorrow, April 12, the Italian Fleet will be on a complete war footing and I am accelerating the tempo of other arihed forces. I do not know whether the French ever seriously had any illusions on what Italy’s stand would be, but if they have had them, they now have undoubtedly lost them.

As for the Italian people, though it is desirous to delay to better prepare themselves, it is by now their conviction that they cannot avoid entering the war. I shall be very grateful Fuhrer, if you would keep me informed on eventual future developments and operations and please accept my cordial and comradely greeting.— MUSSOLINI. OPERATIONS AT NARVIK

Two weeks later, Mussolini elected to offer some advice to Hitler on holding the north Norwegian port of Narvik, outlet for iron ore and the first major target attacked by the British Fleet against German-conquered territory. Under date of April 26, 1940, which he termed the 18th year of Fascism, Mussolini wrote: FUHRER:

I thank you for your letter of April 18 in which you communicated to me the course of your operations in Norway. I feel that the Anglo-French attempt (the short-lived and futile Allied landing at Aandalsnes) has no serious possibilities and that, as you say, it has been undertaken primarily in order to throw a sop to public opinion in London and Paris.

Allow me now to tell you my opinion on Narvik. If there is a single possibility of holding it, it ■ must be done. Eventual evacuation of Narvik would be the object of speculation of grand scale by the Allies. (Editor’s note: The British launched numerous excursions against Narvik and lost heavily in their cruiser and destroyer fleet in fruitless efforts to dislodge the Germans from this vital harboui- in the spring and summer of 1940. Superior air power, however, gave the Germans the upper hand). I am preparing a letter which will be delivered to you in a few days. Please accept my even more comradely greetings.—MUSSOLlNl.

“STOP AND SEARCH” On May 2, 1940, Mussolini wrote to Berlin as follows: FUHRER: I believe that by this time you are acquainted with Reynaua’s (former French Premier Paul Reynaud) letter to me and my reply, of the Pope’s letter and my reply and the verbal message from (the late President) Roosevelt and my reply. The last one (Roosevelt’s) has such a marked evidence of threat that it explains the drastic nature of my reply. The British decision regarding the Mediterranean sea-lanes (intensifying the Admiralty’s ‘stop and search’ order) leaves us indifferent, and shows that the sea is not necessarily all England’s. The ‘stimmung’ of the Italian people is definitely against the Allies, and it will become decidedly more so after a speech that our Minister of Communications will make.

We are following with interest the events in Norway, and they fill us with enthusiasm. British publicity stunts have failed. And this failure is rich in its possible far-reaching repercussions. We have ordered the class of 1916 back to the colours by May 15, and other classes are to be called up successively, so that during the summer 2,000,000 men will be ready for battle. Accept, Fuhrer, my most comradely greetings.—MUSSOLlNl. [ln tomorrow’s instalment, Mussolini sends his congratulations to Hitler for his invasion of the Lowlands, and harps upon inevitability of Italian participation in the war.] (World Copyright Reserved)