Rome calm to news
Populace sees invasion as another sign of Allies’ victory
Rome, Italy – (June 6)
The news of the invasion was announced to bewildered Romans over public loudspeakers at 1:00 p.m. CET today.
The people were prepared to believe it would succeed quickly after having seen the evidence of the power of the 5th Army. A few days ago, they saw a bedraggled, beaten army of Germans stream back northward. That has given them another idea of the outcome of the war.
There was no excitement. Yesterday the Romans had their excitement and today they were back to normal.
However, there is no doubt where the hearts of virtually all Italians lie, and that is with the allies. They hate the Germans and they hate war.
At the Vatican, the British Legation gave the news to the secretariat and the Pontiff. No one will follow the course of events more closely. The Pope received a large group of Allied officers this morning, greeting each one personally.