Salisbury: Allied ultimatum to Italy may result from parley
Roosevelt and Churchill are also expected to fix timetable for invasions of Europe
By Harrison Salisbury, United Press staff writer
London, England –
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill will probably fix a timetable for Allied invasions of Europe and frame a surrender ultimatum to Italian Premier Marshal Pietro Badoglio, London observers speculated today.
The quickest possible method of defeating Germany will keynote the conference, these quarters said, and it is possible that a supreme commander will be named for the final offensive. Gen. George C. Marshall, U.S. Chief of Staff, and Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander in the Mediterranean, have been mentioned most frequently for such a post.
Previous indications have been that the main Allied invasion of Europe would be launched after heavy bombing of German industry, but Germany’s jittery reaction to the present Allied air offensive pointed to a possible revision in the timetable and plans as a whole.
Allied strategy, militarily and politically, in the event of Adolf Hitler’s sudden deposal may also be decided, though it was certain that the Allied terms to Germany – as to Italy – would remain “unconditional surrender.”
Messrs. Roosevelt and Churchill are expected to advise Badoglio that unless he capitulates at once, the Allies will invade the Italian mainland as quickly as possible.
This ultimatum, it was believed, will emphasize that failure of Italy to surrender will mean an Allied refusal to deal with any government under Badoglio in the future.
Though it has never been officially confirmed, best evidence indicated that Italy has forwarded at least two peace proposals to the Allies.
The initial one was understood to have reached Gen. Eisenhower through a neutral source a few days after Badoglio succeeded Benito Mussolini as Premier. It asked that Italy be permitted to revert to neutral status, thus denying the Allies the use of the Italian mainland for an assault on Germany. It was rejected or merely ignored.
A second proposal was reported to have been sent several days ago, also through neutrals. No details of its provisions were known. Lack of response indicated it was equally unacceptable.
Messrs. Roosevelt and Churchill will probably make known their attitude to Italy through a joint statement or through a third party.
Russia to be discussed
The two chiefs of state are also expected to assess the situation on the Russian front, particularly as to whether the German retreat was due solely to Russian pressure or a desire to shorten the defensive front to permit large-scale transfers of troops to Western Europe.
There is a general impression in London that they will take special measure to increase Anglo-American collaboration with Russia, especially in view of the fact that the Soviets have no top diplomatic representatives in either London or Washington at the moment.
Maxim Litvinov, Ambassador to Washington, is still in Moscow, and Ivan Maisky, Ambassador to London, has been made an assistant foreign commissar in Moscow.
Messrs. Roosevelt and Churchill must also carefully assess the temperature of the German satellites, particularly Finland, which is believed ready to jump out of the war at the first moment.
Strategy likewise must be devised to cope with the likelihood that the forthcoming months will see the overturn of pro-Axis governments in the Balkans.