Evening star., 1943-10-13
Italy Declares War on Germany
Joining Allies as Co-Be||igerent;
Badog|io Assai|s Nazi Terrorism
Premier Says All
Ties With Dreadful
Past Are Broken
By the Associated Press.

by tHe ASSOCldleC PTeSS.
Italy declared war on Germany
today as a co-belligerent of the
United Nations.
President Roosevelt, Prime Min
lister Churchill and Premier Stain
. announced the action, signifying ap-
proval of the United States, Britain
and Russia. Premier Marshal Pie
tro Badoglio of Italy notified Gen
Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme Al
lied commander in Italy, of his gov
ernment's decision to fight her for
mer ally.
BY this act all ties with the
dreadful past are broken and my
government will be proud to be able
to march with you on to inevitable
victory" Premier Badoglio said.
AS co-belligerent, Italy did not
gain stature of full-fedged ally.
The declaration was the second
great Allied diplomatic triumph in
two days Only yesterday Portugal
granted Britain the use Of the Azores
Islands at the crossroads of the At
lantic for antlsubmarine bases.
Some Italian troops and warships
already have been in action against
the Germans.
In joint statement released BY
the White House, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr..
Churchill and Premier Stain &C
cepted "the active cooperation OF
the Italian nation and armed forces
as a co-belligerent in the war against
Germany"
Badoglio to Head Government.
Italy thus turned against her
former partner a little more than a
month after her armistice with the
Allied powers.
In proclamation to the italian
people, Premier Badoglio said that
shoulder to shoulder. we must
march forward with our friends of
the United States, of Great Britain.
OF Russia, and of all the other United
Nations"
He said an Italian government
headed by himself, would be COM
pleted shortly and that represent
atives Of every political party would
be Invited to participate so that it
may constitute true expression of
democratic government.
The present arrangement will in
no way impair the untrammeled
right OF the people of Italy to choose
their own form of government when
peace is restored the Marshal said.
"1talians I inform you that his
majesty the King has given me the
task of announcing today, the 18th
day of October, the declaration of
war against Germany"
Acknowledge Pledge.
The British, Soviet and Ameri-
can governments acknowledged the
Italian pledge to submit to the will
OF the Italian people after the NaziS
have been driven from their home
land.
Mr., Roosevelt, Mr.. Churchill and
Premier Stain said it was under
stood that Nothing can detract
from tna absolute and untrammeled
right o. the people of Italy by con-
stltutloral means to decide on the
democratic form of government
they will eventually have"
But in the joint statement they
added that the relationship of CO.
belligerency of itself could not af-
feet the armistice terms. which re-
tain their full force and can be ad-
Justed only by agreement among the
Allied governments in the light of
the assistance which the Italian
government may be able to afford to
the United Nations cause"
Premier Badoglio advised Gen.
Eisenhower that he took great
pleasure in informing the general
that the Italian King had declared
war on Nazi Germany and that the
declaration would be handed by the
Italian Amba ssador in Madrid to the
German Ambassador at 3 pm.
Greenwich time) today.
Synchronizes Action.
The marshal asked Gen. Eisen-
hover to communicate the informa-
ton to United Nations governments
and to advise the Italian embas-
sizes in Ankara and Buenos Aires
and the legations in Bern, Stock
holm. Dublin and Lisbon.
In his proclamation to all Italians,
Premier Radoglio recalled that when
the armlstlCe was signed his govern
ment ordered Italian troops to re-
main with their arms at rest, but
be prepared to repel any act OF
violence from any source.
With synchronized action
which clearly reversed an order
previously given by some high au-
thority." Premier Badoglo said
German troops compelled some OF
our units to disarm, while in most
cases they proceeded to a decisive
attack against our troops. But