Detroit evening times., 1943-09-16
CONTACTED ALLIES

ana bIltiSn brig. zen. henneu
Strong. They flew to Gibraltar,
where they took another plane TO
Lisbon Wearing civilian clothes,
they took all precautions 10 con-
ceal their identity.
on the night of Aug. 19 at 1913
o'clock. the negotiators met at the
private residence of the British
minister 10 Lisbon. The Italians
slipped in without being recog-
nlZed by German agents who were
constantly on the watch for any
Allied movements in the Portu-
guese capital.
There were formal introduc-
tionS. but no handshakes. Gen.
Smith read the armistice terms
one by one and stipulated that
they must be accepted uncondi-
tionally.
REASON FOR DELAYS
Neither then nor later was
there any argument over the
terms and the only delays were
due 10 geographical difficulties
and the problem Of communica-
tlons.
Smith and Strong returned 10
headquarters by the same route
and reported 10 Eisenhower. But
Castellano and Montenari were
delayed several days awaiting the
arrival of the ambassador from
Chile. They finally returned by
special train with the remainder
of the delegation. taking with
them a small secret radio set.
The Germans let them cross the
French Italian border without
examining their baggage.
Meanwhile. a second Italian
general turned up in Lisbon,
bringing with him the British Gen.
Carton DeWiart. DeWiart had
been taken prisoner by the Italians
in 194l when his plane landed on
the wrong side OF the lines in the
African desert.
DeWisrt, who Is conspicuous
figure, was quickly sent 10 Eng
land before NaZi agents in Lisbon
recognized him. The Italian gen.
eral was sent 10 Eisenhower's
headquarters, where he explained
that his superiors were worried
over Castelano's delay and had
sent him 10 investigate and. If
necessary, complete negotiations.
MEETING IN SICILY
On Aug. u Castellano. then IN
Rome. communicated with Eisen-
hower's headquarters by radio and
a meeting was arranged in Sicily
for Aug. 81. That morning Cas-
tellano and Montenari landed at
Sicilian airfeld in the generals
tri-motored plane. They were
taken 10 Allied advanced head
quarters. where they met Gems.
Smith and Strong.
The Allies had expected an i'm
mediate signing of the armistice.
but a hitch developed. Castellano
said conditions had changed and
the Italian government no longer
was free agent because the
Germans had occupied the
country.
Smith and Strong insisted that
the Italians give a definite an
swer. They said the Allies would
go ahead with the plans regard
less. neceSsitating Castellano's
return 10 Rome by plane that
same evening.
Castellano agreed 10 send a
message by midnight Tuesday
saying whether il was possible
for Italy 10 sign the armistice.
But due TO atmospheric condi-
tions the reply was not received
until Z a m. Wednesday. Sept. 2.
1t said Italy had accepted the
armistice terms.
Castellano flew back 10 Sicily
that same morning. Another hitch
developed over whether he was
empowered TO sign. Urgent mes
sages few back ana forth between
Sicily and Rome and finally, at
4:30 p. m. authorization came
through from Badoglio.
SIGN UNDER OLIVE TREE
The signing by Smith and Cas-
tellano took place Immediately
afterward in a tent under an
olive tree in eastern Sicily on an
ordinary American barracks ta-
BILE. The signatories borrowed
fountain pens and afterward
broke branches from the olive
tree and exchanged them.
Witnesses were Eisenhower.
Strong. Commodore Dick, chief
of staff 10 Admiral Sir Andrew
Browne Cunningham; Gen. Rocks,
assistant chief of Eisenhower
staff; Robert Murphy and Harold
Macmillan. American and British
representatives in North Africa.
and Montenari.
Despite Castellano's fights 10
and from Rome and the frequent
exchange of radio messages, the
Germans never learned that nego-
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