Imperial Valley press., 1943-09-08

Continued from Page ID
senior italian military representa-
tives should not return to Rome.
He is now in Sicily.
TO ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
Further, Marshal Badoglio ar
ranged to send the text of his proc
lamation to Allied headquarters"
Badoglio's proclamation as the
head of the italian government rec
ognized the impossibility of con-
tinuing 1.-The unequal struggle
against overwhelming power" and
said the armistice was requested to
avoid further and more grievous
harm" to the country.
Under terms of the armistice,
Badoglio pledged Italy to oppose
attacks from any other quarter" F"
which meant she would war against
Germany if the Nazis attacked
Italian soil.
The capitulation of Italy might
be expected to include the evacua-
ton by the Italians of any territory
taken by conquest since the war
began, including Greece and Jugo-
slavia.
Should that occur the Germans
will be strained to replace the
Italian occupation forces, particul-
arly at a moment when all German
fighting divisions are needed on the
Russian front.
Negotiated secretly without Hit
lers knowledge, according to Of
ficial reports, the armistice repre-
sented the most severe blow the
Germans had suffered and meant
that the original Axis was no more
The armistice was signed on the
fourth anniversary of the declara-
ton by Britain and France that a
state of war with Germany existed.
The Italian government bound it
self to comply with the political,
economic and financial conditions
which the Allies will impose later.
Italy fell out of the war just un-
der three years and three months
after she entered it on June 10,
1910.
The armistice was signed on the
day the British Eighth army
launched the invasion of southern
Italy. apparently explaining why no
resistance worth mentioning was
encountered. The Allies, however,
continued bombing the key centers
of Italy, presumably directing their
continuing offensive against the
German elements in control of
them.
SPECIAL RELEASE ISSUED
An hour after Eisenhower made
the announcement by radio, a spe-
cial release was issued, saying that
the Italian people were being in
formed by radio and leaflet of the
armiStice.
Italians" the leafsets said, back
ed by the might of the Allies, Italy
now has the opportunity of taking
vengeance on the German oppres-
sor and of aiding in the expulsion
of the enemy from Italian soil.'
The Italians were exhorted to see
that no single train carrying Ger
man material be permitted to pass
and that dock workers allow no
German ships to unload.
Sailors of the italian navy and
mercantile marine were being noti-
fled that 1.-The Germans have be-
come your enemies" But they were
asked not to scCttle their ships, in
stead sailing them if possible to
safe ports in North Africa, Malta,
Black Sea ports or wherever they
could be put into Allied hands.
The sailors were told to fly a
black or blue pennant and identify
themselves to Allied ships and
planes, to burn dim navigation
lights at night. and to follow all
directions of the United Nations
forces.
SEVEN BATTLESHIPS
The Italian Navy consists of seven
battleships, three aircraft carriers
building, two heavy cruisers, nine
lighter cruisers, 25 destroyers, ano
60 submarines.
Besides completing the Allied con-
troll of the Mediterranean, the new
acquisition of the Allies curtails
German U-Boat operations there.
With the use of Spezia, Pola
Taratna and Genoa naval bases
the Allies will be able to command
and blockade the French coast, a.
we'll as the Adriatic including tht
Yugoslavian, Albanian and Greel
coasts.
Italian shipping resources re.
manning in the Mediterranean art
estimated at 300 vessels totalins
100000 tons. Italy had 2.000,00'
tons of shipping in the Mediter