The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-07-20
CIANO'S DIARY

copyright, 1945, for the Star-News and
The Chicago Daily News, Inc. All rights
reserved for all countries, including right
Of translation.)
Sept. 26-Nov. 8, 1912.
A sleepy Ciano heard the first
news of Allied landings in North
Africa from Nazi Foreign Minister
Won Ribbentrop whose military ex-
perts h a d expected something
quite different when the mighty
Allied convoy steamed east from
Gibraltar, according to the diary
of Count Ciano. Mussolini's son-ln-
law.
Disaster followed disaster for
the Axis. Only three days before
the Moroccan and Algerian land
ings of Nov. 8, Ciano recorded that
the Libyan lines of Nazi Field
Marshal Rommel had collapsed
before the British 9th Army drive,
and a day later that the Axis de-
feat had become rout.
The Allied convoy was spotted
Nov. 4 and the Italian general
staff guessed its correct destlna-
ton. The Germans, Ciano SAID,
expected the landings immediate
|ly behind Rommers positions In
Tripolitania, or a new effort to re-
lieve the Mediterranean Island
fortress of Malta.
II Duce was worried by an
amoeba which one of Italy's fore
most physicians said he had dls-
covered and by gossip OF his al
fair with Clarette Petaccl. He
took refuge in Renaissance history
when. he aid, everyone had a
lover. No one had the right to
Judge him. Mussolini declared.
C;ano wrote:
SEPT. 26-'I receive letter
from Edda which disturbs me
great deal.
"Dear Gallo: My father Is
not well-stomach pains, irrltabll-
ity, depressions, etc.-mother
paints a rather dark picture OF u
in my opinion it's the old ulcer
a again . They made X-ray pic
lures of every kind, all negative
but a doctor was never called.
So far the only measures have
been tears and curses.
"'Though it was beautiful day
7 had a sense of suffocation anc
of fear. Maybe because l am tlreo
and feel poi IN e d. Tonight
haven't slept a wink because, as
the song says, all through the
night with candle in hand l huntec
the horrid, ugly beast in vain.
Hundreds of mosquitoes attacked
nv unprotected bed. That's Capri
for you. 1 embrace you al
fectionately, Edda."
SEPT. 27-"Il Duce realizes thai
military events, particularly the
resistance at Stalingrad, have bit
ten deeply into the morale OF the
population.
Italian Leader
Blunders at Fete
Dinner for the representative
of the Tripartite pact. A heav.
atmosphere. The only thing O.
note was the blunder of Caval
Hero Qtalian commanderin-chief)
Trying to charm the japanese
ambassador, he gave him news o
successes at Stalingrad. Between
their English, it came out tina
Stalingrad had fallen. The rumo
> spread through the hall until tn
Germans, to Cavallero's embar
: rassment, took measures to den,
i, it. A Japanese general was con
graduating the assistant German
military attache on the victory
The German, in his harsh Italian
| said, Nonsense.
OCT. 4 -'Castellani (prominen
Italian physician) sends me a di
agnostic report on II Duce. He ha
discovered an amoeba. Personal
| ly, l believe he invented it. Al
though he feels some pain, Mrs
solinis appearance is good, an
his capacity for work is undimin
ished."
OCT. 7-''Dr. Kesterer, the maj
Himmler calls the magic Budda
J who cures everything by massage
S has told me that Hisnmler an
l Won Ribbentrop are at daggers
: points, but that Himmler is pow
1 erful and Ribbentrop will be liqu!
r dated because he is insane an
: ILL Even Hitler seldom receive
t him. :"
OCT. "a long conferenc
with Gen. Arne, head of the mil
t tary secret service. All of tn
t information suggests that the Ar
e glo-Saxons are plsnning to land i
0 force in Africa, from where the
r intend to strike their blows agains
e the Axis. Italy is geographical
and logically the first objective. :.
: OCT. 10-"In the afternoon,
i meeting to discuss Greece.
Greece can no longer give any
: thing for the simple reason ths
i it has nothing. If we continue o
: the present basis, complete banl
ruptcy will r su II within tw
:, months. The middle class alread
), is obliged to offer its jewels, it
t bed, at times even it's daughter.
in order to live
S ''Mussolinis health remains ur
c changed. We do not know why
and nothing is said, but he suffer
e severe stomach palms,
OCT. Ill receive Hirnmler {
: the station. The memory {
e the front is a. nightmare, and b