865.01/664: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers ( Wiley ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 4:—4:30 a.m.]
1907. From Murphy. According to our Military Mission in Brindisi, Badoglio is most depressed by the present situation.
He advised the King strongly against going to Naples. The first intimation that Badoglio had that the King was leaving for Naples today was advice received from MacFarlane. Badoglio categorically stated to MacFarlane that there is no solution to the present situation without the abdication of the King. He believed that the King will probably have unpleasant surprises after arrival in Naples and is [Page 418] certain that neither Croce nor Sforza nor probably Rodino will have anything to do with the King. Badoglio believes it unlikely that either De Nicola or Porzio would accept office under the King. If they did, Sforza and his friends would probably make serious trouble.
Badoglio showed MacFarlane a copy of a letter sent by him to King on October 24 in which he informed the King that it would be impossible to establish a representative government without the King’s abdication. Badoglio agreed that the King would probably return from Naples having accomplished nothing. We would then be confronted by a situation which could only be regulated by the earliest possible abdication of the King. Badoglio hopes that by then the King would have realized the hopelessness of his position. In the interval Badoglio promises to carry on loyally in accordance with the terms of the armistice.
With reference to my no. 1888, November 1, 11 p.m.,89 MacFarlane telegraphed on November 2 that he had informed Badoglio that evening that Roatta90 must be replaced. Badoglio stated that he fully understood the situation but that it would be necessary to obtain the King’s approval before taking action. He also said that he would have difficulty replacing Roatta and hoped that the Allies might be able to let him have one of the captured Italian generals, probably Messe. This is now under consideration by the CINC.91
Sent to Department, repeated to London, Madrid and Lisbon. [Murphy.]