740.00116 E.W./10–1844: Telegram
The American Representative on the Advisory Council for Italy (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 19—10:10 a.m.]
549. If, at next meeting of ACI, I am called upon to express views on request of Italian Government outlined in my 537, October 17, 9 a.m., I propose to agree, in the absence of instructions to the contrary, to refer the matter to my Government for decision as to any steps which may properly be taken in the premises.
In connection with foregoing and with reference to Caserta despatch 817, October 12, 1944,48 transmitting list of atrocities, a message was received October 16, 1944 at AFHQ from Fifth Army reporting another German atrocity, this time committed about August 19, 1944, in village of Santa Anna, Tuscany, which at time had about 500 inhabitants. Substance of message as follows: According to evidence taken by Fifth Army war crimes commissioner more than 400 civilians in town including many women and children were massacred. Approximately 280 were machine gunned or burned in church and about 100 were burned in their houses or machine gunned attempting to escape and three children under two years of age were impaled. Responsible individuals have as yet not been identified. Believed that German action was in reprisal for Partisan activities.
549 to Department, repeated London as 35, Moscow 30, and by hand to AmPolAd as 78.
- Not printed.↩