740.00119 EW/8–2545: Telegram
Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, to the Secretary of State
[Received August 26—3:36 p.m.]
3381. In conversation with CoS (Chief of Staff) last evening, he referred to Secretary’s statement with regard to revision of Italian [Page 1031] armistice terms and asked whether we had received any further info thereon. We replied that we had not heard anything recently but, of course, there had been some discussion of revision of Italian armistice terms with which the British Ambassador at Rome was fully familiar. We then communicated to him info contained in our 3117, July 30.34 He asked if we had any specific suggestions to make in this regard whereupon we took the opportunity to talk to him along the lines of Rome’s No. 1983 of July 15 to Dept.35 General Morgan stated he was most interested and wondered what, if any, action should be taken at AFHQ. He said that he would not wish SAC to be “caught napping” if the Council of Ministers in London should suddenly send an urgent request to Caserta for a draft of revised Italian armistice terms, and suggested that we confer with G–336 planners and our British colleagues with a view to getting something down on paper to be ready for transmission to London or Washington if and when SAC should be requested to provide a draft of revised Italian armistice terms. We welcomed his suggestion and unless instructed to the contrary, we shall proceed along the lines of Rome’s 1983 of July 15.
- Not printed; it reported that the British Ambassador at Rome had received a directive from the British Foreign Office to work out a modus Vivendi for the Allies in Italy (740.00119 Control (Italy)/7–3045).↩
- Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. i, p. 701. The telegram contained summary of a draft agreement suggested for replacement of the Instrument of Surrender.↩
- Army general staff section dealing with matters of operations and training.↩