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Italy Joins Hitler at Midnight
Plenty to celebrate at Munich on June 18, the day after new French leader Marshal Petain had sued for peace with Germany. Beneath the rare smile Hitler was annoyed over Mussolini's vulture-like entry into the fray and his half-hearted attacks on France. "We are obliged to Help Germany," Cries The Duce Mussolini plunged Italy into war on Germany's side against England and France last night, when in a 14-minute speech he declared to 250,000 people in front of his Rome residence that he had informed the British and French Ambassadors of his decision. "Duce, Duce!" cried the crowd, which had booed at the mention of the Allies. Then a military band played. "The Western plutocratic democracies," said Mussolini, "have always stopped the march of the Italian people. (Loud boos and catcalls.) Italy has done all it possibly can to arrest this horrible war. 'NO INVASION' - PLEDGE TO NEUTRALS "We are resolved to fight on Continental and sea frontiers, where our people are suffocating. I solemnly declare that Italy does not intend to involve other peoples in this struggle either by land or by sea. But he made it clear that Italy's intentions toward them depended on their continued neutrality and specifically mentioned Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey and Egypt. "Italy." he continued, "has taken risks and measures sacrifices of war on behalf of her honor. It is our continental frontiers and our maritime frontiers which are at stake; 45,000,000 men have the right to a big place in the sun.
Italy and her Colonies Thus Italy's entry into the war endangers her retention of her empire overseas - Abyssinia, Italian Somaliland and Eritrea "Germany Troubled' Germany is troubled for her existence and we are obliged to help her. Italians, I said to Berlin, 'When we have a friend we march with him.' " The crowd shouted "Sieg heil, Sieg heil!" "A great people," he resumed, "cannot permit others to hamper its development. King's Approval "The King Emperor has given his full approval to this great decision. Our King, who has always understood the soul of our people. "In this moment our thoughts are with the King Emperor and the great Fuehrer of the German nation!" The crowds continued cheering for five minutes after the speech. Banners were carried bearing the names of towns and territories claimed by Italy. The city was beflagged. As reported by the Daily Sketch
Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, informed the British and French Ambassadors in Rome yesterday afternoon - before the Duce spoke - that a state of war would exist from midnight, June 10. In Berlin, the Nazi Foreign Minister, Von Ribbentrop, in a statement to the Press, declared that Italians and Germans would fight shoulder to shoulder until "the rulers of England and France are ready to respect the vital rights of both our nations." "Our victory," he said, "is guaranteed by the indomitable power of the German and Italian nations and by the unshakeable friendship between our two great leaders, Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini." "Let Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Egypt and Greece take note of these words of mine, for it will depend entirely upon them if they are fully confirmed or not." M. Paul Reynaud, the French Premier, declared in a broadcast last night: "It is at this very moment when France, wounded but valiant and devoted, is fighting against German hegemony for its own independence as well as for that of the whole world, that Mussolini has chosen to declare war on us. 'CARRYING OUT PLANS' "And for what reason did Mussolini decide that blood must flow? "When at 4:30 this afternoon our Ambassador in Rome asked this question of Count Ciano, the reply was: 'Mussolini is only carrying out the plans which he made with Hitler.' "Hostilities begin at midnight. France enters this war with a clear conscience. France cannot die." As reported by the Daily Sketch |
