ADSS 1.83 Domenico Tardini, notes on threat of war

ADSS 1.83 Domenico Tardini, notes.

Reference: AES 4264/39 – handwritten notes

Location and date: Vatican, 04.07.1939

Summary statement: UK Minister, informed Maglione that Italy is mistaken if it thinks the UK will not go to war if Hitler occupies Danzig.  Maglione passed on the information to the Italian Ambassador to Holy See.

Language: Italian

Text:

Last Friday (1), the British Minister (2) told his Eminence that the Italian Foreign Office is probably making a mistake to think that if Hitler occupies Danzig Great Britain will not intervene.  The Minister emphasised instead that should this take place Britain will go to war. (3) Yesterday his Eminence summoned the Italian Ambassador (4) and communicated the British decision to him (5).

Notes: 

(1) 30.06.1939.

(2) D’Arcy Osborne (1884-1964), British Minister to the Holy See 1936-47.

(3) DPFP, Series 3, Volume 6, n275, p304, n2: Osborne reports to Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax a conversation with Cardinal Maglione, which seems to be the one of 30.06.1939.

(4) Bonifacio Pignatti (1877-1957) Italian Ambassador to the Holy See 1935-39.

(5) See Documenti Diplomatici Italiani, Series 8, Volume 12, n442, p337.  Pignatti reported the conversation to Ciano.