Royal Ship Rome Association

(September 3, 1943)

The following armistice conditions are presented by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Commanding General of the Allied Armed Forces, acting by proxy of the Governments of the United States and Great Britain and in the interest of the United Nations, and are accepted by Marshal Badoglio, Head of the Italian Government.

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1. Immediate cessation of any hostile activity by the Italian Armed Forces.

2. Italy will make every effort to refuse the Germans anything that could be used against the United Nations.

3. All United Nations prisoners and internees will be handed over to the Allied Commander-in-Chief immediately and none of them can now or at any time be transferred to Germany.

4. Immediate transfer of the Italian fleet and Italian aircraft to those  locations that will be designated by the allied Commander-in-Chief, with the disarmament details that will be set by him.

5. The Italian merchant ship may be requisitioned by the allied Commander in Chief to supply the needs of its military-naval program.

6. Immediate surrender of Corsica and of the whole Italian territory, both of the islands and of the continent, to the allies, to be used as a base of operations and for other purposes, according to the decisions of the allies.

7. Immediate guarantee of the free use by the allies of all airports and naval ports in Italian territory, without taking into account the development of the evacuation of the Italian territory by the German forces. These naval ports and airports will have to be protected by the Italian Armed Forces until this task is taken over by the Allies.

8. Immediate recall to Italy of the Italian Armed Forces from any participation in the war, in any area in which they are currently engaged.

9. Guarantee by the Italian Government, which, if necessary, will use all its available forces to ensure the prompt and precise execution of all the conditions of the armistice.

10. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces reserves the right to take any measures that he deems necessary for the protection of the interests of the Allied Forces, for the continuation of the war, and the Italian Government undertakes to take those administrative and other measures, which may be requested by the Commander in Chief, and in particular the Commander in Chief will establish an allied military government in those parts of the Italian territory, where he deems it necessary in the military interest of the allied nations.

11. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces will have full right to impose disarmament, demobilization and demilitarization measures.

12. Other conditions of a political, economic and financial nature, which Italy will have to undertake to implement, will be transmitted later.

 

The terms of this armistice will not be made public without the approval of the Allied Commander in Chief. The English text will be considered the official text.

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For Marshal Pietro Badoglio Head of the Italian Government signed Giuseppe Castellano,

Brigadier in charge of the Italian Supreme Command

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To Dwight Eisenhower, General of the US Army, Commander in Chief of the Allied Forces, signed Walter B. Smith, Maj. Gen. of the US Army Chief of Staff.

Present:

Hon. Harold Macmillan, British Resident Minister at Allied Forces Headquarters

Robert Murphy, personal representative of the President of the United States

Royer Dick, Commodore of the Royal British Navy, Chief of Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Lowell W. Rooks, Maj. Gen. of the US Army Deputy Chief of Staff, C-3, at Allied Forces Headquarters ·

Franco Montanari, official Italian interpreter

Brigadier Kenneth Strong, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2, at the Allied Forces Headquarters

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From: World War II - Documents

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Original version in English

 

Sicily, September 3, 1943.

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The following conditions of an Armistice are presented by General DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces, acting by authority of the Governments of the United States and Great Britain and in the interest of the United Nations, and are accepted by Marshal PIETRO BADOGLIO, Head of the Italian Government:

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1. Immediate cessation of all hostile activity by the Italian armed forces.

2. Italy will use its best endeavors to deny, to the Germans, facilities that might be used against the United Nations.

3. All prisoners or internees of the United Nations to be immediately turned over to the Allied Commander-in-Chief, and none of these may now or at any time evacuated to Germany.

4. Immediate transfer of the Italian Fleet and Italian aircraft to such points as may be designated by the Allied Commander-in-Chief, with details of disarmament to be prescribed by him.

5. Italian merchant shipping may be requisitioned by the Allied Commander-in-Chief to meet the needs of his military-naval program.

6. Immediate surrender of Corsica and of all Italian territory, both islands and mainland, to the Allies, for such use as operational bases and other purposes as the Allies may see fit.

7. Immediate guarantee of the free use by the Allies of all airfields and naval ports in Italian territory, regardless of the rate of evacuation of the Italian territory by the German forces. These ports and fields to be protected by Italian armed forces until this function is taken over by the Allies.

8. Immediate withdrawal to Italy of Italian armed forces from all participation in the current war from whatever areas in which they may now be engaged.

9. Guarantee by the Italian Government that if necessary it will employ all its available armed forces to insure prompt and exact compliance with all the provisions of this armistice.

10. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces reserves to himself the right to take any measure which in his opinion may be necessary for the protection of the interests of the Allied Forces for the prosecution of the war, and the Italian Government binds itself to take such administrative or other action as the Commander-in-Chief may require, and in particular the Commander-in-Chief will establish Allied Military Government over such parts of Italian territory as he may deem necessary in the military interests of the Allied Nations.

11. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces will have a full right to impose measures of disarmament, demobilization and demilitarization.

12. Other conditions of a political, economic and financial nature with which Italy will be bound to comply will be transmitted at later date.

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The conditions of the present Armistice will not be made public without prior approval of the Allied Commander-in-Chief. The English will be considered the official text.

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Marshal PIETRO BADOGLIO

By: GIUSEPPE CASTELLANO

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER Head of the Italian Government General, US Army Commander in Chief Allied Forces. By: WALTER B. SMITH Brigadier General, attached to The Major General, US Army Italian High Command Chief of Staff.

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Present:

Rt. Hon. HAROLD MACMILLAN British Resident Minister, AFHQ

ROBERT MURPHY Personal Representative of the President of the United States

ROYER DICK Commodore, RN Chief of Staff to the C. in C. Med.

LOWELL W. ROOKS Major General, US Army Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, AFHQ

FRANCO MONTANARI Official Italian Interpreter

Brigadier KENNETH STRONG Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, AFHQ