WW 611
Leaflet dropped by the RAF and American Airforce over Italy shortly before the invasion of Sicily. It reads “Text of a Message Directed to the Italian People from the British Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt. It states “At this time the combined forces of the United States, Great Britain and Canada, under the command of General Eisenhower and his Deputy Commander, General Alexander, are bringing war to the heart of your country.
This is the direct result of the shameful policy that Mussolini and the fascist regime imposed on you. Mussolini dragged you into this war as a satellite nation of a brutal destroyer of peoples and freedom. Mussolini threw you into a war that he believed Hitler had already won.
Although Italy is extremely vulnerable from the air and the sea, your fascist leaders have sent your sons, your ships and your airplanes to distant areas of operations to help Germany conquer England, Russia and the world. entire.
Italy's adherence to Nazi Germany's plans was unworthy of the ancient traditions of freedom and culture of the Italian people; traditions to which the people of America and Great Britain owe so much. Your soldiers did not fight for Italy's interests at all, but only for those of Nazi Germany. They fought bravely, but were betrayed and abandoned by the Germans on the Russian front and on every battlefield in Africa, from El Alamein to Cape Bon.
Today, Germany's hopes of world domination have been dashed on all fronts. The skies of Italy are dominated by the vast air fleets of the United States and Great Britain; The coasts of Italy are threatened by the largest massing of naval forces that Great Britain and its allies have ever concentrated in the Mediterranean.
The forces now facing you are committed to destroying the power of Nazi Germany, which has ruthlessly inflicted slavery, destruction and death on all those who refuse to recognize the Germans as the dominant race.
Italy's only hope of survival lies in a capitulation, which would not be dishonorable given the overwhelming power of the United Nations military forces. If you continue to support the fascist regime subservient to the criminal power of the Nazis, you must suffer the consequences of your choice.
We are not pleased to invade Italian soil and bring the tragic devastation of war to the Italian people. We are determined to eliminate the false leaders and their doctrines that have brought Italy to its current state. Every moment you resist the associated forces of the United Nations, every drop of blood you shed can only serve one purpose: to give the Nazi and fascist leaders another margin of time to escape the inevitable consequences of their crimes.
All your interests and all your traditions have been betrayed by Nazi Germany and your false and corrupt leaders. Only by abandoning Nazi Germany and its fascist leaders can a renewed Italy hope to acquire a respected place in the family of European nations.
The time has come for you Italians to consider your dignity, your interests and your desire in a restoration of national decorum and secure peace. The time has come for you to decide whether Italians must die for Mussolini and Hitler or live for Italy and civilization.”
Price: $250.00