January 1, 1943
 
       
 
 
The following is a memorandum for the President and the Secretary which I have received   
from the Apostolic Delegate:
 
      
 
 
"The Apostolic Delegate has recently received a communication from His Eminence Cardinal   
Maglione, Secretary of State, Vatican City, relative to the immunity of the city of Rome from   
aerial bombardment, As already stated in the memorandum of December 15th, the Government; of Italy,   
on December 13th, gave oral but, nevertheless, official assurance to the Holy See that the Supreme  
Command and the General Staff of the Armed Forces together with the Premier were about to leave   
Rome.
 
      
 
 
"Now, Cardinal Maglione communicates the information that on December 20th, at the request   
of the Holy See, the Italian Government gave an official statement in writing to the effect that   
the Premier with the rest of the Supreme Command was moving away from Rome. The statement also   
declares that, besides the Supreme Command, Dependent offices of the Italian Army and Navy and   
the Military Headquarters of the German Army and Navy there are actually being transferred from   
Rome. The Secretary of State notes that he has already informed the Charge des Affaires of the   
United States about the written statement.
 
       
 
 
"The Archbishop of London, as well as the Apostolic Delegate in England, have spoken to the   
Prime Minister of England about the question of possible bombardment of Rome, giving the reasons   
why it should be avoided.
 
       
 
 
"His Eminence adds that from conversations he had with the Minister of England to The Holy   
See he got the impression that the British Government was of the opinion that the Holy See was not   
acting to avoid the bombardment of Rome entirely of her own volition but that the italian Government   
was behind all the activity done for this purpose. To correct