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deal of misunderstanding on that score. There are many people in Austria today who are unhappy,
 
who are tormented, many who wish the Anschluss had not taken place.  But, as an Italian, I tell
 
you the great majority of Austrians would even today rather be apart of Germany than have to 
 
live the life they lived in independent Austria. "Before the occupation of Austria Dr.Schuschnigg
 
came to Rome, and, sitting in the same chair you are sitting in, (and at this I shifted in my seat), he 
 
admired to me frankly that if Germany occupied Austria the majority of Austrians would support 
 
the occupation, and that if Italy sent troops into Austria to prevent the occupation, the Austrians 
 
as one man would Join with the Germans to fight Italy.
 
     "For that reason, when peace terms are considered it would be stupid to support the 
 
French thesis that an independent Austria must be reconstituted. If any country would logically
 
desire that objective it would be Italy. But Italy knows that the Austrians are primarily
 
German, and that an Austrian people will never be content to go back to the state of starvation 
 
and inanition which they endured for twenty years after 1918."
 
     In October last Count Ciao said he had spent two days in Berlin conferring with Hitler. 
 
At that time--and he emphasized the words--he believed Germany would have been willing to 
 
agree upon a peace based upon the retention of Austria, or a plebiscite in Austria--knowing
 
full well that a real plebiscite would result in an over whelming vote in favor of continued
 
 amalgamation with Germany; an independent Slovakia, and an independent Bohemia-Moravia, 
 
both under the protectorate of Germany; and