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together in declaring war upon the aggressor. He said that he
 
felt that upon this foundation an effective disarmament scheme
 
could be worked out, which would result in the abolition of offensive
 
types of airplanes and of other armaments, and in an international
 
control (which might later be enlarged to include the smaller
 
European states) to undertake the abolition of offensive
 
types of armaments including the factories where they were 
 
manufactured.
 
     Count Ciano expressed complete pessimism as to the results
 
of the interview to be held at the Brenner Pass. He said
 
that since Ribbentrop would be present at the interview with
 
Hitler, Mussolini would not be afforded the opportunity of per-
 
suading Hitler to follow a more reasonable course. He himself,
 
he said, had time and again had interviews with Hitler, had seen
 
Hitler reach the point of reasonable understanding, only to have
 
Ribbentrop interject and change Hitler's point of view. He said
 
that he believed that an offensive was imminent, and that Germany 
 
would pursue exactly the same policy which she had pursued in 
 
Poland, namely the unrestricted bombardment of cities including
 
the bombarment of London and Paris, and the creation of the same
 
kind of a reign of terror which had lasted during the eighteen
 
days of the Polish War. He said that he believed,
 
however, that the Allies would win out. He said that the only way,
 
in his own judgment, in which Germany could win would be by breaking
 
through into France, whereas if the Allies successfully remained
 
defensive they themselves would ultimately achieve victory.
 
     He told me, particularly confidentially, that the reason
 
why he believed the German offensive was imminent was because 
 
when Hitler had requested the interview with Mussolini, Mussolini 
 
had suggested March 19th as t.he date for the meeting, and Hitler 
 
had replied that ho could not wait beyond March 18th. Hitler 
 
had also stated that he could not give more than an hour's time 
 
to the interview since he would have to be back in Germany       
                                              
                                                        urgently