- 9 -
 
 
thereafter.
 
     I asked Count Ciano what he himself believed was the
 
real motive for Hitler's request for the interview. He said that
 
he thought that probably it involved the desire on the part of Hitler
 
personally to try to persuade Mussolini to enter into some close 
 
working arrangement with Russia. He said that Ribbentrop 
 
throughout his visit to Rome had made every effort to win
 
Mussolini and Ciano over to his point of view but without
 
success. He said that Ribbentrop had spoken of Stalin in terms
 
of unbridled admiration, and that he believed that he had
 
convinced Hitler that Mussolini would accept the German point
 
of view on the Eussian alliance with Germany.
 
     Count Ciano said that he would meet me without any
 
publicity at noon on Tuesday, March 19th, and would give me
 
in fullest detail an account of the forthcoming interview with
 
Hitler. He spoke in very generous terms of the effect of my own
 
visit to Rome, and expressed the hope that from now on relations
 
between Italy and the United States would be devoid of 
 
misunderstanding and friction. He said he believed that even 
 
if there is no hope for peace atthe present time, close, 
 
friendly, and continuing relation between Italy and the United 
 
States would prove of inestimable value when the time came for 
 
laying the foundations of a decent and enduring peace.