Letter from Michael MacWhite to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(Private and Confidential)

Events of world wide importance have succeeded each other with such rapidity during the last fortnight that some notes I had prepared are no longer of any consequence. The defeat of Rommel's forces in Egypt¹ followed by the American invasion of North Africa² and then, again, the collapse of French resistance in Algeria and Morocco threw the people here into a state of confusion not difficult to understand. Now, the opposing armies are girding themselves for the battle of Tunis which will, in all probability, have been decided before this reaches you.³

The Germans and Italians are feverishly reinforcing their troops in Sicily and Crete and it is stated on good authority that 200,000 German soldiers are now on their way through Rumania and Bulgaria to Greece and Italy from Russia. Telephone communication between Bulgaria and Turkey has been suspended in order to prevent knowledge of troop movements leaking out. The German High Command are said to be handicapped by shortage of man power.

The militant Fascists are decidedly pessimistic in regard to the course events are taking and some of the Military fear that if things take a turn for the worse the Germans will take over control here. The man in the street is more cheerful. He wishes for the arrival of the Allied forces without too much bloodshed and if they bring some food in their train they will be welcomed by everybody. Anti-Administration sentiment appears however to be growing. During the visit of the King to Genoa following the first bombing the populace made a demonstration in his presence and called on him to get rid of the freebooters and bandits who were the cause of their ruin. Since then he has not visited any other bombed city. Recently, notices have been placed in letter boxes and posted on dead walls, here and elsewhere in Italy, asking for peace and to rid the country of the Fascist Party. Two members of the Fascist Chamber were expelled from the Party this week for indiscipline and it is rumoured that two well known Senators, both University Professors, have been placed under arrest. In Naples 400 persons have been imprisoned for defeatist activities. From these incidents it may be inferred that the war spirit is not of a very high order.

The Duce is rarely seen of late. He is said to have been operated on some time ago for an ulcerated stomach which was not a success but his doctors hesitate about another operation because perhaps of the consequences that might ensue in case of insuccess. He goes to his office but sees nobody outside of his Departmental chiefs. The Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Party travel in his place around the country to try and rouse the militant spirit of the people.

In diplomatic circles the possibility of the Government leaving Rome is being discussed but nobody has any idea of where it may go. As long as they remain, there is the possibility of aerial bombardment. Many people whose houses were destroyed by bombs in Genoa and Milan have come here and the stories they tell of the Inferno through which they passed have certainly impressed the Romans. It is thought that as long as the Pope remains in the Vatican Rome will not be bombed but those in authority hold other views on the matter.