President Roosevelt to the Commander in Chief of Allied Forces (Eisenhower)9
8980. In reply to your N.A.F. 379,10 please arrange for the delivery to the King of Italy the following reply by the President to the letter from the King transmitted in N.A.F. 379:
“Your Majesty,
“I am very pleased to receive your letter of September twenty-third transmitted to me by cable by General Eisenhower and to have your expression of opinion in that in the common interests of our two countries it is necessary and urgent that all or the greatest possible part of Italian territory be freed from the Germans with which opinion I am in complete agreement, and toward the accomplishment of which we should jointly direct our full effort using all available military resources of Italy and the Allied Governments.
“It is the intention of the Allied Governments to obtain control of Rome at the earliest practicable date.
“It is my desire that civil government in the recovered areas in Italy shall be administered by the Italian Government insofar as is permitted [Page 380] by military considerations and under the supervision of the Allied Supreme Commander.
“Consideration is now being given, in consultation with our Allies, to the exchange rate for the lira.
“With an expression of best wishes for the early success of our common effort to dislodge and destroy the Nazi invaders of your country, I am
Most sincerely,
Franklin D. Roosevelt”