Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Europe: Political and Economic Developments, Volume IV, Part 1

No. 306

765.5–MAP/9–1751

Summary of Studies Prepared in the Department of Defense¹

top secret

[Washington, September 17, 1951.]

The Effect of Limitations Imposed by the Italian Peace Treaty on Italian Obligations Under NATO Plans

army

It is not possible to make the present ten (10) division Italian Army effective as to size, organization and composition without augmenting it with approximately 321,000 personnel in excess of the treaty limitation of 185,000. There are other hampering factors such as a shortage of trained commissioned and noncommissioned officers. However, when these obstacles are overcome, the Italian Army cannot, according to NATO standards, attain an effective strength and organization under treaty limitations. This deficiency in overall strength and composition will increase to approximately 470,000 for the thirteen (13) division Italian Army called for by 1 July 1952 in the MTDP.

navy

With respect to that portion of the treaty which limits the “total standard displacement of war vessels” to 67,500 tons, a recent review of Italian combatant naval tonnage indicates an existing tonnage of 69,098. This figure takes into account present Italian holdings other than those acquired under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, plus those combatant vessels which have either been delivered or are projected for delivery under approved MDAPs. In the proposed FY 1952 MDA Program, there is programmed an additional 6020 tons of combatant vessels which, when delivered, will bring the tonnage total to 75,118 tons, or approximately 7618 tons in excess of the limitation imposed by the treaty. If the treaty limitations are strictly adhered to, it will be necessary to cancel the naval assistance program for FY 1952 as recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, insofar as it relates to combatant naval tonnage. It will also be necessary to require the Italian Government to scrap approximately 1600 tons of existing vessels.

In order for Italy to meet the naval contributions of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medium Term Defense Plan force requirements as recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a revision to DC–28,² a combatant vessel tonnage of approximately 127,652 tons will be required.

air force

The effect the Italian Treaty limitations will have on Italy fulfilling its obligations to the NAT Organization between now and 1 July 1952 will be to:

a. Delay the planning and necessary programming of aircraft to enable the Italian Air Force to meet its NATO commitments in 1954.

b. Prohibit delivery of first-line aircraft to Italy under MDAP.

c. Prevent the training of the required number of personnel to man aircraft required in D.C. 28.

d. Limit the use of Italian aircraft industrial capacity in supplying Italy and other NATO countries.

The present Italian Air Force of 921 aircraft is 571 aircraft overstrength. However, all of these aircraft except the transports are obsolete and do not meet NATO requirements. First-line aircraft cannot be delivered to Italy while her present aircraft are in excess of the treaty limitations. Sixty-two F–84s and thirty-six S2C aircraft are presently allotted to Italy under MDAP up to July 1952. If the treaty limitations are not lifted by 1 November 1951, these aircraft will have to be reallocated to other NATO countries. This will prevent Italy from meeting her full commitment to NATO in 1952, 1953 and 1954. 534 combat aircraft are required in 1952 by DC–28.

The present treaty limitations of 25,000 personnel prevent Italy from training the required number of people (70,000 personnel) to man the aircraft required in DC–28.

The Italian Treaty limits the manufacture of war material per se. Should the limits be lifted, it is estimated Italy could produce with outside assistance the majority of her aircraft requirements of DC–28 and also supply jet engines for other NATO countries. Her industrial potential and present source of trained workers in the aviation industry, which are now working in other fields due to the treaty limitations, would make her a European aviation producer surpassed only by the United Kingdom.

1. This summary was transmitted to the Department of State in a letter from Secretary of Defense Lovett, September 17. Lovett was responding to a request from Deputy Under Secretary of State Matthews of August 27 concerning the Department of Defense estimate of the impact of the Italian Peace Treaty limitations on Italian obligations under NATO plans.
2. DC–28, approved by the NAT Defense Committee on October 28, 1950, contained the plans for a 4-year defense program for NATO; also referred to as the Medium-Term Defense Plan.