November 22, 1940
Führer,
It grieves me that my letter of October 19 did not reach you in time to permit you to give your opinion on the planned action in Greece, which, as always, I naturally would have carefully considered.
After a promising and rapid start, the advance of the Italian troops in Greece came to a standstill, allowing the Greeks to take the initiative, for the following reasons:
a) Bad weather: a flood, caused by violent rains, has halted the advancement of the mechanized forces. An armored division (which was on the point of breaking through at Janina) was literally stuck in the mud.
b) The almost total defection of the Albanian troops, who turned against our units and went over en masse to the enemy. One of our divisions had to arrest and disarm 6,000 Albanian soldiers.
c) The attitude of Bulgaria, which permitted Greece to withdraw the entire eight divisions which she had in Thrace and employ them all against the nine Italian divisions (which were weakened by the defection of the Albanian troops).
This is now all a matter of the past. I am naturally aware of the unfavorable psychological repercussions which these events have caused, but I believe that these are passing phenomena. Now Italy is preparing thirty divisions, which is a sufficient number to annihilate Greece. There is no reason to worry about the bombardment of the southern cities, which bear little damage.
I would like to call your attention to two factors: Spain and Yugoslavia.
I am of the opinion that the Spanish card can be played at the present moment. I am willing to meet with Franco in order to exert the pressure necessary to make him enter the war on the side of the Axis.
Perhaps the Yugoslav card is even more important.
I am ready to guarantee the present boundaries of Yugoslavia and to recognize Yugoslavia's claim to Salonika, on the following conditions:
a) that Yugoslavia adheres to the Tripartite Pact;
b) that she demilitarizes the Adriatic;
c) that her military intervention be carried out only after Greece has received an initial blow from Italy.
With this letter, I am therefore giving you my agreement with whatever you wish to do in order to reach this goal as quickly as possible.
In the current conditions, I consider it essential to intensify the collaboration between our air forces.
I, too, have had my black week, but now the worst is over.
Based on all the reports received from Great Britain, the internal conditions of England appear to be extremely serious; the possibility of collapse can not be excluded.
Please accept, Führer, my comradely greetings.
MUSSOLINI
