Letter to Pope Pius XII, April 28, 1940

April 28, 1940

Most Holy Father,

First of all, please accept my deepest gratitude for the letter that you have deigned to address to me and for the words you spoke about me within it.

Your acknowledgment, Most Holy Father, of the fact that I have tried in every way to avoid a European war, gives me legitimate satisfaction. It is my conviction that without the absurd Franco-British demand that German troops – already on the march – withdraw to their starting points, I would have been able to convene a conference to address and solve not the only Polish problem, but all the others which are still waiting to be resolved.

I understand, Most Holy Father, your wish for Italy to avoid war. We have avoided it up to this point, but I can not in any way guarantee that this state of affairs will last forever. It is also necessary to take into account the will and intentions of outside parties. In the entire history of the Church – and you have taught me this as well, Most Holy Father – the Church has never accepted the formula of peace for the sake of peace, of "peace at all costs" or "peace without justice", that is to say a "peace" which, given the circumstances, may irreparably compromise the fate of the Italian people both in the present and in the future.

I would like to add, moreover, that it is only thanks to the current Italo-German alliance that it has been possible for Italy to adopt an attitude of non-belligerence.

One thing I do wish to assure you, O Most Holy Father, is that if tomorrow Italy must enter the battlefield, this would signify in the clearest possible manner, evident to all, that our honor, our interests and our future absolutely required us to do so.

It is consoling for me to think that in both cases, God will protect the efforts of a religious people such as the Italians.

Please, Most Holy Father, accept this expression of my devoted homage.

MUSSOLINI