Italian declaration of war on Germany

Delivered at 15:00 Greenwich time

On 13 October 1943 the Royal Italian Government's ambassador in Madrid delivered Italy's declaration of war to the German ambassador at 15:00 Greenwich time.

Marshal Pietro Badoglio publicly announced that King Victor Emmanuel III had charged him with declaring war on Germany, and called on Italians to fight alongside the United Nations. The king had been expected to make the announcement himself but asked Badoglio to do it for constitutional reasons.

Badoglio notified General Dwight D. Eisenhower in advance and asked him to pass it to the Allied governments.

Co-belligerent, not ally

The United States, United Kingdom and Soviet Union immediately accepted the active cooperation of Italy and its armed forces as a co-belligerent against Germany. That word was carefully chosen: Italy did not become a full Allied power.

The three powers expressly stated that co-belligerency did not cancel or automatically amend the armistice terms imposed on Italy.

A war already 35 days old

The declaration did not start the fighting. After the armistice was announced on 8 September, German forces had attacked and disarmed Italian units, occupied much of the country and fought Italian troops and civilians. The Badoglio government regarded a state of war as already existing in fact.

Thirty-five days separated the armistice announcement from the declaration.

Italy remained divided: the German-backed Italian Social Republic in the occupied north continued fighting on Germany's side.