Mediterranean Strategy - Possible Developments If Italy Collapses. Report by J.I.C.

Attitude of the Population 3. The Germans are at the present time exceedingly unpopular in Italy. The defeat of Italy would increase hatred of the Germans on whom the blame would be put. The Italian people will be intensely relieved at being out of the war. They will as a whole collaborate with us and the only security problem will be the prevention of espionage and isolated acts of sabotage. There may, however, be some deterioration in the attitude of the people towards the Allies as time goes on and it is borne in on the Italians that we are unable to keep industry going by replacing German supplies of industrial raw materials, particularly coal, and that the industries of the North are being paralysed.