The conquest of Poland

Osborne had no doubt what the Curia thought. They had strong sympathy for Britain and France. At the Eucharistic Congress in Cirie near Turin, an English Roman Catholic priest received warm expressions of sympathy from the officials. Cardinal Fossati in a closing address laid all the blame for war on ‘the arrogance and pride of one man’ and urged his audience of several thousands to pray for the brave men now fighting in the trenches ‘to re-establish the reign of truth and justice among the nations’.

Charles-Roux kept assailing the Pope, the Secretary of State, and Tardini, to get a public condemnation of German aggression, especially the bombing of open cities, sinking without warning by submarines, and other inhuman methods of war. Osborne was much less pressing, as was the nature of the man, but wondered whether to do the same. He told Halifax, ‘I shall not be deterred by the almost certain prospect of failure.’

Charles-Roux said to Osborne that the Vatican esteemed highly Lord Halifax, and wondered whether Osborne could not mobilize Halifax to bring this pressure to bear upon the Pope. Osborne advised Halifax against any such plan. He wrote to Halifax: