Memorandum

Scope and Content

Marcel Fodor to W. P. Crozier.

Location: Vienna.

Memorandum. He has acquired confidential information from an important member of the Austrian delegation in Venice: Mussolini is losing confidence and does not trust Germany or the younger people around him, whom his Austrian source describes as 'a bunch of bandits'. Count Ciano, Alfieri and Gayda are dangerous, being dazzled by the Nazis. There is a split amongst the Italian Fascists, and the younger group is gaining ground in the Italian press, mainly via Dino Alfieri and Virgilio Gayda, director of the Giornale d'Italia. He expands on the subject of Mussolini and Italy.

The talks between Göring and Mussolini will be important; Mussolini is due to visit Germany later this year. Also important will be the forthcoming visit of the Austrian Foreign Secretary, Schmidt, to Paris and London.