World Battlefronts: BATTLE OF ITALY: The Question

Two Allied bombings, 1,600 tons of bombs, were enough for Rome. The day after the second heavy U.S. raid on the Italian capital last week, the Government of Marshal Pietro Badoglio tried to call a halt by declaring Rome an open city. The broadcast announcement said: "Now all necessary measures in conformity with international law are being taken."

The great and only question for the Allies was: Are these steps being taken? The requirements for an open city are not clearly stipulated (the open-city concept is laid down in Article 25 of the Hague Convention of 1907). But clearly they...

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