LEAFLETS DROPPED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1943, Page 3

LEAFLETS DROPPED

It is reported that before the raid leaflets were dropped to the population of Rome emphasising the Allied nations’ attitude to the monuments, which belonged not only to the Italians but ■also to all civilisation. The leaflets contained a warning that the Fascist leaders would no doubt tell the Italian people that the Allies were attacking cultural monuments, and they might possibly themselves send up planes to cause such damage, even in the Vatican City, with the aim of making the Italian people believe the Allies were responsible. In air raids it was sometimes impossible to avoid some damage to civilian property, but this, would be at a minimum and the raids as far as possible would be made in daylight. The Italians themselves would be able to test the raiders' accuracy. A correspondent points out that of Italy’s great manufacturing, assembling and distributing centres Rome is the most important, and that Mussolini has deliberately set out to use it. It is recalled thnt some weeks ago a statement on behalf of the British Government made it clear that our forces would not hesitate to bomb Rome if the course of the war should make such action expedient and effective.