welcome the enemy in. The effect on the German rear and the increased burden of the German forces will be terrible, and the Balkans and Germany’s other allies will be shaken to their foundations. Unless Germany has sufficient judgment to understand the Italian crisis and to consider what is best for Italy … it may turn out that the battle of Italy is in fact the battle of Germany.… The war in Europe may become a battle for and by Germany pure and simple. This brings up very serious questions as far as we Japanese are concerned, as I do not need to tell you.”
