Good morning.
Sunday will be sunny with a high of sixty-one.
From Friday’s poll (The Dog-Defending, Raccoon-Tossing Incident), there’s a clear verdict: the raccoon got what he served for attacking Toaster the Dog. Last week, by the way, Rose posted video of a raccoon he captured that may be the same one that attacked his dog in July. (Mild caution: Rose curses in surprise when the raccoon, in a Havaheart cage, hisses.)
On this day in 1943, Italy abandons the Axis, and declares war on Germany:
Algiers, Oct. 13–Italy declared war on Nazi Germany, her former Axis partner, at 3 P.M. today, Greenwich time [11 A.M. in New York].
Acting on orders of King Victor Emmanuel as transmitted by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, the Italian Ambassador in Madrid notified the German Ambassador there that:
“In the face of repeated and intensified acts of war committed against Italians by the armed forces of Germany, from 1500 hours Greenwich time on the thirteenth day of October Italy considers herself in a state of war with Germany.”
Thus the defeated nation led into war by Benito Mussolini re-entered it against its former ally through a curt diplomatic exchange in the capital of the country in which they had first collaborated on a military basis seven years ago.
Asks People to Avenge Ferocity
Excoriating the nation that now occupies Italy’s own “Eternal City” as well as the entire industrial north, Marshal Badoglio in a proclamation to the Italian people exhorted them all to avenge the inhuman ferocity of the German Army at Naples and in other areas.