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OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES
WASHINGTON, D. C.
April 23, 1943
Col. Chester H81l1Inond, White House Map Room
John Magruder, Brig . Gen.
SUBJECT: Reports Received in Of fice of Strategic
Services, No. 18
Submi tted herewith are some additional
items received from our secret sources abroad.
Unless otherwise indicated, t he items of
information submitted herewith are reports jus t as
received from a gents and have not been evaluated
as to degree of reliability other t h an as stated.

Bri g . Gen.
Deputy Director, OSS -- Intelligence Service
Enclosures
DECLASSIFIED
By Au tbori ty of _____ _
CIS
By SR. Date __ MAB
3 1975
German Portifications at Brenner are Completed
The OSS office in London sends the
following reliable report:
1. With the completion of the last block-
houses and fortresses accelerated, and with
( mrnnuni tion?) dumps being filled, the Brenner forti-
fied zone is now in a state of p ractical defense .
2. This zone is being manned by Ger man
units vmich were ordered ~ c k after having crossed
the Brenner Pass on their way to Italy.
I
j
(OSS Official Dispatch, # 20191, London, April 20, 1943)
DECLASSIFIED
By Aut:1ori ty of
c.c ft_ ._aot.'t1
By sd(.. D;J. to MAR 3 197 5
..
Harsh al Mannerheim Reported in Switzerland
The OSS representative in Bern transmits
the report that the Swiss Federal Council has
informed the Swiss pr ess t hat Mannerheim is at
Lugano under orders of' his physician for a t l ~
week's convalescent stay.
(OSS Ofi'icial Dispatch # 76, Bern, April 19, 1 943)
D'ICLASSIFIED
By Autho:ri ty of _____ _
I
Propaganda Use of the Polish Assassination Story
The OSS representative in Tangier cables
that the story of the Russian assassination of
10,000 Polish prisoners of war has been very
effective even upon our Spanish friends whose ever
present fear that Communism in Europe will be the
outcome of an Allied victory is augmented by this
story.
(OSS Official Dispatch #4, Tangier, April 19, 1943)
r
DECLASSIFIED
By Autbori ty of _____ _
.... __ M_A_R _3 1975
Italy: Fears and Hopes of the Resistance Groups
The OSS representative in Bern transmits
the information obtained from a reliable
"'
source:
1. Italian resistance groups want a clari-
fication of the war aims of the United Nations. Spe-
cifically they wish to know if the principles of the
Atlantic Charter will apply to the Italian people, as
distinguished from the Fascist regime.
2. They also inquire whether the integrity
of national Italian territory as it existed before the
war (including Sardinia, Trieste, etc.) will be res-
pected at the peace table. This query does not in-
volve colonial ambitions or boundary teclmicalities.
3. The source recommends that the French
should avoid mixing in Italian affairs, and remarks
that the recent appeal of General Giraud had a poor
psychological effect.
4. The source reports, further, that at a
Fascist meeting recently, it uas disclosed that Italy
and Germany had a secret agreement to render recipro-
cal aid in the event of civil war. This confirms the
recent at various plants, among thefl
the Fiat, in which- e workers 1vere p; rant ed their
principal demands.
(OSS Official Dispatch, Nos. 279-281, Bern, April 21, 1943)
ncLASSIFIED
.B.y Authority of ____ _
By $ rt.
Date MAR 3 1975
..
Germany: Threat of Gas warfare?
The OSS in London transmi ts a secret British
report, secured indirectly from the Gerr.1an police,
to the effect that t h e Germans int end to use new
weapons a gai nst Russia. In turn they expect the
Russians to retaliate with g as, mru{ing necessary the
completion of anti-gas weapons by early Spring . Gas
was reported arriving in Ri ga in .March, during which
month Stettin and Bremen had anti-gas demonstrations.
(OSS Of ficial Dispatch #22153, London, April 22, 1943)
DICLASSIFIED
By Authority of ____
----
{J,Jfl (11?(,,11
By $,( ~ ~ t s MAR ;j 1975
(
Germany: Submarine Construction
OSS in London estimates the present German
production at about 21 a month. They feel that the
relative unimportance and remoteness of Stettin make
improbable a Bern report that facilities in that port
are to be transferred to Italy.
(OSS Official Dispatch #22172, London, April 22, 1943}
DECLASSIFIED
By Authority of _____ _
By
MAR
D ~ t e ----
3 1975
l