"The Italian people will cooperate actively with the Allies against Hitler," said George LaPiana, John H. Morrison Professor of Church History and co-author with Professor Salvemini of the current book "What To Do With Italy."

Predicting that the Italian fleet will not scuttle itself or surrender to the Germans, Professor LaPiana denounced the Badoglio administration as a "government of noted ex-Fascists, who had been in control under Mussolini."

LaPiana said that the Allies, who recognize Badoglio, would probably continue to treat with him as the representative of the Italian people. Stating that the Italian people may not approve of Badoglio, LaPiana said that he did not believe the Allied military government would give the Italians "a chance to express their preference for a democratic government. It is to be doubted if there will be more democracy in Italy under an Allied military government than under the Badoglio administration."

Professor LaPiana agreed that it is possible that the armistice is to give Germany a chance to consolidate in the North, but doubted it, saying that the Germans would have "guessed the nearness of surrender, and have had time to consolidate since July 26, when Badoglio said that the war would continue."

The people of Sardinia and Corsica are anti-German, LaPiana asserted, and are probably revolting against the Germans garrisoned there. The success of these revolts, he said, will depend largely, on the aid given by the United Nations and on the strength of German forces there.

The reaction of the Vatican is not yet known, but in "What To Do With Italy" both Salvemini and LaPiana contend that the Vatican distrusted modern democracy and supported fascism, quoting Pope Plus XI, and Cardinal Merry del Val, who called Mussolini "a man sent by Providence" and "visibly protected by God.