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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Commander Charles R. Train, United States Naval Attaché at Rome

November 4th, 1918.

My dear Train,

          Your letter of October 25th1 just received. I note what you say about the friction over the movement of the British vessels. Doubtless all you say about the effort Italy has made in this war is true but she has also made a great deal of friction. As you know it is inevitable she should have a rather bad reputation because she hesitated so long about coming into the war. We suffered from the same cause.

          However, all this is now an affair of the past since Austria has gone out along with Turkey and the Jugo-Slavs have taken charge of the Austrian Navy. We are now in receipt of cablegram explaining the situation, and instructions as to the Austrian Navy have been sent down by the Supreme War Council.2

          It certainly looks now as if this war could not last very much longer. At all events there is no doubt whatever as to who is going to win out. I am rather afraid there will be considerable friction between the Allies not only as to the armistice terms but more particularly as to the peace terms.

          I have been down in Paris for about a week attending the Allied Naval Council called there to give their advice as to the naval terms of the armistice to be demanded. I returned only yesterday and may have to go back at any time.

Very sincerely yours,            

/s/ W. S. Sims

Source Note: LTS, DLC-MSS, William Sims Papers, Box 24. A notation in the top-left corner reads: “Admiral Sim’s [i.e., Sims’] Personal File” and identification numbers “1/5/6/J/Q” appear in the top-right corner. The letter is addressed below close: “Commander C. H. Train, U.S.Navy,/Naval Attache/American Embassy,/Rome.”

Footnote 2: While this specific cablegram has not been located, the details of its contents, as well as the instructions from the Supreme War Council, are summarized in Richard H. Jackson to Sims, 6 November 1918.

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