The armistice convention between France and Italy was signed at Villa Incisa (Olgiata, Via Cassia, Rome) on 24 June 1940 at 19:15 by Charles Huntziger, général d’armée, for France, and Pietro Badoglio, Marshal of Italy. It is not the Franco-German armistice of Compiègne, signed on 22 June; the two were linked: hostilities were to cease after notification to Germany. The Italian text is published as a period document; AJIL printed a translation in its official-documents supplement.

Article I: France shall cease hostilities against Italy in metropolitan territory, French North Africa, colonies, protectorates and mandated territories, at sea and in the air. Article II: Italian troops shall remain, for the duration of the armistice, on their advanced lines in all theatres. Article III, at framework level: a demilitarised zone on the French side of the Alpine frontier; demilitarised zones in Tunisia, Algeria and French Somaliland; Italy’s right to use the port installations at Djibouti and the French section of the Djibouti–Addis Ababa railway. An occupation itinerary or a fortification-evacuation handbook is not transcribed.

Articles IX–XII, at framework level: demobilisation and disarmament of metropolitan forces, except formations for internal order; concentration of the French navy in designated ports under Italian or German control; Italy declares that it does not intend to use, during the present war, the French naval units placed under its control, nor to claim the fleet at the peace. Article XXIII: an Italian armistice commission, under the Italian High Command, shall regulate and supervise execution and harmonise it with the Franco-German convention.

Article XXV: it enters into force upon signature; hostilities shall cease in all theatres six hours after the Italian government has informed the German government of the conclusion of the agreement; that moment shall be notified to the French government by radio. Article XXVI: it remains in force until the peace treaty; Italy may denounce it at any time with immediate effect if France fails to fulfil its obligations. Wikipedia: hostilities ceased on the morning of 25 June.

Cover: the signing photograph in Rome. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: Franco-Italian Armistice; Convenzione d'armistizio italo-francese (Villa Incisa).