Regia Marina - The Peace Treaty

The Peace Treaty

On 10 February 1947, a Peace Treaty was signed in Paris between the Italian Republic and the victorious powers of World War II. The treaty was onerous for the Italian Navy. Apart from territorial and material losses, the following restrictions were imposed:

• A ban on owning, building or experimenting with atomic weapons, self-propulsion projectiles or related launchers
• A ban on owning battleships, aircraft carriers, submarines and amphibious assault units.
• A ban on operating military installations on the islands of Pantelleria and Pianosa; and the Pelagie Islands.
• The total displacement, battleships excluded, of the future navy was not allowed to be greater than 67,500 tons, while the staff was capped at 25,000 men.

The treaty also ordered Italy to put the following ships at the disposals of the victorious nations United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, Greece, Yugoslavia, and Albania as war compensation:

• 3 Battleships: Giulio Cesare, Italia, Vittorio Veneto;
• 5 Cruisers: Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta, Attilio Regolo, Scipione Africano, Eugenio di Savoia and Eritrea;
• 7 Destroyers; 5 of the Soldati class, Augusto Riboty and Alfredo Oriani;
• 6 Minesweepers;
• 8 Submarines, including three of the "Acciaio" class;
• 1 Sailing School ship: Cristoforo Colombo.

The convoy escort Ramb III ultimately became the Yugoslav Navy Yacht Galeb. The Galeb was used by the late President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Marshal Josip Broz Tito on his numerous foreign trips and to entertain heads of state.