How did Pius XII try to keep Benito Mussolini from taking Italy into World War II?

Pope Pius XII made futile attempts to dissuade Benito Mussolini from entering World War II on the side of the Axis powers.1

As a diplomat by training, Pius XII sought to maintain the impartiality of the Holy See to serve as a mediator between nations. While he hoped to act as a "Pope of Peace," his efforts to prevent Italy's entry into the conflict were unsuccessful, and fascist Italy officially joined the war on June 10, 1940.1

It is important to note that while Pius XII pursued this diplomatic course, his decision to avoid confrontational public condemnations of fascist regimes—a departure from the approach of his predecessor, Pius XI—remains a subject of historical debate regarding the moral responsibility of the papacy during the era of totalitarianism.12