 As the war was approaching its end in 1945 , Pius advocated a lenient policy by the Allied leaders in an effort to prevent what he perceived to be the mistakes made at the end of World War I. In August 1944 , he met British Prime Minister Winston Churchill , who was visiting Rome . At their meeting , the Pope acknowledged the justice of punishing war criminals , but expressed a hope that the people of Italy would not be punished , preferring that they be made " full allies " in the remaining war effort . 
