Review article
Fabijan Trgo
Abstract
Operations of the Yugoslav Army in the liberation of Istria and the Slovenian Littoral was a significant factor in New Yugoslavia’s struggle to return these areas to their motherland.
Marshal Tito, Commander-in-chief of the Yugoslav Army and President of the National Committee, knowing the British government's attitude towards the issue of the Julian Region, ascertained in advance that Istria and the Slovenian Littoral would not be returned to their motherland merely by Peace Conference decisions. For that reason he ordered the Fourth Army, composed of about 100,000 soldiers, to liberate that area as quickly as possible and penetrate to the Soča River. To the liberation of Istria and the Slovenian Littoral he attributed not only military but also political significance. Because "Yugoslavia is interested in this territory, not only as a victor on the side of the Allies in the war against Italy, but also because these territories were unjustly annexed by Italy as a result of the earlier peace agreement."
Although the Allied commanders valued the accomplishments of the Yugoslav Army on the Italian front, they demanded that operations in the Julian Region be subordinated to British government policies, which wanted that region to remain under Italian jurisdiction. The basis of British policies was an attempt, at all costs "to prevent Tito's troops from going beyond the former Yugoslav-Italian border."
However, the Fourth Yugoslav Army liberated the western part of the country and in the middle of April, 1945, penetrated into Istria and began its final action for the liberation of Istria, Trieste, and the Slovenian Littoral. By means of brilliant maneuvers in the mountainous terrain and a landing on the eastern coast of Istria, the Fourth Army overwhelmed the German defenses and within a few days liberated Trieste, Tržič (Monfalcone), and Gorica, and opened up a vide front on the Soča River. Minor detachments from the Second New Zealand Division (part of the Eighth British Army) arrived in Trieste on May 2, when the battle for liberation was already over. On May 7, in the Ilirska Bistrica area, Yugoslav Army units forced the capitulation of the 97th German Army Corps commanded by General J. Kübler.
The successful completion of the Fourth Yugoslav Army operations was a significant factor in resolving the border problem with Italy, a process which the London Memorandum of Understanding (October, 1954) brought to a close.
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Hrčak ID:
216337
URI
Publication date:
15.4.1975.
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