Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Italy)/8–445: Telegram

Mr. Alexander C. Kirk, Political Adviser, Allied Force Headquarters, to the Secretary of State

Caserta, August 4, 1945—noon.
[Received 6:39 p.m.]

3187. Re our 2162, May 14, 11 p.m.14 We have just learned that despite our informing Chief of Staff,15 Chief Administrative Officer, Resident Minister,16 and G–5 section17 of Department’s views as set forth in Deptel 484, May 15, 7 p.m.,18 the instructions contained in Robertson’s draft telegram in which we did not concur were carried out. Thus between May 23 and 31 following were turned over to Tito: 12196 Croats, 5480 Serbs, 8263 Slovenes, 400 Monte[ne]grins.

While British field military authorities reported that Tito troops to whom these “anti-Allied Yugos” were handed over accepted them formally and correctly, and that no reliable evidence of their subsequent treatment was available, Miha Krek, former Deputy Prime Minister of Royal Yugo Govt has addressed a letter to SAC19 requesting that no more be turned over to Tito, that those still alive be protected [Page 1247] by Allied Missions, and enclosed “eye witness” accounts by escapees of mass murder by Tito’s forces of hundreds of those surrendered.

We have also seen a telegram from Brit Major Gen. Hurray20 who executed Robertson’s orders stating that he collected these people together and then instructed them to march without giving them any indication as to their destination. When they reached their destination and realized they were being turned over to Yugo forces some of them attempted to escape and a few were fired at by Yugo guards.

If Dept wishes further action taken in matter we will be glad to receive instructions.

Dept may wish to give consideration to plight of some 70,000 Yugo displaced persons majority of whom are unable to return to their country. They are living in most cases in open air in stadiums or athletic fields and while their lot is tolerable during summer weather it will not be so during winter. See our 3152 of Aug. 1, 3 p.m.21 Kirk

  1. Not printed. In this telegram, the U.S. Political Adviser reported that unmanageable numbers of refugees and prisoners of war were materially hampering military operations in northern Italy. Accordingly, Lt. Gen. Sir Brian H. Robertson, the Chief Administrative Officer at Allied Force Headquarters, had requested Mr. Kirk’s concurrence in a draft telegram authorizing the British 8th Army to turn over to the Yugoslav Partisans a large number of dissident Yugoslav troops. Mr. Kirk replied that he could not concur without referring the matter to his Government. (740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–1445)↩
  2. Lt. Gen. William D. Morgan.↩
  3. Harold Macmillan.↩
  4. Military government section.↩
  5. Not printed; this telegram approved Mr. Kirk’s refusal to concur in General Robertson’s draft telegram, and instructed him to inform the Supreme Allied Commander that “we are strongly of the opinion that such contemplated violation of agreed Anglo-American policy cannot be justified on grounds of administrative expediency.” (740.00119 Control (Italy)/5–1445)↩
  6. Supreme Allied Commander.↩
  7. Possibly Maj. Gen. Horatius Murray, commander of the 6th Armoured Division (British).↩
  8. Not printed; this telegram reported that former Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill had recently expressed concern to the Supreme Allied Commander over the fate of political refugees who refused to return to their native country. Mr. Churchill said that “every person … who was forced to return to his native country was a future enemy of England.” (800.4016 DP/8–145)↩