Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Eastern Mediterranean, Volume VIII

Italian Desk files, lot 58 D 357, “Trieste 1953”

No. 99
The Commander of the British-United States Forces in Trieste (Winterton) to the Department of the Army¹

top secret

Trieste, September 5, 1953—11 a.m.

Taf 217. For JCS.

1. The Italians seem to have withdrawn their forward infantry detachments from the Italo-Yugoslav frontier south of Gorizia but they have now moved an armed unit (4 Genova Cav) to Ronchi Dei Legionari which has historical associations. This seems to suggest an adventure into Zone A.

2. I feel that the Italian Government should be asked to send these forces back to their barracks and that any intending D’Annunzio whether sponsored or unsponsored be persuaded of the foolishness of chancing his arm.

3. The continued presence of Italian troops in abnormal positions near the Italo Zone A frontier is also likely to provoke the Yugoslavs into moving her forces towards their own frontier with Zone A which would be an undesirable development.²

1. Also addressed to the Ministry of Defense, London.
2. In telegram DA 947614, Sept. 5, 1953 Maj. Gen. C.D. Eddleman of the Department of the Army’s G–3 informed McFadyen that Taf 217 had been referred to the Department of State which would contact the Italian Government on the matter. (Italian Desk files, lot 58 D 357, “Trieste Sept. 1953”) Ambassador Luce, under instructions from the Department of State, raised the issue of Italian troops along the Italian-Yugoslav border with Prime Minister Pella on Sept. 9. Their discussion of this issue, as well as of other matters pertaining to Trieste, was reported in Document 109.