Occupation of Friuli - Venezia Giulia: 1945-1947

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It is not easy to describe in a few pages the different activities carried on by the U.S. Army Infantry Division in Friuli - Venezia Giulia after World War II: the everyday life of 15,000 men disposed on a temporary state boundary between Trieste and the Giulie Alps, all means of transport in use in the unit, weapons, accommodations, warehouses, provisioning, guard duty in more than 65 permanent frontier posts on the Morgan Line, alternation of units, arrival of inexperienced troops and departure of senior soldiers going back home, daily services and organization of the troops' and officers' free time. All would need a whole volume to be told, and maybe that wouldn't be enough. What is more interesting are the activities of the British and American soldiers who were stationed in this territory, why there remained so many after the war and why an Allied Military Government existed that ruled over the entire region.

We have to go back to the postwar days to understand this situation. After breaking through the Apennine Mountains boundary, the Allied troops advanced into the valley of the Po river and occupied the north of Italy up to the borders with France, Switzerland and Austria. All that happened during the final offensive of April 1945. The troops of Marshal Tito had advanced victoriously from neighboring Jugoslavia to Friuli and were waiting for the Allied troops in northeast Italy. The Allied and Tito had previously agreed on the way the territories of northern Italy should be divided after the liberation from nazi and fascist occupation. However, the Yugoslav Military Detachment had gone far outside their assigned areas and was ruling over territories which had been assigned to the Allies. This caused problems between Anglo-Americans and Yugoslavs, who adopted the political line of the fait accompli. The relations between them remained rather strained for 40 days; all the inhabitants of the region were quite worried by the possibility of a clash between the ex-allied. After a period of harsh diplomatic dispute, common sense and compromise prevailed. Tito evacuated a transit territory extending from the Trieste harbor to the occupied areas of southern Austria and passed it over to the Anglo-Americans, as settled in the agreements drawn up before the end of the war.

The Anglo-American troops then definitively occupied Trieste, Gorizia, Pola and the neighboring territories. The Yugoslavs kept control over the remaining parts of the Venezia Giulia and Istria. The Allied area (Zone A) was divided between the Yugoslav area (Zone B) by a demarcation called the Morgan Line named after the British General who suggested it and defined it into the details on the military maps. This territory became the temporary boundary between Italy and Yugoslavia until the Paris Peace Conference (that was imminent) could consider and make decisions regarding the contentions in the ex-belligerent countries. The two occupying troops were in charge of garrisoning and granting the Morgan Line. The Anglo-American troops on one side and the troops of Tito's new Yugoslavia on the other.

This was a temporary solution, which did not take into consideration the economic interests of local populations living in one or another territory. The Morgan Line started at the Muggia periphery, passed through Carso villages and the Isonzo valley and ended at the Passo del Predil, at the foot of Giulie Alps. In doing so, entire villages populated by Slaves were under the control of Anglo-American troops, while the villages on the Istrian coast, mainly inhabited by Italians, were under the Yugoslav military control.
The Paris Peace Conference would define every territorial arrangement as well as the national government of the various territories. It would create a new official final border between the two countries which were still competing for the territory.

While waiting to know their destiny, the local populations started to face up to daily necessities and to rebuild themselves a decent life after the destruction of the war. A jurisdiction area was established between the two allied countries: the area between Muggia and the road connection between Palmanova and Gradisca was assigned to the British troops. The area from this road connection up to Passo del Predil was assigned to the American troops. Some British units were stationed in Gorizia while American units were stationed in Trieste and Pola. With the exception of formal mixed representation, each army occupied and covered the assigned territory independently and without interference. The Allied Military Government (A.M.G.) of Venezia Giulia was then created. It included the representatives of all democratic political parties which rose again after the fall of fascism, and included civilians with administrative experience developed during past regional civilian and military administrations, who were not directly compromised by the ex-fascist party previously in power.
To guarantee local population order, security and observation of the A.M.G. laws along the demarcation line, the A.M.G. Civil Police Force of Venezia Giulia was instituted, completely trained and directed by the British troops. The headquarters of the A.M.G. and Civil Police Force of Venezia Giulia were in Trieste.

Although only a few territories of the Udine province (Tarvisiano, upper Natisone valley and part of Collio Cividalese) were under an international dispute, the Slavs who lived there were considered a minority assimilated into the Friulian population. Since they were considered of primary necessity to the logistic operations of both occupying troops, all territories of the Udine province above the Morgan Line were declared strategic areas and militarily occupied by Allied Forces. Udine and villages such as Manzano, Buttrio, Tricesimo, Cividale, Tarcento, Tarvisio, Cave del Predil, Coccau and Fusine were part of the territory established by the Morgan Line with a considerable American presence, though the administration was Italian and the A.M.G. of Venezia Giulia did not directly administrate this area. The same happened for the small towns important to the area under British control: Aiello, Visco, Cervignano, Palmanova, Villa Vicentina, Latisana, Codroipo and other towns of south Friuli. Roadblocks of the Civil Police Force were situated between the Udine province territory (Italy) and the Gorizia and Trieste province territory (A.M.G.) to control goods and people in transit. The Allied Military Police garrisoned the major connecting roads. The residents needed a signed permit issued by a special bureau of A.M.G. (Civil Affairs Office) located in every town hall of the occupied territory to exit Venezia Giulia. Every citizen resident in the territory administrated by the A.M.G. received a quadrilingual identity card in English, Italian, Slovene and Croatian (for Pola area ). Italian citizens going from Italy to Venezia Giulia had to produce a permit at the roadblock issued by a special Allied bureau situated in the Italian territory along with their identity cards issued from their municipality. In mid-June 1945, when the Allied administration began, the military units in the area were the same units that arrived fighting at the end of April following the retreat of what remained of the German troops. They stopped waiting for the definition of the occupied areas, but, as the war was over, also for an impending demobilization and return to their homeland. Almost all detachments and units of the 5th U.S. Army and of the 8th British Army passed through Friuli Venezia Giulia, even if for a brief inspection on their way to the Austrian border line. The first U.S. Infantry Division to arrive at the beginning of May 1945 was the 91st , quelli del pino verde (“the ones of the green pine”), as the local population called them because of the fabric badge on their uniforms' sleeves and hats. The 10th Division of Mountain Infantry immediately followed, gli alpini Americani ( “the American alpini”), as they were called. Both divisions remained in the region until July 1945, when their demobilization started. The 34th Division of Infantry, quelli del toro rosso (“the ones of the red bull”) took their place. As this unit arrived in the region with reduced strength caused by the discharge of senior soldiers, quite a few men from other U.S. Infantry Divisions stationed in the North of Italy were called in as reinforcements. These soldiers were too young and their overseas military service had been too short to be demobilized and sent back to the U.S.. During September 1945 a large amount of soldiers of the 34th Infantry Division were discharged and sent back home too. The Command of the 5th Army decided then to give the control of the U.S. area in Venezia Giulia to the 88th Infantry Division “Blue Devils” (the ones of the blue four-leaf clover, as they were called) who were stationed in Bolzano and Merano and kept the Brenner border line under surveillance. A part of the division was also stationed in the Brescia-Lake Garda area and operated the local camps for German war prisoners. After the summer 1945 discharges, this division was reintegrated with the arrival of new troops. Due to its difficult task, the 88th infantry division had always been given high consideration, provided with soldiers and supplies and maintained in good efficiency. This was maybe the only division that could really control the Venezia Giulia : its cadre was complete, well trained and operative. After the transfer order from Alto Adige to Friuli at the end of September 1945, it took two weeks for the division to post along the 90 km of the U.S. occupied area north of the Morgan Line. The Headquarters of the 88th Infantry Division and of the Division Artillery were both in Gorizia. The Commands of the three Infantry Regiments were distributed as follows: the 349th with Headquarters in Gorizia had the job of controlling the territory between Gradisca and Canale d'Isonzo, with units along the Isonzo river, in Gorizia, on the Vipacco valley as far as Aidussina and Montespino and small units in Lucinico, Manzano, Buttrio and spread on several villages on the Collio di Cormòns. The 350th with Headquarters in Tarcento controlled the territory from Canale d'Isonzo to Caporetto, with units in Cividale, San Pietro al Natisone, Pulfero and on villages of the Isonzo valley as far as Doblari, Volzana, Santa Lucia d'Isonzo and Saga, with a Company in Pola. The 351st with Headquarters in Tarvisio controlled the area from the Coccau, Fusine and Predil passes to Plezzo, with units in Tarvisio, Ugovizza, Valbruna, Cave del Predil and Plezzo. A Battalion was garrisoned in Trieste.

The four Battalions of the 88th Division Field Artillery Headquarters, the Military Police Company, the Division Signal Company and the Division Transportation Company, with the Special Services were stationed in the old barracks in and near Gorizia. The Ordnance and Quartermaster Command's Headquarters were in Udine, where a large number of old Royal Italian Army barracks and capacious warehouses granted the required room and safety. The 15th Military Field Hospital and the American Red Cross had their headquarters in Udine, too. Engineers, Medical Corp, Maintenance Services and the Divisional Stockade were instead in Cividale. The Artillery Division of Aerial Observation was stationed at the old Military Airport in Gorizia, where half a dozen small two-seater airplanes L-5 Stinson had the job of controlling and observing daily the occupied territory from above, weather permitting. Reconnaissance and light Cavalry were stationed in Capriva del Friuli, the 752th Tank Battalion and the Tank Destroyer Platoon in Cormòns. A Military Train daily connected Udine, Gorizia and Trieste to the Naples' harbor, where all supplies from the U.S. to the occupying units arrived. The Division had an independent plant for Coca Cola production in Cividale at his disposal, and one plant for ice cream production in Gorizia. The Pedavena factory, located in the homonymic town of the same name in Veneto, provided the beer. One or more Military Shops selling all basic essentials served every town with stationing units. There was also the American Red Cross with its permanent or moving refreshment bars, offering tea, coffee and various snacks for fixed prices during prearranged times each day. The Division had its own Band and Radio Station based in Gorizia, which broadcasts news, music and culture programs everyday for the troops. “The Blue Devil”, the Division magazine, was weekly published in Venice at the office of the local newspaper Il Gazzettino and distributed for free among the troops. A Division Military School for non-commissioned officers was established at Lido. It served “high potential” soldiers worthy of a promotion indicated by their superior officers.

Summer and winter social Clubs for soldiers and for training of many sports teams were established in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Grado. In 1946 the families of American officers and non-commissioned officers in permanent effective service began to arrive in Italy. Some of the available hotels were immediately requisitioned for temporary housing until a suitable accommodation near the town in which the head of the family was stationed was found.

The sports organizations of the U.S. Army were particularly worthy of note. A special bureau of the Division Command had the job of organizing and selecting soldiers for the sports teams that participated to the internal championships between the different units of the same Battalion or Regiment. Some of the soldiers were chosen to form Division teams participating in competitions with other units in Europe in a sort of tournament for overseas U.S. Army Cup. The championship generally took place in Germany with the participation of sports teams of all U.S. units among Europe as well as British, French and Russian teams. The admitted sports in the intra - forces competition were five : basketball, softball, baseball, rugby and skiing. Competitions among the Divisions were admitted for the above mentioned categories, plus all specialties of track and field events as well as soccer. This was not a U.S. national sport, but it was necessary to compete with the fierce teams of the British Army stationed in the territory and among all Europe. Ski training was carried on in Cortina d'Ampezzo, often in famous resorts in nearby Switzerland, especially for the final training before the beginning of the official competitions.

Of course, due to the permanent alert state of the Division, military training and discipline were the first order of the day. All units were trained daily in the use of the various weapons, kept up to date with local and international issues, instructed about their tasks and duties and about the required behavior regarding the different problems that could come up in their assigned jobs. Summer and winter training camps for different units were first organized in reserved areas in Austria and then in Valbruna and Cave del Predil. All units were trained weekly in the use of weapons and military means in special rifle ranges located in their accommodation areas. New gathering and “sorting centers” were established for young soldiers who replaced the senior ones on a monthly basis. The recruits were assigned to different operative troops after a rapid preparation - training period. After their arrival in Udine from Naples ( later from Leghorn ) they were sent to gathering centers in the Friuli plain for preparation and then carried by truck to the different destination units.

This was the military organization of the territory, but what were the tasks of the soldiers in charge of controlling the Morgan Line? As this was a military demarcation line the main tasks were to control the traffic of goods and people from Area A to Area B and back. Also included were the tasks of total and permanent patrolling of the area to avoid border violation, infiltration, smuggling and the possible passage of people from one side of the border to the other. The troops were a deterrent against uprisings and clashes between civil factions of different political orientation. Even though it was a Civil and Military Police task force, a group of soldiers was often used to control large public gatherings, to limit and check their movements or to separate hostile groups of different political orientation. As previously stated, the Peace Conference in Paris had begun. Decisions on the future aspect of the Venezia Giulia, partly claimed by Yugoslavia, had to be taken. The Great Power Council (U.S., Great Britain, France, U.S.S.R.) created an Inter-Allied Investigation Commission that visited all the disputed territories and towns of the Venezia Giulia to evaluate the real aspirations of the local population and to try to find a solution. The Slovenian citizens of Area A were mainly in favor of the annexation of the Venezia Giulia to Tito’s new Yugoslavia. They were also supported by organizations of Italians who, for political or ideological reasons, thought that Yugoslavia could better fulfill their economic and social aspirations. The remaining Italian citizens mainly followed the political orientation of the revived Italian democratic parties that backed a return of the territory to Italy. They believed that the imminent referendum between monarchy and republic and the following national political elections would give the nation a new political and administrative democratic order.
Both groups tried in any way possible to influence the Inter-Allied Commission during its stay in the Venezia Giulia.

They organized demonstrations and marches in favor of one solution or another. But the different political groups often collided. Several protests resulted in casualities. Scuffles, vandalism, insults and blows were frequent. Although the Allied forces tried to avoid clashes and to make the quarrel civil and democratic, often demonstrators from both groups died or were killed or wounded. Unfortunately soldiers were often involved in the riots and injured. The Military Court of Justice arrested and condemned a great amount of people from both political groups for disturbance of the peace, serious hostile actions, and disobedience to the orders of the Allied Military Government.

Even though the A.M.G. prohibited every non authorized manifestation, the tension created by different groups did not cease as long as the Inter-Allied Commission remained on the territory. That kept the military troops resident in the area constantly on alert. Contrast and political fighting between the two factions did not subside even after the Commission left the Venezia Giulia at the end of its task and went back to Paris to report at the Peace Conference. Rather, this situation continued until the decisions of the Peace Conference became public and definitive.

The Allied military troops were subject to acts of hostility, from Yugoslav as well, when in charge of patrolling the demarcation line. Often gunshots were fired from the border line towards isolated soldiers or small patrols and a few times also towards military motor vehicles. Some Allied soldiers died during these ambushes and obviously distrust and suspicion, in addition to all the inevitable diplomatic difficulties, grew between the two Armies. The shooting down of two Allied airplanes after they lost their way and entered Yugoslav territory in error, almost caused a conflict. Official apologies and the return of bodies and prisoners did not mitigate the already definitely compromised relations.
The economic assistance from the presence of the soldiers in the territory was enormous. The Allied troops were paid in Military Scripts which could be converted into Lira, legal money that was used in the whole country. Most would change with civilian economy ( not with pay master ) which was not legal because of a better exchange rate. Every town or small village in the territory had bars, cafès, restaurants, dancing halls, hotels and rooms to rent. Barracks and military bureaus were the center of more or less legal activities and every soldier had his personal business that kept the black market alive: food, military clothing, cigarettes and all goods that the troops received in abundance. Obviously, as with every army, a large group of “segnorine” (ladies) started to grow along with disreputable places with all sorts of commerce, highly appreciated by the troops. All these ladies were attracted by the great amount of money the soldiers had at their disposal and spent freely. Although the Military Police immediately labeled these houses and places as Off Limits, clients were always regular and numerous. The number of marriages between girls from Area A and British or American soldiers is remarkable. Apparently not everyone was looking for temporary relationships. The sound principles of family and good society were always a sought-after objective to obtain, even though soldiers had restrictive official orders regarding personal relationships with civilians. 60% of these marriages were happy, enduring and solid-based. The difficulties created by the Military authorities against marriage with Italian women are inconceivable. First the Military tried to discourage the couples by creating as many bureaucratic obstacles as they could, and later obligated them to pass some exams. If they failed, the soldiers did not receive permission to marry. Many soldiers had to wait to be demobilized, to go back to their Homeland and then return to Italy as a civilian to marry their fiancés. The wait was long and often the couples gave up.

On February, 10th 1947 Italy signed the Paris Peace Treaty. It decided in detail which territories of the ex-Area A were to be given to Yugoslavia and which were to remain in Italy. The Treaty would went into effect on September, 15th 1947.
Before that date the residents of the ex-Areas A and B had to independently decide whether to move to the Italian or Yugoslav territory. Until the territories officially became Yugoslavian or Italian, the Allied troops had to assure that the desires of the citizens were respected and that their decisions were free, peaceful and respectful of the Peace Treaty. That gave rise to huge migrations in both directions, but major part of the movement was constituted by the Italians coming from Istria, whose territory was completely given to Yugoslavia. No decision was taken for Trieste, its costal area and some parts of the Carso. Instead, the Peace Conference declared the Territorio Libero di Trieste, or T.L.T. ( Free Territory of Trieste), a buffer area between Italy and Yugoslavia still controlled by the Allied troops. As the new administration area was around 20% of the territory of ex-Area A, the Anglo-American troops were reduced to 10,000 soldiers, half American half British. The Civil Police, now Civil Police of the T.L.T., remained in charge only in Trieste. After selecting the troops that would remain in Trieste and in the other T.L.T. territories, the U.S. Army transferred the remaining troops back to the U.S. or to Austria. The British Army did the same, transferring parts of its troops to its Military basis on the Mediterranean Sea. The troops that remained in Trieste stayed in the same barracks and buildings, since this had already been their assigned occupied area.

During the existence of the T.L.T., the American troops continued to use a base in Valbruna (near Tarvisio) as summer and winter camp, while the British troops had special training bases in Austria.

The T.L.T. disappeared the 26th October 1954 after Italy, Yugoslavia and all other concerned countries signed an agreement in London on the 5th of October of that year that gave Trieste and its province back to Italy definitively. That was the last of the stay of the Allied troops in the Italian territory, almost 10 years after the end of the conflict and in the end one of the most difficult periods for the Venezia Giulia and its people. The relations between Italy and Yugoslavia were finally restored, the borders were opened and the period of peaceful cohabitation could finally begin. All this was possible thanks to those young soldiers who came from so far to show us their democracy and help us gain back our freedom.


by Selvino Ceschia, january 2007.

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