Administrati ve Reference Servico Report No. 4 VA . 5:>­

,A 2~ 

I'Io. "i 

THE ~ICAN NAVAL MISS lOR IN THE A.DRIATIC , 1918-1921 

Prepared by 

Dr. A., C. Davidonia 

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Under the .Supervini on of 

Dr. R. G. Albion , Recordor of Ua.val .Arlro1niBtl'ation 

Secret.ary1 a Office', ' Navy Department 

Dr. R. H. Bahmer, Chlef' , Division of llavy Department Archivos 


National Archivs8 


Lt. Omdr. E. 	J. Leahy, Direetor. Office of R9corde Administration 

Administrative Office, Navy Department 

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Offiee of Reeo~dn Ad~lnlatratlon \ 

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.~...." Admini~trativ6 OIfice 	 :... " 

'Navy Department .""~. 

Sopte mb~r 1943 

t. "C~52 

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'!'he little lmown occ1Jl)a iion of central Dalmntio. by 

Un1t ed States naval forces for a pa riod of thir ty-five months 

18 1n some WD.yt unlqu~ 1n Ameri can e1q)eri onc e. Beguri 1n NoV"ember, 

1918. thi o oceup~tlo n of mo re than one hlli~dre d miles of DalmAtian 

coattline did not end until September, 1921 . It represent s a 

conside r abl e operation. ...'hcther the cr1te rion be time or terrltorial extent , and in addit l on. it offers &.n i nteresting study 

of unusual political and mi litary o~ icationB causod l a r gely 

by Italian aspirations in the Adriatic. 

i'hc motl t striking feature of the occunaH on ,>"hieh callo 

for notice is the f ac t t hat the so-ca ll ed American 20n6,1n Dal~a ti a 

eonatituteci. in real1t y territory claimed by t he sove r e i gn st a te o.! 

J Uf!.:osle.vls. and t he JUStice of this claim 'Was of'fi91ally r ecogl ni zed by tho United Sta tes. Serbia wa s ono of tho associa t ed 

])Ower.B during t he \-Iar and, since 1t forll'!~d the nucleuB of t he new 

success"1on state , JugOSlavia itself a t tained ~e t ame- a llied st atus. 

Hence the Un ited Stat e s found itself in the curious posi tion of 

Occu.pying vith naval forces t he pr ovi nce of a n asoociated pCW'e r. 

I.lot!vatlon sprang frotl political gr ounds. Tho United. St a t e a 

extonded nava l control over Dalma tia ,artially to check Ital ian 

t erritorial aggr~~d zemen t i n that r ogton. and t o strengthen 

1. 	For t ho Bake of brevl ty the t erm Jugo sl avi a will "b e el'l;»lo:/ed 

throughout, lt~ough it was not un til 1929 ~t t he cumbersoMe 

title , Kingdoo of Seros, Croa ts and Slovenes Was dro~ge d by t he 

Belgrade F,overnment, 

2 • . Only after t he. bitter o~~09 1tl on of I taly wa~ x~eus ted. The 

United St~te9 , on Februa ry 5 , 1919 . .....ao first smong t he "reat 

:!'o....ers to recognize Jugosl avia . German ccognit n eQJ!le on !~a:r I, 

~19 ; French and British, at the begi~ning of June. t~ly and the 

other ])o....<'!rs r ecognized J ugosl avia when their r e!lrescnt. At1·/ 08 

9igned t he Treflty of Versailles on June 28 , 1919 , for J\l6os1avla 

was a sip,nat~ry to t he Treaty, 

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Jugoslavial(3 vl gor o~l s diplomatic combat egainat the numero'.lS 

Italian intr i gues and enc roachments on J ugoslav 60il. Italy, 

hO'rlever, was also a friendl y country associat ed witb America in 

the war. Thus th~ United States occupied the territoi'Y of on6 

a.tlSoclated po'>¥or to t hwart the pretensions of a second associat ed 

pOtie r againat the first. The situat ion was. and stHl remaino 

unique in American annals. 

Al~ hough ul t i mate control 1n tho ccu?l e~ r~gion wa s 

vested in an Am rican eD~ir l, Serb tro op s garrisoned the zone, 

and tho admiral exert ed hie influe nce t hrough the legally constltutod local govornments both provincial and muniCipal . A regiment 

of A.'l\e rican infantry \1hich had. been det a iled to the Italian commanq. 

in the summer of 191 ~ partic~~ated In the occupat ion of several 

~olnts along th e eastern Adriatic seaboard under Italian order a 

i mmediately following the conclusion of the Auntrian armistico. 

~nen President Wilson discovered that Italy was em loyi ng these 

troops t o furth er her pplitlcal aims against Jugoslavia, he ordo~~d 

the regiment oaek to the United States. This int eresting sidelight, 

....hieh \0/111 be discussed on subsequent pages, probably ~X'9lalna 

why the Dalmatian occupation r emained cntircly a naval ope ration. 

It may be rena rk e~ here. parentheticall y, tha t the 

pres~nce of American nava l units in the Adriatic engaged in t~ e 

Da lmatian mission contributed i ndire ctly but none the l ess materi­

~ly t o tr,e mei ntenance ~' f WilEo n's inflexible polley toward Italy, 

."I.n att1t'..u:te tha t in A-:JrU, 1919 t hrea tened t o dll! TU'llt t he Peace 

Conference. ~e '!l erous r e!)orts se n t to Paris b:{ Unit ed St ~ R 

navy officer s in" the Adr;.at ic n! ~O!1 while the Peace Conference 

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WQ.11J in DQaa!oa e..eflGl.·!b~d in dotail !t!;;.\lian Eaohlnat!oas end 

oppre3s1on of ~he lo.gonla-.r ))Cpulatl~o Unaol.lbtcdl, th'S) Pt'Go1dent 

roed (I, Gllbatantlsl Pl"cpo~-.t1on oZ tohase cO:!I~ iuilicJ.ltloD.a . fol." Ileny 

Z 

of' t~os to tb,1a aay beer hin :aal"~i1Cill e.nd 1.nt.sz11nGar C01:lm.6nts o 

xt oannot ·~e~oonubly ~ 3U P03~d th~t auch ~ufavorsble oba9~vatlonD 

on Italian eotlvlttos d!d UQt lntluenco n ~ind nlready disposed to 

OO.ilS!d0l' ~h€ It.~.l.lBll i~p0r.t 2.1 $.ot pX>O$X'I2,.,tl U'l"h unoon a Ga.lE)(l p;,18.X'J!\ 

end I!lcnpp:r~":c.\lo Iu t.h~c 11.!.'11t~d aQ;llSe thG Dallllo.tlC!,."\ o~Gupetio;;'l 

wail a"" ODeo a raeult of 1!(il.2o n f o effort to oir.nmaor1bo with 

•

3ust1cGI SKI d senrority- 1 t,01'1' e e~ G!ld :tnG .e.mb:i.t•.!.cnB, as U'1;:l11 as Q 

cOllt:r.ibu'UuS ZflO '' C~ to hi3 unBllalten dst6l"r.l.ination not to riel d on 

this l>.o(Jt (lOllt;;;'ovol"!linl tCBJ.;() of t,he p3ace "et~16aento 

B:r no ~oanD th~ loaet 1nterae;t1ng phase o f ~l:l;'o o9C$\.\!,)at1on 

1e the U~:'O'[Hil legal 6tr-tJct.uro t.hat pz>oi7iuGd e haeiB tor thIS Uli~kllono 

'l'hs Amst~ics:l z,ona fell OU',,5tae tho Hl"OQ. to bo e7o.c't.letod b~" tho £;InoaS?" 

QnQ ocenpioG b~ in ar~lllo~ f~rces und~ r ~t 1c13 throe of the 

A'CetL'ian ~r..t1ot.tno.. In a~t1Glo fO\l :;:~ how~;nr~r:l the Al1 1ee l'oaorvo d 

til.G l"lgc.t. toQ aO Q0~~pl1 snoil at:o-a.tc.gto ii'O:tBl;@ if!. Al.H.rt.~ia"liunga.l"Y e.t 

BllCh t ine,s as ~h$y mc~y d(l~1i\ uQoeDSQ"y • .,~tc: El~lnt Qin orClot'$; that 

10", to tllko "'YOl' A\.~atx·l()':l t6l':dtox-y boyo~c1 "t hG aTi:11et1ea lfno if' 

GOlld1 t!<lJ: . .-s tJ3::n· ~.ntGdo C011tral l!J.a..tia~ l1hich in Novo:mber l tllS 

bmeaffiO tU::1! .A;r;:"riean acro(!J, W1\S nOI3'& (';Impk0t teslly a streteglo po tt.lt , 

in i'tlCt. t hz. b:;y ~'i:;r~).'t&gs.o po~1~1('tn in. tho Auriatf.o upon '(:lhlch 

It al!~~ 1Bpari 11s~D o~~t 0oV~tous eyGO o Its ocouPQtlo~ una ~~d0~~ 

t3Z,,:;!I. b7 t:t-a Uz:.its.i fitotOll on tile b~s10 of on:1bll11g DO~NI~e gl"antod 

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So Uco dl';.):: ',iiol_-::on CoD.'.is '(,l=nl. 1I Di'::110 ion 0 Z UG.uu::;G:>2.p-t.o r 1.1 bra)...,. 

of OOl:'.~ :;:,v::HS. .. 

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in arttclo fou",~ but AmGl"1(Hlll nutho;:-1ty l"a:pld.ly (mpan<led raE' 

baro nd tho lim1Z~ oat in thut clnuos i numolYa the nalntona~Qe of 

orde r" 

Tho n&val oo oupa ttoa ot Dalm~tis provld ~8 an e~o~pt1Qn~1 

111n~tratloD of adaptstiQn or TOr-d to a1s&lon. In tha tuttisl 

Dt.e.gGD 1 to \Tas 1>(5IfNll"d0d t:.1raply o.D S Eoutino process tn t.ho exocut1ot\ 

ot arm1ot1e o nn~Ql tormo. nothing'more than e rathor unuaua~ naval 

tunc tioru.. Aa pl~ojetJtG oZ It:::.l t~n B.eBl"..nld1zo~lGt\t J.6Gaobed the notio0 

of' tho Stats Dopar-t!:,'I(,l)D.t 'thGl Ji.llloX'iCl.1.n t:l.i8Dion acquirod politioal 

rOGtureB. th0 prinoipal obJec~i70G of lfutch. as ~aVG elraady beon 

lndlaated t voro to e~0~k Italien sxpano1on in tOG AdTiatie at ~h~ 

oxp0Dca of tuo then ~mGrpbouo Jugoslevia. and to eUPDo~t th% nOil 

gta~6 in oontor.c1ty with rrilacn.o pr~nc1p19 of nottonnl 301tdete rm1natloDo Tho ton~ of occupstlon waa e4ap~od to ~heD@ oon Q 

d1 t10ning factol's ~ an¢. to tho DiBo1on ont1"'ngt~ ll to t.t.C'I J..ElQl"ioClJl 

o.a.m1ral~ It n1aM;. \)0 t70rtb noting that thio tor&!. ill un1qnS'o Fo'Z' 

his odm1niatzat1on tbo adairnl dopcnilod upon 3uaoolav prov!no1ol 

end lo~al ccve~Dmontap ror his pol1c a forod ba relimd Oll Jugo olnv 

gt1r~i90n" oupplcP.lonted l1y OfJCD.Oi01'l.M lr:l. !ldln~Q. or I..Jl!cl"iean fla11o ro 

nnd 0. dall y shoro pmtrolo Th1~ f'orfl of govsrnme:n'ii \:10,5 e1ngularly 

vall aanpted to tho (la!lired objeotivoa . It GGrvoc:1 t.ho pm' poDo of 

QS81at1ns .Yugos l avia to dovcl op Gelt""sovornmeut. tIl. D&l1!lsti3.; it 

l'elnfol"c 19d ths 1ntElrnutlollal poa!t1on 0 '1 'Cs ool a~lll ~ :!:.!ld all 1oh1::J 

t;a.l3 8.ocou~llsh.~d \illt1Jout a li(lDat1n13: It!lly lrl"0'ps:t'ably. 

If, h.ot!lZIvGr. the naval c;.ocupatl(H\ of eS:lltl"Gl D&.li.~atln 

l.l:J." blJ tOI'alo d tulUClUO.l~ l1iHl in (v{;!<lU i'~tltul"~a 0'1011 1.!.l'd.quo$ i t '~aa !to 

o o ro f!:):) tht.Hl th0 6h{J.ot~.3 condltione i~ thQ Ad.....1utia nil$,cl;. rol.1~\1Qd 

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tbe o ollepne 01' tho At.\a~r6 ...U\&~C{;t6'iml 09»11"0 in nO~f,iI~U~&'D 10130 

~ G23minot1on 0: the a~ ~Gvolopg3n~~ reoa of th3 3ngoDluv eOWGtiout 

tor nationa l ua1floQ~~on 19 eDa~2~lal to an adGqnnto oonpr0h0 ~ton 

ot th~ Aaar!aa» oo~npntiQu Qud t~s pllc ~t!ona o FQ~ thlc ~eBDon 

Btreas i e lela throushout ~ho ahopt~~ oa tbG dynon!~ po!!t!oal 

b ackground whioh vit ally, OOLl.tllluOUGly, afteotcd th0 n e.wal nloa!on 

in Dabl"llt!l'I.o 

..,. 

DISSOr..U'1'IO!i 011 AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 

Th~ outlook appoared V0 y Glo~~ to? tho o0ntrol poworo 

by Sop tember. 19180 RoLontlo8D Qlli~d rem8u~0 1n the WQc t uhioh

• 

had begu:ia w1 tb tho reduct-ion o f thii) U@1:UO oa:U.oui# tn 111';>'51 'GaG 

et.0G<l11y Nll ing ths Clon"aM 6l".aioB 'b eal;; tOtl3.8'l\ thCt R.hl!10 p a n d tho 

Goonon!o oonneqU$aOOD o~ tno ·nnwal blco~edo oo~tr~butod ~o the 

etcll<!Y d0tO!"lo 1;".\:.l't1on of not!o))sl mol"alo o I n ·Auet,£,l o.-Ht1:lgal'l tI.:i:l:.'l."­

tV$Q):>'.nOCH!I tmll the upsurge of dlo(lol'lt.0nt. ~Hl Bubj o @t nat1onalttleo 

Ii 

ma40 b&ghly dubious tho oo~tinU0d eziet0DOQ of tbe eup1ro. 

onoo301on~ by the governmont of Ch erioD YI ~h 1eb ttoro lntQndod to 

placate tho PolG8, Czeah8~ and lugonla7S baa th0 off@ot oZ enoouraging t heir pol~tiQel lY.ot,ivit.1(;)fJ wh~.c h a1m~tl a:t notbing ahort of 

ln dGPona~noo. and henc0 tho Qc~tl"nct ion o t ~ bo: 6.1l13!ont J:1Spn.blU"U 

~plro. When in ;cldc SGptomb01' I1l."'t'l.'!lChlllt d t Er:perGyt s AxP:y of tho 

50 Tho d.ls301utton of At,strla.-Hun.SB.l"'Y is E11~:p17 ontl1n~ d hex-eo 

Stul'.:;'eo of t -hs prob l en tany be tOl.l.lld in X. 'Von Olc. i 0o·..Horateuau 9 

Th(!) Co.ll aR,!'.lo of tho- A.~~!! ro -H ~1....E...s.fl!~ 't ;i.~O o ;to", YorK p 1930; 

D. St.I'onG , .&t..~'l.-.0 ctl~2:!-l918 - !L1!:£1::........1llQ.. nett Yor!:;~ lS3~; 

.P.r!. 1t1obol~ !~l'~j.o,!l GO l "Adri2S2.i o.uo:J , .Pi\:rla~ 19:5S~ o. ~(:;l.3~i) 

Tho. D!.,;:1 0,.,c lut,5.o:t qL -R:;rn2b ut'.7. ....~:ojlro_,:,e ~f., C4 ~cns op 1929 ... 

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Ol"!Gnt l -<;o.l1nono<t (111 o tfon6ivc O?l tilm Haca<ioniun Zl.'or:t I!'~a c r,;!n"'Uy 

achl(}v$U a broak-i:.hl'ouai3. Bul.ne.riaa X'asi2~an o rH! f~ :: ii.!:!l ly ana. 

utterly ruohou. Bulaa~l s Gapit ulatod on 0pto~b$r 2a e e~d t~~ 

d o.Y3 tll'l.tar- BignGrl an err.l i nti6G at Salc1l1~a 011 teres \.,b ich ;!I.~omlt()d 

to wfioudi tional e n:I.':,·,:mltG:t' c The. t';~:r nov) 1 ay opeh fOl' an al11ed. 

(l{lvc.aco ageillst Aust z·i6l....RungmZ'j tron. tho noutnoa~t. 

Austrio. g 110\'713\11);'. U'a o '.n n o co nui.tio!\ too oO:D, ·t inuo 

tho Gt?uSglo; th~ !.m.P0X'1.al c.l"a!~ 2 '1:0X-O too e:dlf1l!Bt ed " 0.04 t.he 

frlet10ll of n3t1¢nall~lGs thr aat92s d tho lmmed1ata ~o~tdown of 

tho ho;'i!.tl t'ronto Hel" caUDO we3 103"1;. Bnel!: in t 11$ mi d ell!) of SGptomb$~ t 

1919 AU9~r16 hoG a1~pl yGd har nt~onua~~¢n beZo~ e t he ~or lu bW 

a4dro3 siug a. llGaQ~ not0 t,o tb.0 tin ! tad Stn'(;.I1:HJ p but, &mspGatlnr.; 

ob leauery. U11Gon oot~d i t Quum&~ 11y . Whon i n tho flrot d~7e 

of OOtob0X' GOl".ID.<;u"!Y in. d03po:s"atto!.l l"eqUG$'i:;0~ un Inntlo~io:4-0 nrra. iBt1ec , 

and paaos on the b~o 10 of tho VourtouD Point e» Auatr io ~111 1ngly 

oOflooie.ted ho..·rzo lf" with tho t.'!Gva. W'-. l oon03 r opl:; to Auott' i u , 

dot e d OctoDer lSp did n o t l'030h v ienn.a until t.hr€lo eRrS lo. t~ro a11d 

ltc contGnte doo~~d the p1 ~o o ~4~ P~oGl GntD having Ql ~Qa ~y 

rooogn1 zed tbe C~ eoh . Hatiou·e. t Couno il 90 C:\ de Taeto boll iaG Gu~ --- ~= 

goV (!) rllnCn~ as woll ~o the Ju:!"~ o of .1ugoBle.v r!E\t!onQl t\ :'::lpil'nt1ono" 

6 

naB aoti1!)oU .o4 to r oplld1at. G ala'H'l~ X ot tho P'ourto oll Point~ Bnd 

doole.ro thut n.ere uut.ono"t::l7 of tbG nub j oct nati:)).2a11t1 e3 was no 

l onn o? Q bG.fJio fOl" p~at.H3o By t t e ovort Oi:lOOUl~eg e:rnGnt to the Polae 1 

...... .... --------------...... G. Po1nt x. ~Th~ pBoples of Au~tr i~wRn~3qry , WhOD0 plaoe· among 

thQ ne tiono U.'3 "ish to B!\O oafeguard.:Jd und t1&oure1." oh \. d bo 

CH'.l(lOI·dod tho f).~(lo .2 t OPP ol'tu:d.ty of ~l1ton nouG dc:r",oloptl.3nto" 

C. $oY:i!ou:;;:o , f..ntiU!_ute_?f~p.o r8 ot C91onol ROllns,.\' (I~fJ\1 Ol~kl 1928 ) 0 


III, 301-37. . 


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Cz ac a ~ eud JUBoslev~ this note virtually dis201vGd the dual omp! r~. 

an~ cQutr~l autbo rity rapidly d l eintegr.atcO, 1ta f.r eg~G nta f nlll ne 

1nt.o tho h ands of 1rrC6Ulal' nnt10n nl coun Cill" an d c01':H:d .tt·cca 10. 

th e i ll3peri al pr o v1nttos. '1'ho armies, too, WQl"S infect!;ld by tho , 

natlonnllGt ro oon ts. sn~ no longer could bo ~elled upo~ aa 

effeo t-tvG In3t r~o ta of ' impor.!al pol 1oyo 

In thin poriod o r crlsl& uhen the liap bu~g odifioQ mn~ 

cru~bll ng in rulne Goneral Dlaz, ItaliBn chiof ot Dtaff, on Ootob~r 

23 gava'tho olgnal hleh bognn the oaro?y.lly pzocparo tl. gemernl 

o:ffan s lvo aealnst the Auntrian lit\03o It 1n au BGtonioh1llS taot 

that the ';uatrlbfi Ol'eOG~ a.lthough oompollod nlowly to ~lth(l,.rarJ9 

cont1u ue<l for 6o voral doys to o f tel" vigorous- l"®si :1 t a n ca 'tInon a 

govornmo nt tlh1cb .oo\11d Bustain thom. no longaX" oxiat€Hlc By 0 0t,ob6:' 

, 

2'1 UIllJ6VGr, Italian o.nd c.l lJ.ed t.roops h a d (,i]"OBOCd. :t,no P1L'.vt)o aDd 

amasbod the AUDtr1 e o t r o n tc That ~no day Vlenun dQspnt cUQ a tb~oU8b 

a noutral So\u' ca all ans'<:Jer to rJ1lson' 8 nat o of Octob~ r 18 uh1Qh 

agrood to booopt tho Fr o~1dGnt's Qonditiou o wi t hout rooervat lon; 

orr oro~ to conclude a eopar ate pe ac or e nd Duod fo ~ Gli iDEO alate 

e.rn1st1c0o It '<?as too l atE). 'I'h{l d03J)ere'tf) eituut1oJ! at home an d 

011 the front ue.s 01J.oh that A1J.strta ()ould not affo:etl. to l ndulgo in 

o 

le.lauroly a.lplotl!,,'t lC ozhsnees . at a time 'abeD. nn If&ledluta c605utlo:l . 

of hoe tl1 1ti(l3 YJQIi) ro.t.!~Oe It b e co.ne e)~oar t.hat. only nn 

a~lst!~e on th3 fleld c ou 14 aceo~p l 3h thl0. 

In Q~io. whithor no h a & t~sv 61Gd in grea t hamt6 from 

RO!lO t.o 8.t on 6 'Ioho oon tl3r<)noeB of tho SUPl"(H.-,-a liar Councll). Prom1or 

Or1. audo on Oatobor 30 IlZH10l.l.nc od to C1 6eo ne~ u. Llo'S'd 0001'80, and 

Colone l UOU6Q t hat a cO!'-1!'.. 1.ol! ion 0 f Auotri!1n of'!'!ool's bas:ring the 

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7 

l'1h1.ta flaB had cr Of:l~ed the Itulian line !) and requG9ttld tGn:l.s • 

.f.,t t h o i ri3tonc3 of thlJir p ol!t'- cnl chl a fs, ell10d mil 1-tor-.1 e.nd 

nElval advi aor a quiokly dra ft od arr.d.ot l c lJ olauo 3B .,b1eh '1'701"0 

appro ved by the GuprG:'ll" Ct:lunc n tho. no . t day) and tha t 811m3 Gvenlng 

thGy \,(Ir-e '\~1.r ed. in abbreviated f orm to Ceneral Ciaz uh ila 6. oourl~!" 

hurrlod to Italy with th ~ complot~ tOAt in his pouch. At 3 p. ~. 

on tiovomber 3 , the Aust.ri s n cQJm!l. i s aion elgnod t.ho a rmi s tioo or 

Villa Giust,l to c;othor "'ith e f'H),pplo IJ'.ent appondGu by General 

?lotro ~adoslio at the lo.nt minute uhtch, among other th1nge, eDt 

tho time for oe esat ion or hoet111ties t"entYQtour houre aftor tho 

B 

s1 6na ture. 'rh o Aus trlan higil CO:QIllo.nd nt D'eden uaa Jlot 1nforx::.ed 

of this GUDpl$m ~.Ilt, an d eonsoQu0t'1tly ol'dered tho 1mperiol Ol"1:lian 

to ley do"t11l thei r nZ'm3 iMr.wdi(lt&ly fl.!'t o);' 3 p .. m. , Hov e.tlbsr S~ in 

tho bellef that the a r1tJ if.l t io o uo uld ~n.'\tGr Into effoct at b.8~ tiao. 

Th.1Ll act ~:u. r; no t un juat1fiod b ccaust!l tho a~m13t1eG tGI'IlI0 J a1n u u 

tho fiuppl e~ent~ ll~~ tor an cdlata casoation o t bontilltlaGo 

F.o~ verf tali~n troope contin ~~ d their advanoe against tho un restatine ol\oroy f or t\.1onty-four hours long c!"', t ak ing notA.;) 3 00 ,000 

9 

prlaonare end an onO!'HOUB booty. "l,'hl10 it mny be i nterpre tod eO _ _ _ _____.=--e _ __ 

1 . G~ "'t10tu;>~.Intiunt - _ e F8.porFJ, _.,__0­ IV, 104 . 

B. 	 Sin ce tho suppl eaont as unaut hor! zo a, end oeoaU BO it 00 obv1ou aly f8vor~d I talian lnt ~r~ats at t~c Bxpan o3 or har al11ee~ th e Supremo 

Council later :r 0pudlet~d it.o See bolo':/, !> • . 23" 0 GOpiOD of t hiB

eu:pploment >1hi ch t,h rl3~te nad tl brea.e h aMon/,: ~h. o ellioa aro to b o 

found in the Yale ll ou~e Col lact 1on , Bnd -the NnTal Haeords o Navy 

D6IpartT.18 n t . It h aa beon p1J.b1tllhod 1:t!. H. 'i1IDI':Ips rloy (00.0) & A 

!l).s tory ot t he P030~9.nrOr~!lc 0 0 r ~!!!.J G vo11l", Lo ndon,-1 920 ... 2<5 t 

. I, 487 fr. Rer onft or o1te d 	 Poa oo ConfBronC6 ~ 

~----.---

9. 	 o~ StroilS. Aust.T...l..a~t ~~~ ...19 ]_ 8 ~=-J{ nl'o~~..l2.l..., t h !?',c, p<ll'tlf111y 

tlnco vored tho hlatory o f th~t ~ Int.ero ?t:tne: o p 1a.ocl. :.;. Some ~Clp 1~1l 

'of 1 t is alao ma de in E . yo u' Glnio a -floTut.CllUU, qoll2.pr;0 of' t~ 

.!ll.Ur::- · ·:~ll r2.a n. 1!onn1"Qhy .. 


f

, 

r 
9. 


a fit.ting oliu~x to tho ein8ulr:ir Italian dl"ive of Vit.torio Vt")neto. 

it was nG v~rtheles~ 8 basG a~d t~0aoh~rOUB Bot r.b1~h ~or~D yet 

enother stain Oil Italian £I.:r::W ~ 

JUGOSLAV UNIFICATION 

While theso momentous eVf)!lt", culminating in the o.rmistlc0 

o t Villa Gitil.3tl porQ tn progress, the Jugoe:la7s or the hUB tro·~ 

HUDg arian oi'lpire 61reoted their enel~gies to'i'iard Qutlining tho eha.pe 

ot n DOU nationsl etnto. The Ju gos a~ inhabitants o f the Dual 

llo naroUy ~~ra distributed among ton di fforont provinC<:IB. U41dor 

;,unt.A'te., but POB303sinS varying degrees of home l"ulo, '!Joro 

ari~th1at StYl"i3 0 CGrniola" Gorizia.-Gt"sd1aaa, I otria eDd Dl!lme.t1a. 

, nung~ry ooutrollod Sl ovenia and Croutl a G nosnin ~nG nerz~gov1ne~ 

aD.n ex{:ld in 1909, wero under joint AustX'o-Hunp;B.rtnn adl<t1.nistrat 1. 0U. 

'!'lro Indopondont k!ngdomD~ over;:;,un by Au otrian tl'OOPS during thG 

var, flare a180 J.nhub1t€id by Jugoslavs, namoly» Serhi a 80d 1.!ontGn0gro. 

United ~y blood, language, a nd to e oe rt.sil'. oztont by nat10nel 

tra~ 1tlon theso var10us terrlto rioE wore divided by ov rn~ent . 

but since tho early ye a!" !! at the 'Qer' the .Y\!.goslavs h ad oonduoto.1 

10 

an activo propaganda 8.1r:1od a t ultimato uuj,rlcetlon. 

10. 	Deta11a of the Jugcala7 movement to? unlf1cution 110 outaldo 

the province of this cbupt or. Cone~t H. A1brooht·Carri~, 

lli1y at ~.(3 Paris Penoe Co~ f'or"'ncc . (Now York, 19 58 ) , p. 47 ft' . 

ror e brief but incielvo nccountQ H~ Tempe~ley, E2~~9nforanc@ J 

IV and V, pagBiR, is atill useful, aD 1s 8.J o and CoO. Woodhou S0. 

Itnly flnd tho JURosl ev3 J Boston. 1920. Al oo ~oe Co Board and 

G:'"HadIil-;--;-fha 3'aik;n~l,"ivot! ,Tu :&,oslev:tn, Now Yo:rk. 1929, D.lld 

J . 	 Buchan ·r0(i7G.J-;e~r;yre:-L~ndon, 1923•. 

f

I 

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100 


'l'a€l movomont fo~ natlonel Be.).f-(l.otormlna,,:1.on ato!x~Qd 

frou th~o G aietinot ~our00C. nor ~a3 it omp10 t0~ uat!l thQ 0~ 

three effaat0d a jun otion., Pirct of tho.I:J6 olemeutm tH10 th>il &"80- li 

, 

slav Nation&l Committee oA"gan1z.e d in Lonllon during t.he onrly U~i1 

11 

months by Dr. Tl~tlm.bltoh l all omigre Da.lust10.11 lu',;ry0E' " whe l1cSlt 

tho Jngo01ev 13WUO eliv0 au d ur~~ng eith tho sid of Br1ti~h 

Gubaldle~o Tbs aegond courC0 couo1atgd of th9 0xilo ~ So~b1an 

govornment o an a l ly of thG ~TQ ot poncrsn Qstutoly con trollod ~Y 

~r. Paaitoh9 ito pr ~~ier and fo ~~18~ mintGt e~. Although PG~it ~~ 

considorod unif1cation in terma of ~ OrGetGr S0~bla U3 and ?ru~~ltoh 

Bigned the Pact of Corfu Oll Jul y SO~ l~l?p thox'c by egX'GG!ing on 

tbG union o f the Scrb ~g Crosta& and Slovoneo in a Bingle lllaOD~n

den~ kingdom on a con atitutional ~nd demo cratic ~eG10 ~~r tua 

12 

Serb boueo o f Keragoorg'S"!1tah", Tho fiu6! oloDant i n this 

tr1pertlte ovomG nt fo r' un l?ioa~ ion wa s tha Nationul Council of 

ze.creb • 

- 11. 	T~um blto h ~a a onC0 mayor of spoleto, oapltal ot Da l matia; 

wae oubG~qu on tly electod to th~ Auot~ian RG10hsrat trom that 

p rovince, fI.nd G"1ontl.!n1 1y beoallte:r the tiret foreign l!l1nietetX' of 

lus;o &lav'.Q d nr1t!.g the yours 191 ~-20 .. 

12. 	Itnly ~ce tc d tho CQ rZu aB r8~~&nt in the Pac t of Rose signod 

i n April 1$)18 by Tl.~u.tl.blt.oh unO. Ure Tol'l'o on beh alf' of a larGe 

Ita.lian po.rli e!.mo utar,. coruai ttsa . O:t'lando approvod, porhap s 

i n 'good t."a1tb.~ but Pl'iJ:'l8:l'ily as a uar meQs\.\re t o promo to al110d 

eo11da:rit.y. Su.booqu n~ It.a1 1un intrigues t o fOl-Betall .Yugoslav unity b0eti' out t.h1s 1ntorpl'otat1on~ Compara R. Albro cht... Carr.H; ~ l !-aly at th~...",I:l:!.l"}s P(J~H.'l>S Con.torenc~ , ppo -1.6-4'1 . 

\ 
 A 
11. 

\'/bBn it appeered that tho Duel J,!ona:rOhy 'f/'ould not Durviva 

th~ wa r pollt 1c ~11y i ntnot p Dr. or o8~c, Slovene prsaldont of tho 

Croatian parliament, l.n vlt6d tho political loa.ders ot all .1ugosl av 

pa rtio e nit-hin the emp ire to aeBellibl~ in c ongr6BD at Zagreb on 

october 5, 1918, to foro a natlobal couucd.L After 'Hlson in 

his nota of October 18 to Vienna "'rooo an 1zod In the fu llest manno r. 

the Ju~t1ce or t he nntlonaliat10 aspira t ions of the jugoalave fo ? 

13 . ... 

fr eedom", the uuti on al council uns ~noo~raged to convBno , aea1n 

at Zagreb, and to renounce any oonnaotion be ~wecn the .1ugoslav 

provincoo and Austri(\~Eungaz7~ and t o doclere thoil' union tilth tho 

stato ot the Serbs. Croat~. snd Slovanoa 6B axproDBod in th6 Pact 

ot Corr~G Pacod by its pr o1den ~ Dr ~ Koro90o, the oongroaB tran sforme d It~91r into the Notional Council ot th$ Sorbs, C~oato. Bnd 

Slovenes, and assumed complote euthorlty O?O ~ ell Jugoslevs within 

the defunot. eo.pira. At the same time 1. t reoallod J'ugoele.\l' troops 

from the I~all&n tront in a manl io 6to which announo ed the n outra11tr 

of J1J8os1av territor)"o Punoti.l10UD t o the l ast gasp, Etaparor 

Cbarl aa Ghortly ther~erter recognize d tho Dew o ltuatlon, and almultanoously tronoferred the impo!'ia l navy to tho National Counc1.1o 

In view of tho tact that Italy oxpoo t ed a oubstQutial porti on of 

that. flo at CB \'Iar npoil , 4el' govar!ltJI8nt vehstHmtly dO!lou!lcad th1B 

l et'tor aot e.f! a pflrfidious Austrian tl~1c k, bu t ectually Char).Ga VI 

only aoquiO DCG d in a fill cCQ:silit &inco EI. mtttlro.y i n th6 0 1.1'11 00l 

Ootob0r 30 bad raiooc! the Croat flag to tho ln2stbo a do.. Nsvortha1013B. 

trQnsre~ o f the flo at to tho Nat ional Council of Zag~0b cau3 ~d nQ 

,--" 

13" no em. J)I~r10y ~ Ponc0 C~£en9..E.t IV, 105. 

r

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---~------~.--~-".-- -------_._------ ~--------.

12. ­

lit tl e conf usion a mong the a11163 whon th e ti me arrived to enforca 

14 

t he Au strian n oval Qr~ 9tlc~ teron. 

Dy t ho end o f Oato ber. 1918 , t he forn ot the ue sl~~ 

state had be como more d istinct . Th o noxt ob v iou s atop was to 

brl JI ~ together the alBn atorl~o of the ?not ot Corfu e nd the 

::at lon a l Coull cil of ;ronerob .. Yo r th13 pur pose 'r'rUI:lb1.tch p I' al;ll tc h, 

an~ Koroso e assembled i n Geneva togethor ~i th their ai dGB o~ 

1:ov em be r 6, a nd fi v e d ays later !ssuad the so.cellod Pact ot Genovs~ 

Th is docume nt do sienod tho succession state alon g l inea la id doon 

by tb e Poet of Corfu. It pronouncod the Na tional Coun ci l or Zagr eb 

th O) prov l e1ona '. go vo n1':'l~nt ot' Jugo sl avia, and a nno u nce d the f o rms.., 

tlon of a joint ministry to o rg anize nffairs pending enactment of 

o co nstitutio n to b~ drafted by a conatltuont c8s0~bly. Un fortunat e l y 

• PnBitc~ st1 l l no urishod the Pa n~ orb Id e~ and, approhens i ve le at 

tho Jug o slev prov inces overs hadow Serbi a in the now stato, treecher ~ 

15 

oualy hamstrung the Geneva Pact behind the b aoks of his oolleagu9s. 

Common fear o f Italy, howo v er, providod the; st ronBost inducement 

for rec onc ilia t ion . and after a flurried lnt ~rva l of nogotla i lon 

the National Council of Z.a. e~"e b Gven tually o ffer e d Prinoe Alaxe.nder 

of ::Sorb1 a t h e r0,~Elncy ove r nll Ju go alav s.. li e accepted on December 1, 

1918 .. Th an the National CouDci l proc l aimed the Kingdom ot tho 

14. Discussed balow$ p.l8 fr. E. 
 15~ ~a iet er in Sl11 t zerl a nc1 stov all t o Colone l/Hoo.as, }lovGr.:.bor 30. 


1918. Fo reign Holatious of the Uo itnd St a t,e o.) 1919j Thl!l Par is 


L.!..'!..~,gnr!l:r-Dnco,_ ( ':nahington, D~C"t 2 vol a .. , 1942 ) . I I, 31 ' -J.H . 

Iiereefter c ited ~~~~~SL!L.9~£.2..'::~£'~ 

r 

I 

" 
,15 . 

I 

, 

I 

~erbs, Croat-o, and Slovilioas p . that 18 to aay . Jugo31 a vla p nod. on 

Deo erober 16, u jOint aeseion of th o NatiQnal Council of Zagreb 

and the Se rbian 3~ ~htl? ~ r atitiod this actlon~ :'. heo !ITon ten egl"o I en t~rod tho uni on Dovaral days later it co~pl ted the unification [ 16. 

ot the Yu go slavs. 

This movGment tor na tional self-deter;ninntion \1il 1.cb attracted 

the pro ?\lndest cYC1pathy and ext.€Insiva mOl"'al sup!"Jort of the Unite d 

st a.te s ?Ia oS not acoo):J_uJ. ished without intriguG. d.isorde r , end b lood... 

shed, n or dill the m6rd fact ot union automat- le nlly so lve the 

nu~~r OUB pro blems facing tho recently establ iuhed p r ov I sion al 

governoent. 'fher o sx! u t e d the question of futu re bauncla.rie a co m17 

pl1 cnted by th e Tre at y of Lou don in wh ich docu ~on t France and 

llritaln ha d uppro ved It a ly's claim to Gor zia~ Gra ~i6c u9 l etrla; 

llorther u Dalmat ia, tiB ll 8.6 thG ·~~ueroaro an d :':al:not1nn i Bl onds. 

ThsaD r eg ions Oj ~stltuted Italyts p rice fo r ont orl ng tho war on 

tll e aill ed oido, hut 1n all these bartered prov lnoo3 the vast bulk 

of tha ? o pulatio n was Jugosl av. Co u9 s quautlYp terrltor1al lasueo 

pro,""uc€lu bo n inl'lvltaul o clash betwoen Itc l y a n d J ugo s lt!.via. To 

obt~ ln torulgn r e cognit ion for ~uBoslavia pro ved a tormidoble tesk 

beGuuse oS auar:;t;l.nt Italian o P ?o31 ti on . The ne·n n t a to e l s o lnborod 

un t.l ~r st:ll'ious intornnl :probl e r:!s 8.8 toIell , fo romost of whi ch \forS 

t h e 0 s tabl i shrn. on t 0 f 16,\7 a.na ordor. revi ctunlling of de va sta ted 

nroe A. cn~ or i~atian of a permsn ont cO Da t i tut ionel nnd de!:.oerotic ovorn~cnt . There onB ln~J e lsa tb. dol i c a Lo qU63tions 

16. 	Fre n c!\ AmbGGSBd or to L 116 Un i t ed ; tRt tl~ ) J u s :le ro nd , t o 

:3 ec r ". tl~r y o f : ·t~L,c ~ 'l:3in S , :Jnl'l :3 , J(!~ u(..l· Y 'J . 19 1 9 . For. :' ~~ 

Paris to ne s Co "f'Jl' r:.c~ , : .! I j45- G . 

I 

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1 7 . ::;le: ne ~ A!T ll 2G t J.~ 5. , 

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~ I 
14. 


arlv1ne trot! the e.ppl"oa.tlcn c f ths &:r-J',J1atla6 termlS to those 

lugoelav arG38 whioh had shortly beforo belonged ~ Austria-Hungary. 

Hou 1 t 16 h18bly a1gulttc e.nt thot tho United Statos conaisto ntl y anctalnod Jugoolav!u in her offortB to find a solution 

tor thoDe grave p~o bloma. Such suppo~t nssuQoQ moral, tlnnnclal, 

Rnd diplomatio .forL:H3~ but. as i[i).portant ns any of thoso wes the 

ACloric:an oocupation ot DallJlo.t.18 ~lhlch can ¢orreotly be intal·Iil~et$Cl. 

88 	direot physical interventton' on b ehalf- ot .Tugo~laV1at and a 

tuctt~l show of farae against Itnly. Having okctohl1y aurvaye4 

the politioal bQokg~ouu d eGal~Bt whioh the Dalmatian occupation 

m.ust bo vl@tJsd, we turn non to GvantD connectod ntth thG Auatr1an 

ar~latLco which stop by atop lead ~o the assumption of A~arloan 

"ontrol 1n Df\lmat1h.. 

ARMISTICE OF vtLLA GIUS'£r AND ITS ENl'"OnC1!:!aEWl' 

It 19 a notablo faot that the armistice or V~llB Giueti, 

even ~ithout the 8up~1~mon~ elreedy nent1onod, ~ao au over~helm

iugly Italian dooumon ~ that pro~ldod for Italian rathor than inter1B 

allied )."eQ.uirom6:J.tB on the Austro-Rungaria.n f,I'out .. The military 

clausos dot~a.nd od iru!led!a:to do!:':.obiU.z.utiofl of thE! imperial nrm10!l~ 

and the Burrander of half their equipment auch as machino g~nn ond 

artillery. Under articl e tllrae Austria uudert90k to evacuate ell 

18. 	 ~fter the brackdown or the onpiro. lluneury maintained thnt 

tho armistico of Villo Cluett did net apply to har ~ Therefore 

r epros&ntatlveo of General d' Sa pet'oy end tho llun gur"'an Govorm:;0nt 

sl13ned et Belgrade, on J';ovoUlbor 13 r 1918, e. "militnry cOllvention 

re ti, ul!d.in g tho eondltlon3 under nhich tha armlst :!.es , aignod 

bot~o n th~ al11es ond Austria-Hungary Is to be applied in 

HUrIG..ary.. " .J'6 :ttS ('l" -tha arml!3t1oa of Villa Giuet1. and of tho D€ll ­

. ero.do r.li11't,a ry '~,-'11 ... c!\1;ion el!:-e oon voni ently printed in He Temp£:rl o)"1 

S~.£~_~r..b ?!:~~:.,i;,,7 IV} 499 ... 511.. . 
, 


15• 

..!s trlots inva ded s1n ce tbG beeinn1ng of t h o ~nr, a nd be yond that 

~ lt bdr6tr hal' troops trom Bp~oifi0d national Gr~lt ry in the 

--uth Tyrol. and trom r(leiona about th.s headw ater a and fJl!oteru 

:Jt toral of the Adriatic e:.ttollding couth to Cape Planka~ no \."'J'011 

~ fro:.l t he nune ro uB islands orf thG coast. Tho Cl.'oa to bo 

n ecuutod t:t'a.oed by this e.r!!listioG line .co1nc1dec .GxBotly \'11th 

~a Austrian territory pr o~lsGd to Italy by the ul1t GG 1n th6 

~ee ty ot London baok in Apr!l 191~o O~Q¥ r, this saa0 olauso 

rrp llc1tly stated that "all terr .t. toriOB thus evacuat.ed \,111 b e 

cupled by Allied and AQerloan troops", and tl cle ~14 entru s tsd 

:;':'S prov l cioual e.dmln i atl~flt lon · o t t h0 3G to Z'r tor1~8 "' to l oca.l 

Ethor1tlee under All ied 6ud ~eeoc1at~d a~m!G8 of oc¢up at lon~. 

In tbv ligbt Qf uh~t Dubaoquently ooaur~ d it iG doubtful 

otber I to11 avon at this early data lnteu&cd to pe~n ~t al11a d 

op e to e8Boc!at~ ~lth o~ OWD i n the occupation of ~hess ~vaQU

9d roglo n~ DGeaUSe she rogardcQ them aa good as ann6zed by right 

conquestt and by guaran tee;) in the 'rrosty of Loudon . Itrtlcl.o f oul' 

the u r::iatlo0 allowed al11ed ar~ les to "oe ~,y s uch strategio 

;;;o. lnte in hu(tt.rla.. Hun~.8 ry et eucll tl tt1.~G as G.hoy dG&m. nGoossary to 

ebl o them to conduot milita ry o por6tlons o r to ~alntolu orde r ." 

:: was undel' t hi s manda t e that Ito.ly tb r ust naval ancl m.ilitary u nits 

;3yond tho a r mist ice lino 'into coaot a l are UB f rom Cape Planka to 

ania OD the h~als of departing Austrian troops, Bnd un der this 

e Qlustic c ls1..tse that the Unite d States occup i od Cal mo. tls... 

Th e n ova l co ndi t ion s o t tho a rmisti ce obll ge tod AUBtrl a 

..: su r rend6r to tho a ll izo an e! tho Un itod :::;tt'lt ~a tU'tOGO GubDtn r j.r1.6D. 

~G9 battleshipG. t breo lig ht oruls@rG~ nine d c otroyora , and two lvo 

,•. 

·1 

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1 a~ --------J 

t. orpedo boats 1~: addition. to s overal ama.ll£lr 'V assels. All othor 

naval u n its were to be c o ncentr at o d In . dl) ~lgn8te d Austro - HuoGtlrle.n 

portG, rJlso.r.'no d , d0COil'~'T.IG81onGd, and plaCQd un der alli Qd j 

aurvelilanco. n lockade condi~lona spoelflcally remained unaltered 

by t he tormo, an~ article eigbt gra nt ad th e allloB thG right to 

occupy the creat nn val ba s e at Pols toget her wit h its to r t1fl c ations, 

dockyard s , enrl arsena ls. These con d itions complet ely proatratod 

tho Austro - Hungarlnn navy, '.1h1ch at that. time stood eight.h In the 

aorld oa a~ ~lnrorc • 

. I n th ~ sup pleme n t apP Glnd€l d at. tho i nst an oC!l of tb~ I t elien 

high command the s tl pul.at.lo1l 3 19cra such tb&t they inta rp?etod tho 

ur lotice almost entirely in favo r of It ~ly o For inst~nco~ shipe 

:!larked for surrender wEll'e roqu1rod to proceed to th0 It.alian baao 

at Ven ic o , Dor can it btl . ascribed to ooin c1 d~n oe that tho suppl emo nt ., 

narn Gd vessels wh ich tbo I talian naval 8uthori tiol) notor1.ouoly clalned 

us r eparl:l.tlons for "\'J ar, lo s aos to the ir floe tQ AftBr HOV.C.HS hOI' 3 8 

it remain ed for the 0111e e t o oarry out end enforco the ailttsry 

an d nflval torms of or~1l!3t}.cO. aD a.p p a r ontly routine operat ion 

roboso slmpl lcU:;Y nas sho rtly bollod by num e rou B d lf:ticultiol3 flU(\ 

COIll?lice. tiona. 

0 ;.,. Hovor:lbor 5 , HilS the Allied Na.val Council in Parl0 

OOIl von cd "to eon 31dor tho 13 f1 nno r in u bl ch tho Dov aJ. t ar-mo ot tho 

19 ar~1stlco should be onrr1ad out.n Th e Co uncil ag l"oed to appo int 

19. 	:..'er.;oran c.um on the Adria.t i c , wr itton by Admiral AQP. Niblack. 

o du t e -'but by i nte r na l ov ldeno e after SOl'tamhor 1919. Naval 

ilecor~e , Navy Department , Fl1 ~ VA. 

'l'b. o bu lk o f official n aval Ilw_te :d.tl l e UHi.nl;l.ttn g fI"om ths 

several branches of the l-i o. v y Depsr t~ nt. Q.nd o pGn to In'Y,,,, atig a t ol.''S: 

i A. dOjJosit.ed in t"o pl a oes. Th(3 f irst of thOBo;) is thE! Off i cI) -of 

NnvGl Re corda and Library ill th t) liavy 1l1lnex p )\rli ngto n ~ Virginia. 

Citat i ons from thip co lleo tlon n ill bo r9aftor read, fl av al Re co r ds. 

The oth ar d~pository of nava l matori al Is in the Nati ona l Ar cblves, 

Ha va l Arohi v 95 Divis ion . CitatlonG 1'4'0 .11'1 this 30 Ul'" (: n w1ll r ead , • 1_ ' . . 
,; __ ______________________ 

17. 

a eorua.lttee consiet.1.ne ot tour naval o ff i cars, American, 3rlt1sb, 

French, an d Italian , to moe t in Yon ice an d take all necessary 

steps to aX6cute the nava l el e.uflE;l a~ Tuo d8y~ l ator Adnd.ra l \': 0$. 

Sims on tbe a ut hor1ty ot Admiral W.So Baneon . Chief of Na? a l Opo1'6­

tlons~ ordored Roa r Ad miral 'n'. H. llullnrd to tbe Adriatic ' 03 0 0'70.1 

deleg tlte or t he Unitod Statoa to oct In concert with British, Frenoh, 

and It a lian naval represe ntutlv60 to ~nforco the armiRtlce. Bullnrd f 6 ,'-: 

mission \,80 6trictly (Jeflned; be flao to collabor ate with his 

colle agues in ovcraeoln15 tho surren der of the torty-two Austri a n 

vessels men t ioned 1n the nrnlatlco, but 6~ec i rlcally enumornted 

by the All1 0d NElval Counc il only on HOV6I:lbor 5. These units NGr e 

20 

to be concen trated at PaIn, tho rlHr.alndor of the fle e t to b o 

decommis s ioned in Austrian base s c hoBan at the discrotion or th o 

C01i\];\i ttee . It wa s e nnval l s~ io n with no olJ lc al colora tion 

~hatev~r a t this t1me. 

As Adml rul Bullarc\ seU. a d from Corfu townrd t he upper 

Adriatic h e wos awaro that n Er eve prOblem confronted the elll e s, 

namely, tbe d Isposal of tlln AustriGu fleet . On Octo ~r 31 , before 

~ustr 16 signe d the Br~13t ic o . the Emporor he d deli ve r ed the ~p.r18 1 

n av y to ~ether ~ th d oc kya rda and 3roennls t o th o ~8tlonal CouncLl 

of ZaG.re b . :J iuc o t ho u;'I!l i s tl co occurred on N'o ve m'oe r 3 , ;,uetrie 

"on npp3 i'ontly no l "lngcr in tI pos i tion t ::1 diSj"lO~o o f t ho nuvy, sin c e 

i t c o nct1';.u t o{! Jugosluv pro:>orty~ Wou ld t~e al l1 1;} s, :ltal y ;Hl.rtlculsl'ly, 

r~co~n lz a t ho logality nf ~bo tr"~Oror an~ ~~ lv e ro rtln ant c ouuoa 

::!O . Note t.hat t.1 ~o u" ::.athor l zcd It. nl l :1 G'l:>r1e m!)!l t to tt!o I.lr!~i..:t l co 

" !)l ls t. ~~ tl!O Ct: ~3 t~oroln ~05i!~I~:t tOd f?r jurron dar to ro tu r n 

t o VO:li:.:o . Tho SUfl~l'J; ""Ol,t :l\~ 11;t~!'i"!.11tJ c ':oc t:.;io., ~ . liS .l"e;")t'o3~nt od t, y the " ,,111 00. Nuvtl l Co un Cil, a15 :> c")lLfl lct sd on t h e .

:::u tte:::" of I )UC1 :' i,:: !J;~ i ~J3 n;:!::;'!Jt:. l' ;) r ;urrnr.de . 

.. 
--~--' '--"'-'...........--. ~--.--- , ~: --- .;" 

l B. 

t--'-------=------	 -=~-..-.....'-. 

of 	the r=l~tloe or woul~ tho allios treat tho fl eot as if it 

t;or~ :.uetr-ian? Tb13 	th(}rr.:r proble-w. set til€! silton st8t a smen 

chaclne nbout In gract m~ntal aa!t~tion Dackin ~ a proper s olution . 

Th e first inkling the allie d prime minl~t rs find Calonol 

lieu!>"" received of tue trQnofer eamo on ll oy ot:.b er 1, a t the mo rn ing 

21 

UeGtin c: of tho SUpre::18 -:.ar Counci l. Here Lloyd Geo rge road an 

in to:.:'copted .Tuf. o51o.v 	\'f irele ss i'ror.l Pol a apprais ing t hem of--.the 

unforesoen dov lo pmont. Al though ?r o~l r Orlando stated flatly 

t~ at tho &r~~ i st lce t arms 6S wirod to Genoral Diaz the p receding 

l~lt b.t mu s t at an d r0 rJ£.ndle5~ of who held the fleet, it ';StlS lll.ter 

aGreed 'Jy the ~~ prcme ar Council to inform the Jur,-oslav author1ti oo 

by 3 iro le OD to h oist 	the wbita rlne on tho Gx-Auetrl nD naval un its 

22 

,

and proc 9 ot!. t o ' Co:-fu. !{hat act i on- \":6G to tol:o plnco there \(las 

nCver cotor:-::lned. sir.co the a lll1:)s reached no dacis i on on thc.t pOint , 

an d bccouae tho expoctod vossel s never did raach Corfu a lthough the 

JUGoul a vs hed" ack r. otJlod5o.d the: allied lnvitntion t o oall. 1'h o 

21 .. Aldro vund 1 ::'are scotti, c. uo'-:X'}? Di?lomt:i. tlc~, ( :U! OD. , 1937), p. 200. 

It can be pl"ovod t.hat t ho I taliun nuval c om..rn.and k ne w o f tr,c tra u~

fer on October 31 ~ t hr..t is, SOffit) twonty-four houra earli er. 

( U. S . novn l attache Il o!:lO, to Naval r.n~ lli cn ce , !i ov embe r 3, 1918 . 

l:a vn l Records, r l 1e VA .) . This knowladBo di~ not det~ r the 

It aliuus from fo~cin c the h br bo r of Po lo on t he night o f Oc tober 

31 bV ea ns or a Dpeol nl torpedo-lika 6?pttra t us coIle d the 

~natta, and sink ina tha flagship o f the e x-Austrian n avy -­

tho Vi r lbu2...lJnitif!. -- t ogether ti lth a loree truns po rt. The 

in cidont I ::. 'iOo rtjl notine-,; h ere b(lcaU50 it 61', 0"1'1 9 t htlt the uction , 

un cn 140usly h ailed OD brilliant by all na ve l histor1ans Rho 

tou~h dd upon tho ,utt01', ws s n ei 1..h ojr honorublt1 n or brilllan"t. 

It wn s cOTtH_tnly no foet "to torce a h~rbor held by Ju go slavs 

who had relaxed u ll vigilance be c aus e for the~, the war WQB over. 

22. 	 Ad~lro 1 Do~aon to ~s, l;ovo~ber 2, 191 8. !:Bv al Reco r d3 , 

E"i le V~ . 

f •• 
19. 


confusion can more "3ad~ly b" e.PPl'"001 atod if it is l"o!::.ombare(! 

tba t tbe ItQ11an supplement to the armistic e directad the shlp~ 

t o 	 Venioe. but that tho a 111e d statosmen decided that tho entire 

navy in ~Goslav pOBseaelon nhould proceoo to Corfu t and to c a p 

it 	all, the Allieol 1:aval Council , hav1n g no kno'J';'ledga of tho 

supp l ement or "the ministerial doolsion, ordered the s ame uni ts to 

Po1 a. 

A$ eoan ae Hausa laat>ned of the navell transfer hs oableQ 

23 

th e news to Pros1dent. l"lilson and 8.\1a lted 1nstructlons o That sams 

day ;71180n repliGld , B. dvlsiD~ f'ths most l i bera l pOflBlb lQ conOUX' :t'6nac 

In 	(th e ] t ranefor of actual armed f orc0 t o Yugoslav flu t horitios a6 2~ 

the bast possible p roof of our ut to~ gaoa tni tb towerds thomo " 

Had t ho dtDputed fl oet roaohed Corfu it i s p ossl blo that tho Pre sident 

night h ave intorvened otr €lDuous ly in t avor of the jugo el o.vo , bu~ 

as 	early os ovembGr 3 a. se.r19s of illt-er-copted DlGOsagGE! from Pola 

roiteratod the refrain that the Jugosl ~vs ~ero ~uneblo to put to Dee 

25 

u i th t he oz- Auat~lan navyn bS08use adequntG personnel qas uneva l1e ble, 

23 . House "to Wi l son; Paris to Washington, Novenbo r ~ 1918. Ya l e 

HOU SG Collootlon , sterl-i ng Ll b rarYa Ya.le UniversIty. 

24. 	 Wilson to Houae, ~aeb in gton to Pa rl o, Nov G~bo r 1 , 1 918. 

oo dr01:J lVi lson c'ollo ctloIl ~ F11e VIII, Box 5, ,D ivIsion ot U&.Dllflcr1pto , Llb r £'.r y or' Congrof.ls. A port.ion of t·hl0 nota 1s printed 

1n N. :.>. Bek oI'p WOod rO'll l'i 1lS0U! lif., and l ettorov -- ( 8 vol a. , N.Y. , ._--'- -	 . 1 92?-39) , VI II~ 542 . The copy of th19 not e in the House 


Colloot ion is inac ourate duo to garblod tranamisaioll o 


25 . ~.S. n&vn l attfloh~f Rome, to O?flc0 ot Naval Intellig~noe p 

Novomb s r 3 , 1918 0 Navel Rso orda, Fllo VA• 

•

\ ~ 
-----

26 

20. 


Tho vi tuatlon rom.ained ob souI'o f oX' eevaro.l da ,. g~ a nd 1 a rew.arkuble 

for thQ !llmbor 0: frantio 8PPGa.lc 8 09U t by varioua J"ugo31av COt.1­

n ! tteea to tho alliea singly an d oollectively , principally pleading 

tor tho oxcll..ls ion of J'uBQalavia fl.·ol!l. tho Austrian ar!n.lst1oo tor1nn. 

:,hell 1. t booamo evi dont that tho J"l?g o a l avo \lora reluotant to deliver 

th()ir ne.'t"y a t Corfu, a nd W6Ta uoa blo to 40 so had they "',isb a ll, and 

after the Frfln ah Ulnistar ot Borino h&d Gll~(?Jady direot£ld his admiral 

at Corfu to intern undQr alliod Guperv! oion all a1eroonta or tho 

27 

ex.. :AuDtr1 a n aa7Y ctatioll.ed at. Cattnl"O, the Bto.teff'"40.!l in Paria on 

November lO~ 6ach~d a belated a~o1oioll . Althou gh Paris romain od 

uuoertaln as to tho nctu8l loc at1ou o f the Ba y~ it TIoa agreed to 

intern all ~arab ipe Tlylug the J ug o c !ov flag !n Adriatio po rts 

28 

~hore nl1 1ed Burvo~llanoe coul d b o a!n~Qinodo The vOB6 Q1 a wero 

to 	be plGoo~ to t ho al1te4 ao oou t~ and tho PeSQ0 Conferon ce chargo4 

~ith thoU' ult.imn'te cU e pomnl .. I u )."0 01 1t31 thl.::I moe.n t t hat Italian 

OPPo Dtt1on to lugoclav ounorah1p o f tho navy had ~riunpn~a. that ~ll 

ox-Auo t:rion n !l'l18, l u..:!.it o tJo rCl <lGmandeit for &urranlJ ol' luBtes<l 01" b~ 

'" 

26. 	For 0zcmplG t no to du ons ~il Nationcl de ag~ob nux Go UVQrnm0ute 

d 0 P KJl tante, NOVG"Llh o l"" 3 p 19),0, printed in P .. Ro !diohel. l,u 

. £:!teots....OIL.g....r;:,j~ 4.t.1r.;rtl~ (PaI:'1o ~ 1938) .J)..285c Thtl Otter Cil1" :fs 

station in 11aine piokod up til Jugoalav €\ ppsal addreBoed dlrootly 

to rrGsl de:nt 7>'110011 0 Dat otl No v emb er ;)11 it ra ql..l0ot oa. Amerl oe.n 8.,\d 

aGai nst Italy. (i;oodl"Otil 1i1100n collection. 1'110 II-At Box 4 6. ) 

27. 	French Minister o f Masino to Ad~1ral Provence, Furia to Corfu , No v~rub r B. 1 910 . Yule Ho u se Co lleotio n 

Cntt~ro, sooond nre ~t of the Aust ri an nnval base!, lay about 

300 miles sou th of Polu~ At this time Cattcro ~onta1nad throG 

batt Gshlpo~ nin e cr 18~ r8. tpo utyweix t orpodo boat~ , SQvau 

aubRU~1no3, nnd oomo thIrty a nxi l !a?lcoe ( Bu llar d to B~n oon, 

No veahor 9~ 1918. Yale Ro~ae ColloQtion.) 

28. 	Clell'.oncGau to Fronob. Anb 3fHlu do r in Ro r:)o , for Orlando. No vol!1ue:t' 

10 0 1918. Ya lo Ho u2a" Co llootloD. 

1 

I 

21. 


,

: 


&otrGral u amod i ll the arn:\5ti co. Obif iou sl.y Buell a polict ontal1ed 

allied ncceptnnco of tho Italial! pooit1oJ1 t.bat. J'ugo81s.", 1.e , b eing 

th aD. au Ulll"CGognlz.ed Bt ata~ could l oge-.l ly OVln no navy, and h ence 

th o Austr1an trancZor was voi d. 

Compl eto17 igno rant ot t,ho dooiaion reeched by hie 

po l iti cal ~upor!ora~ Adolrul nul1e~d arrived at the naval bn ae o f 

Pole. on November 13 ~ and found that I tal ian naval and B1 l1tary 

forcGs had assuI.'HJd fu l l oontrol thorG n1ne t'l.e. ya bofol'eJ. The citY' 

together ~1th harbor uork s and fort1 11cntlonu l oy 1n Xtellan hands t 

29 

ano. from the truoko of tho fI.Tu goDlav n uvy" fl cw tbe Ital ian flag .. 

Neva! offioors ropreaontlug Frnnca and Drltnin wore al~ ea dy on th e 

soonG and, wlt hol~t mOJ:'G Eld o~ Bullol'd mat Vllth tllt1n1 abollrd the 

I talian ag~hlp ~ying in the road a in Q sGrieo of oontoronO oD undsr 

the p~oD 1don o7 of tho I talian v1CQ-edmiral i n cborge of tho occupatl one 

ThOSG ~eotlnga to organ izG the Gnfore onen t o f the naval ermletlc0 

50 

t e rma oo eup iod a period of t wo deyo. Apparently stlll unnot1r1ad 

or tho ~Go lato n taken i n Peri e by thG lr political chlQfo t o trent 

t he J'u ~9B ). v navy as if it. U"OZ'O Austr1an t th9 cor.uulttso. of adm lralB 

ten tat i v(> ly 

o n Its O\lfIl. .1n itiativ6/,ado pt'ed Q slro.il nr vio'n'point. and brushed 

a side the protost s of t he jugool av ~lra l p~ssont~ Tho oomr. l t too 

BBree d that all Sugo slav neval and m11ttary P0rconnel 1n tho orea 

s houl d b o demobl l !zod by Nov&~ber 20, nnd thet t ho United Gtn to3 

wo uld be g iv en Ch8rSG o f the eX- Auetrian battleah i pa RadQt~t Qnd 

-

29 0 Ao ting for YrancG, Br i tain, and the Un1ted Statos, Clamenceau 

nit-h out r esult pro toet€ld the Itallnn usurpation o f the. OX:- Austr.1nn 

navy enchor ed at ?olB, cnl11ng it ari Heat c o ntrar y to t he enBsgO. 

manta entered into." (ClomaDoa au to Or aDdo~ lio vomb0r 6 , 1 91 8 . Yala llouse Collection). 

30. 	 A rull ~ althouGh co l orod acoount of the proc6odlnes ~a1 be found 

1n a rep ort\05 " ubllittod by 111co Atil.1.irel Ces.n1 , cOl;}.L1Gndar !!t PoInt to 

Ad rr.ll"el pi Re vel Italian chief ot nuv 81 stuff and dn to d l:O'j°emh or · ' 0. ~ 

t ,,_ . 
DD, • 

~l.l. t:b.lo h~ tl;)gother w1th t i'iO tcrp e a.o boatOt no rlZl to be to.kon to 

Spe.lot.Q . toX' irl't.orl::uIlGlllt by Amorioan nova1 (Iron!:!.. Thon tho 41s·... 

OU8e!ouo toundSl"a<1 on Co n {jz,;fJ 0C)dingl:r shu:?]? Gileet tho eupplG t)n~ 

whioh I tal y had s.11Pl'l ed int.o tb.G aX'm1fl t t oo.. Adm. i rsl CaBul attempted 

to organ1zo tho arn!otl OG sloog tho lino D Qt tho 8upp~ IDontt but 

hls ooJ.l en.gu0o on tho OOlilElittd'il0 t port. ! cl1,1.1orly l3ul1arc3, r8fuced f:to 

32 

reaogni3o tb6 d~10aat1on of o~orft which that dO ~e nt asomned. 

Having r eaohed on 1mpao&G . Cngni adjo urned the oon fer ence " a ud tho 

Amer1oB $ BritisD, and Frono h A~mi~ 1B haatoDGd to Vanlo~ WUOTO 

a.Doth!3r Doriot} ot roGat ingG o1' onod on NO 'vGmb'er lG~ this time \!.ndor 

tno prGs 1d~noy ot tbo I talian ohinf or nava l Dtaff. Admiral D1 Ravel. 

• 

Hare the adm!rals 0 rgan!sGd ~,hom(j01 ven into th0 No.vol 

Comm1 ttoe tor til o Adr~,Qt1o t in n 090r d with the cH l'oot li7o 1 Bouo d hy 

tho Jo..l11 C1d Naval Couno!l in Pari a ou Ncr'1omboI" GD o.Jld b3' tU:5 Qot of 

S2 

oo urtosy Glectcd 01 Rovol oh ro no Dleoueoion et first 00n~aro 4 

ebout th~ Auppl emon t D bQt had to bo postponod booausc no oompromic G 

was in cigbto ThG 8urohargo& atlll(\sphoro dls!:l1 pnted SOIlHH'1bat whGU 

6 mesa6ge from t ho alllod polit.'.oa.l ah10fs in Par.Le c1ixEloteHl th e 

eetln go ~nto d1ffersllt ohennelso ThiS ~o sp nteh ord or9 d the Conmlttoo 

to ,nuke DO dl~tinotion "botu6en t ho@6 5h ~pa dos1gn ate d in ths . 3S 

nrmivtiao t o b~ u~rGnaoradt ana thoee to bo d1DUrzod!~ that is. 

to 	toke OV 01" th G ont11'O GX:oAuG~;..~1a.n navy 1n t. he n flmQ 0 f th tJ allies. 

I' 	thus requlrod lmo~t a D0sk to bring thD Supr o~ e CounciltG ds oisioa 

--------~-----

31 . Admll'al Cngnl to' Dl Revol, Novonbol' 15, 1918, ~jf.l, val Rco ord!J~ 

1'11e VAo 

32. 	 Admiral ?Ilblaok. Memorandum on the Adri at i c, nQd. Nova l Raoor4a~ 

Fl10 VA. 

33 . Admiral Benson to sao ra ta};f 0' f tha Havy Da 010 l.3 . J'enu5ry 2. 1 915 • . Nav Q'l . RecC'rde , 1116 56~20. 

'I 
23. 


3~ 

of 	HOV6::lbtJr 10 to fruj:i;lon</, Attar 1a.&u113S inetI'\.1.ot io nB to tlloir 

naval nUborciina.too "to d1sBrn iram9diat61y and l!lske lm.m.obile 011 

35 

th e lato Ausi.ro-Hungerl/ln !ih:;'))6~ fI t.he Committee wag adjournod 

by 	D1 fiev0 1 to eather ten days later in me ~ 

In 	tho anciell'(. RO:lQ.'Q. oo.pi tel the o.d1ll1ralF.l oonl'on€ld on ~6 

}IOV$c.bOi' 25, a lld hold eonf'oreuoe 3 for throe days.. 'l'hoy ra Galled 

Q OOlleonDUB on e. nuabor ot inpo rt.a.nt poiute. . Firat catue "the 

oatt-lemont, of tho proble:a aaaco1ntod with t.bo Ital1.an Bupple:t!l.snt to 

tho El.:-n1uti oo. A direotlvo troE th03 AlJ.le~ Neve). C01..!.!lo11 in Poris 

ros.Ql.vod tho 100U6 by o1.4tloring tho s'Ullpl!lllll'fln~ .rul!lul oJ ~ and Orlando 

S? 

GO lu.fornad Di RQvoJ.' to the l tt~ ~o obvlo\'\l!I ehIlGl"ln.. This "-1d 

not mean that. tho J'ucroelavs i'lould regain P02s"!3oion of the f'lost g 

bot repudiation or t.ho protoool did 11o.it I'i:;e.ly~a exol1loiv0 policy 

toward t h$ hotly eontccted navol ~ita~ • 

S~. See abovo, .v .. 20 

3~. AI1!.'1iral BOXl.t'Jon 'i,o Dan!ol o" 3"enue.ry 2~ 1919. Naval Records, 

}lIla C...5G-20 .. 

~6. On ,NOVOiluGA" 2U. tou~ lapallooo dct3t~~oy01..·~ tll.."1.'1V0(1 in tha 

Adriatic to 'loal(1}i> in the C~00l1t'.oa of ·t.Jla al.'rniatica tGrme. 

Altbough 0. .rC\I'~oa';) naval o~flo r ~afl present at th0 RC)j'4& 

lill@ot.ings h0 VIae not given fl. ohair OD thG COf;::!:1ittee f!-nd,l findiue 

th01"lSOJ.VC.3 ct'Jdlo1J.~ly ignorod, tho .1QllOllOV3 fJl..1baaq!lcnt.ly 1.oft.. 

(tremOTz,.u(lr..z1 of Adr'-etic CommlttaoO' NQVQ:abe:go SO" 2 91.8.. Naval 

ROOOl~do~ 17110 VA. J. 

51. 	ClernGu oo3u bl'ld a.lready j.nfornod tho Italhm e0'70::rlllU~nt thnt 

"tho allios did uo~ dG61cnnto Cl tal1nn] plon1pot®nt1arloa 

[ to fllgn tho tl.l';a1st1.Go ] Q./ld a In'ot-ceol uu1c:h \lSD.a O-:)V0j!' oom.. 

13ll1licfl:tsd to tbon i fJ llona:d.atont.. " [ 2l0J:Oigll l"Jl n iDt6X" P2.ohon 

to O~lfllH1a. ulldatsti" but. a bou t r.io'fotlb:;)r 8.. 1'0.10 :t!ottSG 

CoD.oa t-loB. J.. 

) .~ .. 
--------------------

2~o 

The. most slgnU' 1oa.nt Gtep taken by tho Committee ties 

the d ivis ion o f the eastern Adriatlo littoral into tour ooou~at io n 

zon('lS under Quthor1t;y dG1"1vad fror.l. ar J&icles three and fOl.l.r of the 

36 

o.rzai!:ltic s. TheDa pr(l'J'lno~d 'nara to be held in the nap.G or the 

all!oo until th~ Peaoo Conferonoe detor~inGd tho1r future sovoreignty 

and traoed post- war boundarios. Britain rocoived tho northernnost 

area with th,EI oity of Fiu.mo, to the south Italy hod alroady eatsb­

.'. 

lioh61 fin iHlpl'sgnnb10 pOIJ1tlon in uorthe rn Da lmatia by v irtU0 ot 

tho Troat,y of Londou, And tho COm.=l1tt sG , faced by a W,l rul,cOGl211. 

oonfl :cmod this area Q(l I tolyt 3 zonG. Tha Ar.t01'icun zone of ocou~

t10n oonsinted of centrel DQlmutia together with the numorous 

islands otr ita coast. On the ll o!~t h, at CapE) Planks, thC3 ItaliCln 

zono waa itu boundary; aOrt.G one hund.red milos to t.htJ Douth, at tUG 

1 eland of SipGn, the French ~one began end 6xtendGd to the Albeulnn 

frontier. Sob6n1oo, Sp~lato, Qnd Cutinro ~0re the o eniars rQnpeotlvol ~ 

of the It~.11an, A..·;Hjr1can~ 'and F].'!;J).10h ooo upat1on zonas• . It 10 worth 

l.oting that tho Coullnltt QO eotod here on its o nn init1o.t1Vo, tuld thoo 

dGtor~in~t1on to divIde the ~antG~n Adr!atic s oaboard into ell 10d 

40nea of occupa,t-1on came at an llD.po~tBnt tl~Qr baonuvEl tho' region 

was in a chQot1Q st 3te ,olit1oelly, ond d1$o~de~ there rsmpant o 

Allied military 8\.\thoritltHl bad d18CUDGfld t he 0o.t16 prob1 6lCl gltb.ou1, 

roaching a ~olutto~; 1n feet they nero at1l1 argu1ng thc matter 

39 

ls.te in l:aooJUber 19l()o lone aftar tho dooision of tho naval 

oom!!', ! tt'30 bad bao:'). rt:.tl tiGd by tho statosI:lon in Paris. A wno 

3G~ The p.roooGliinBB ot tho Romo 691Hliono have been pieced to f5G thvI' 

obtai!.y f~ol:l. th r00 dooumentel Admiral NiblaCk, ll9mOl'c.ud'Q:!\ or., tOG 

Adriatio l n~doj ~HlinOl'andula of: Adriatic Com:it.toa, lio ...·om'o"l." <30, 

1918; ProgrODG Hoport o nGnson to Danio13 1 J~nliBry 2 , 191 9 . All 

aro to e~f ou nd In tho NaTal Reoorda , the Il;at two 1116 VA; the 

third, C"'YG<.20 . , :Hl. Rol'1l 'fI'1)T'~ p01 • . PnY'in PAnCH') r:{lnr~rnnon. TT. P.il ",,'? l '· 
25p --­

81Gtem mny not havo been th ~ beat pOI'J51blo solutioll, bl.!t tho 

Commi ttee acted swiftly 1n n time ot ortalB and tlghtoned up tho 

10060 a!tuetlon in tho oastoru Ad~ Qtio in the 1nterosts 0: stability 

Qild ox-del'" It 9 1a oi ~n it!Q nt tbot tho aon o uasiguod to th~ United 

StatCio OOl110 1da.d \,Iith t ho aroa :tllEl.~k~d o-ut tor Gxpanuion by Italy. 

Division of ~bG Dal~nt1an DeQOO a'~ into all!od ;;:'O!le6. landoubtedly

40 . 

IIp:i-ava~t~d_ a. complGte Ituli a.n on~~o ! 0-: tlia .oo!1st." ., 

Tbe Ad~1atiQ Commit teo tn~ n prooeodod to appo~t io n tho 

Arat~ ils Jtis oslav nuvy QrnO~8 tbo al!!os 9n th0 bae10 tna t thG 

navaJo un:Vc.m and'materi0l woro e!:) oJn1 prQpertyo All vGc oo).a ill thQ 

Ito.lla.n zon e waxa to be nseonbl ad at. Pohq thoso i n the Fronch 

zone Qt Ce.ttero~ and the M@l" iceD. .·oprQOcn tativo QGr~1? d ' thet tho 

two battleeh1po and tl:O torpsdoboQta ellott3Q. to the United s tutos 

shouJ..(!. bEl canoont.r at0d at Spalot.o o T~e Obtpsl) e Gae!l!blo(\ in threo 

• -~HrtOl'()nt porta, 'WGro to r€lme,ln uodcJ!," GUl"VoilllJ,noe C\ud on ti.~ol of 

the nation in nhOElS zono of oC(lupet1on thay \'JQro looat. ~d. , but the 

othor allieo rOprGDont ed on the Committoe could station otficer~ 

aboa r d if they so d0sirod. All theoe OA~A~8trian rnan-ot-uar ~ere 

to be held in trust tor t he al119/3 pending tinal disposal by the 

Peace Conftn'ono6. /' 

It should bo rOt:1arkod that ths Br.tt~&~ d~legQto. Rear 

Admlr8~ Klddlo, r ofuDsd e share or the A~Btr1~n s hips, asserting 

that ~ths Br itish Admiralty de air09 no oooupation altbe r of largG 

~1 

shlpa or o f groups of Drna ll oneo o " While it is Indisputable that 

the Admiralty Vias suff1c:l. entl,. bu oy in the North 50a supervisins tho 

40. Il . Tomporley ( c d.), Pe~cs Con f oronca, 123 . ------- Vf 

4].. !!.13morandUIl') of Adrlatio Gommltte.~ Naval Records, Fila ,VA. 

" 
ail, 


Bt\l1re"O.Ol\' or t,lt0 Ool1li3n na'!$ ~o ullOh 1>0 ella!t1onru. l:\aVO'l! obHG~­

t 1cna eJ.cSV1ilere , evi d'3nce o"iota ,,1>104 CQ""a to !l>.,Uoate tl:lat tiM' 

~itiBh a'ld HO'l!!.aM ..t tntc ti",Q 110:'" toyins t1H~ t1l3 i doa (j~ e 

powe1.' Vle::! r!b.ich woUl.d 6C!uae zo FZt\lloa and mns:r'lon au' o! tJlt'J e 

42 dX'ia tl. ~, 'Xh0 bao j,o at thin oont"",,,latod tliplO!l2at1o mar.o",,,vcr 

do~1v.d ~~om .hsoodly ealoulatod nat !o~O'l! o~lt~lnto~o.t, Xt ono 

visaged l!!l'.t"",J. I~alo-lll:H l.6h "ul?poZ'~ ~o oy.oludo tlk~ United statOD 

end "[..nCi(J iecoi'e.r e.G .,[>0051b19 ~m 1:l..&val e$E?Mzapwnte tn thQ 

AIlz1ntiQ ,mel 11oJ.'tll Sos., \lhat napponee\ galle outside th@ ~oll O ot 

tili. ohalltO:? SvJ:Hce tt to staw that this infOl"1ll!!.l, IlAWl'YotalUno d 

tmda"atand!.nCl llot"OM tlW BrJ. tia1. ~"'(' l~".l.1~" "",va.]. '1'tntctr106 holpa 

e:tylain t:i~ tlle (!Jjli~ e.lty Z'ofuQC~ B portion og b.h.~ ~oAu.Dt,I'1en 1'lcet , 

and Vihl! BJ,'lta1n l."te~ ~~ " 6t~'rul'ZGly (lcaUG J.ion !ndOo;;\ ~ lll@eklY 

XGtX'eat sd glOom hG" ZOlle at 1I1m"s 1n i;b,Q !D.fJ0 og ItMl<m ,,&!ll'eQe1'i1onQ'~ 

B3g0;W Oonolum uB i t Q 01. tt1ng:a Chs lo.(U'iafilc OC'l1m\itteo • 

aon!e r~cu on the 1mpo~tant question oX all iod ~i iot~Bt 1~n !n 

al"fJus along tue AtlT.iatio litto:ral evaouated ,by Atu.rt.).:o...u.l.Ulg:ar!an 

t'oX'oea , WId IVno:<e iZ''I'e;;v.lar J"s".la7 OOIll'lL'.tM@o •• 1;.-ea<!y e:.roised 

..... -~..--".~~ .... .lJ;20 '}~o J: example tJ13 :followi ng: I'll am Oi1SSoooothat the Italtnna tlO!"e 

l)ezoj'ectl,}' \'Jil;U.1l3 to Rocept any Pl.'OPOOM oZ thJ3 .B:r! t!8h 1'01' a 

lJolout!on ot' tro naval quautiollo in th0 NOl"th SC80 eo lone us tho 

llriti all c ontinued thoi;;;' pol1oy 01' cOl!lJlot~ MOoz'd with ~he 

XtaliG...ll vie 'JD Q.!ul .IIl.etholiD in til.e Atil'iu.tioo" (Adllliral Ben~on to 

Acl..ill.i Z' i.11 G5..m~o paris to X,O!lt1011 o D6c~,.mOc x 17 0 19180 Nt.val Recorda. 

lliJ..o U""UD ) II Adm.1!'al. B::lllt'lOll ~ Chiet' ot l!t'.vaJ, Opo:.:atloD3 ,1 had 

pravi ou,61y 1n1'oz::u.ed II~ 'l';rnin~ U.;>Sg navo.l aitwghD a t Rom.0 ot: 

·811 Halt= pro,,00,,1 to tlw Br1tirJl Aoo1rMty oUe:!'il1g 1.!.o"lobo 

etruoted pasm;.gG to 13z'itiDh wUl'oi.l.illG to the nO J:'l~ hern Adriatio on 

tJle oondition that FX€llCh unO. Ai:J.CEicalJ. uh.1,iJQ be dout e d "t:nmsit 

X' i;:.h ts o Bf)ns on W1U tha French ~toQk a vG ry positive stand;" c.nd. 

50 t lJ.ia 113St1oultJ.l' deal fell t..bSough. (Benson to 'l'l"ain i Par is to 

Romo j) NOVffiilb~:i: 30 t 191$o !';a.va.'!. Re eo X'cls D Fil e u...un.). Also O$e 

Suw t o on ~ !,ondo;n to Pw:is. lJov D.b ~ 15$ 1918. (ilavBJ. ~oo!"t\ S, 

File.. VD~) i'ox ;d. is..~ no-qo..i(lB{Jence in !~nlian military flOOUo 

pat ton GGyond t,he AZ'l•.li2ti ao l :tuoQ 

\, 
2? 


ouC h oi~i l enG m~lit 0r y authority as could bo exertod und~r 

o onG.1t 10111l of dG:plo.1"nblo c1ino:egani~utiou and dJ.. Bordor. .. Th e 

~3 

COI!lt"littOG o pi ned ~ho.t. artioloD f our and eLy;: of' the a.r'l't1at10G 

t erme provl<l C) <l a rGqu1a~.te mandata tor the 6Dteblishment ot a llied 

naval govornmonta 1n suoh torrltorle8v HnylnR pr0vl ou sly di v i do d 

th~ eastorn Adri atic ooastllne into zoneD of OCCUP&t 10ll, the dietr1but1on of u8.vo. l governorships pro"lI'od 6. simple m.nttcr. The 

nava l offi oer oo:r:ullandlng in tho zono j10uld /fleD aot, as ita ov ~rno t'. 

but loca l JUBoolav a uthorltloo gould con tinue their tunatlono sub jeot 

t o hl 0 cont:t"olo 

When ths Comm1ttee dieb cZld0ti. ou NOYGrub or 29, t he m1e~lon ot 

the allied n ave). r eproeont.at iv0S in tho Auriat10 h Qa bo en t1e:t' 1nGd , < 

a s 1'0110"16J 

, n .. .. to t ake chnxoge 0 f 611 Auotk'O...nuug a r1 f!l) 

float1ng ma tarlal$ pr~Oor7G ordor~ p~ao~r o 

the blockado, a n d neo t.h s t tho torma of tbo 

o~~iDt!oe ua ~ ~a~?10d OU~, i t boing undoro 

otood that the udminiatr3t1on of tho e?aountoa 

tOTritor1eo should bQ eat?uoted t o the looal 

authol'ition undor the cont-r-ol of the SEln101" 

liav('{ l Of:t 1o Gl' roaon~ (in ollah !lona ] ..... 44 

Rooolle a t1ng the linit0d initial 1n Gtruot 1ona reo~lvo4 by 

Bullard ~han he ombarked fo r the Adr 1nt10 it ' b ocome s ~Qd 1l1 npp arent 

that &~tor thQ Romo aooo!ong the oricSanl m1os1on G~pandod t o ombraoe 

politioal objeotlves 1n tho ~~~se that nnYol 6d~lni6t atlon o t 

c1vil flfi'Q,1rfJ ClonstttutGa poltt1cal a.cti'6'lty. HO';7ev or. tt ahoul d 

bo e~phno1~l')d thnt. at tho ~nd of N07~:il.bor, 1919, mi l itary end politiool 

dut.i00 of tho allied neve.l dologatofj tn the. Ad r l a.t1c l;"6stod on 0.1\ 

.- --~-=------

43. 800 abov0 , polS 

~4. Admiral li!blno!t, 1IsaO I'e ndU::a on ths AClr1.Fltlc" -< 

, 
28. 


Interalliad plaUGi that doep1to om ~ dlvargonoe ot opinion regarding 

end s end mGano am.ong th6 Comrrd. tto", me mbors thsy 'I'Ic rl(:EH:I eo a 

syn ohron1zo(l unit. Tho mission in tth1ch tho Uil 1tad Sta.tG2 parts' .. 

oipatGd eo Q full Part ner wa s striotly l n t Qral11ed at this poin t . 

liot unt il tho fo l lct/i nS month , and t hen b oaausa ot' iuoont.rovortlblo 

informa tion teB t 1tylnG to tal Y~G sly an d ruthless !mperisllvm in th$ 

Ad riatic } did tho ',.merlc$n ooncopt at rdsBlon alt~r... It 'i)"aoame in 

ot£aot two mlss loDa; on e Inte ral llad~ tho o the r pu roly Amori can. 

designed to cheok Italyt 6 advanoe at tho (lXpOUa9 0 f lQgo ol av1a. In 

n 6 6D GB th~ two mtsstone wore an tithetioal, yet ampls r oom ezletod. 

as will be coon, tor Interal11ed ooHp~ratlon in political ' us well 

89 naval nftair a. and the veh iclo f or Buoh important and indispanDablo 

~B 

ooo rdination througho u t remained tho Adriatio ComD~tte eo , 

After tho Romo Besaions tarminated on Novombo r 9~ tho 

811 16d edro 1re l~. with tho 04c p~!on of Di Rov01. proo eeded to t ho!r 

rospoo t !vo aone D to bvein the d1aoharge o f t ho ir Gut to e as naTal 

gove rnoT£l o Adm! ral Bul l.a;;;~d j ournoyed first to VOI:l!06 ?1bQl'£l fie iiS 3 

~G 

pipe d aboard the U, S.D. Btrra1~.Bho.n ~ then . ou Dooenber 25 ho took . .... , '"' 

b __ 

45 0 I t 10 ,",'ort b reoording tha t Al:l0r!Q3n pol.lcy i n the Adriatio was 

oondllot (ld prl n o1p nll y by tho navy durln s No vembe r and D3co;n bo~ 1918. 

Admiral Bullara WBa tts o:ocuto r on thG ~pot: bie In s truo tions wero 

1fjSU6d by i\c1m1ral Ben 60n Vlho nlu intnino d 01 0 13'3 oo ntaot with Co lonol 

Houoo 1n Parto, In t urn, Colonol HOUS0 kopt in touoh n !th tho 

St at.e Dopnrtoont onO Pr(331~ont Wll.eon . This ElrranBGm~l1t b y- passod 

Tho pa D 11~ ~qgaa An0 ri oan A!:'lo e.l;J!J ad or to Rome, Late 1n NO vGmbor. 

1918. hG co mplai ne d to Seoro tary of State Ro ba r t Lansing t hat 

? ..no into l"mot ion 1 9 oant to mo hGre DO to Qur po11 o YHo n .( PUgo to 

Lansing, RO f.l0 to 'i eb.1 ngto n t Uo vos.boi" 26 , 1 9180 Fore R~:1~',fJ 

~:!....£..c:.E:1.2.!~.? ~ I! p 31 13. ) Co Tni£! i!"%'os:u lo.l' . 1;1 h,ill ;;-- ilO~... t. y~ . ot ~~'IlGd to nO:~.':':';D.l as OOZl ditlo 11a bOGOUO l..i!) I'O atnt11.1cod" 

6~. Bullar d ~d IH Gv:i.o u~ ly boS.o~ (l him fl G.ci on . tilo B~~J.'?:'.:\r. 3'l. · a·;:; • ~_' _....-..Jo, 

V6n 1oo (l,n NO'UQlaJ)():f n O'\1 1.9J.. 6" ~t.1;'iI,l on a~~'la; r)9t.O).) ~::i.. :" L~ ~? : Ro ;-:: ordDi; I} :ilo U....u1io.h.:· . .\ ~~ . -. .' ~ :,,:' ~., . , . ... ~,:-. . I . . 

." . ..•. ::-':'." ,;; .. 
29. 


paSBSS9 t or Sp l~t o, t bB oap ital ot Dalmatia and the norve cantor 

01' th ~ Americ an ZO D,11 o f oo o\.!pnt1011 . Saaroa l y bad Dullard. .,,~ ana 

for that ~attG~ his tollo~ d~lo aa te 3 on the Adri e tio CoreQittsG ~~ 

o'&DUmad: cb3rgo of 01vil adml.nlotre.t5.on in Delma t la ?lheu a de spat ch . 

trom Purio ln~truoto d him to oll bor at ~ wi th his ooll easucD 1n 

inve stigating ell lod vloletlona ot the armiotloa. In nondlplO ~B. t '>O lnne;ue.ge it meant ecr1.\t!niz:1.ne; Italian aotivities, a 

" 

feot \1h1ch Dullard :lbor'(,l y pot'ca1vGd. Itt 6, t he re to re, the tGnsG 

A<lriat1o o ituatlon. p artially i"omqnte d and lllldoIlAU bly OOl:lp11oo.t.ecl 

b1 111~oouD1do~od I talian conduct . that W0 ~u t noxt GXamtn3. beOQU BG 

tbe results 0 r the invevt 1gnt1()n determined the tinal evolu tion of 

tho Amer!oan ml~s1on in tho AartetlOe 

ADHIATIC DEVELOPI~EJ1TS, NOVEJJBEll ~ DECEMB3i1, lDl8 , 

No eo on ~r hod the a rrnl Dtlo o of Villa Giusti boon algDGd 

thon Italy bSBon fo ~o 1ue nava l ~ @i11tnry unit e into the eastern 

Adr,1 a.t io i n t b.e wo.i:: e of da pl3.3't1ng Austri an arm! aa.. Italy propo!lod 

to entrGnoh horo~ lr otr ong ly i n tor e~ Austrian torr!tor1S6 e o a 

Bot u9~d 8Rolust Jugoolav nat1ouoltcm, ena to fo r tify her 

plo~at10 position a t t he pe aOQ tehl o o Prom the Italian v1a~­

point ot ~~~ ~q1a ~ it i s compr3han z! ble tha t tear ond j ael oucy 

of J ug o a"uv1a ohould G41~t. For ysara Au stri a bad bGGn the hereditary 

4? 

eUGmy and riva l in tho Adri ntlo; nae I t a l y to r~16x supinely an d 

._ - _ ._-­ ~7o A 'algniflc2ut co n~ nnt er y O~ t he deop-soated ho stillty' whioh 

oxls t od o ~eo n It a l y a nd A~st ia is th o f oot tbut durin g nll 

tho lGn ra thOY wore pnrtn er n wi t h Ge raany in th~ Triplo Al l i a no o. 

Au~trla oOD alnt8ntly rafu8 a d t o pe rmlt It ol 1an obl p ~ to vlBit 

9a 1m;;o,t.i ?)H .. JH; i- t'il " ( .r-. dm1ral U1hl Z\ o); o Ghl ni" of Nava l O"poro.t:10 11 Q, Lon ·· - - .. .... .. .... " ~ ",... ~ ,, r> .1 " "' 1l ... ,,~.":l 'I \J ~ I . , .. .. 'i A _ _ l. ~~ r~~l ~ ~ .... ... . . ~ , 
------ -

so. 


wotoh a ~ow oompotins pO~0r Q. .l~ 1IJO t":ros 'Cho iJ.::lparinl collo.po6 which 

Italian ~raaG~~O and manpowo~ hnd hnlp@u p~ee1p1tota? . That ~&B tar 

40 

trom boX' 1nten tion,o RVOll t.l\.H.~in g tho' uar anf..luJ'ugoolav proPQganOa 

had o1roul~tea in Itol y, ana upon the cODolUD!on of hODtll~tioo 

it 	GXp and0d in volumo and iutGDalty und 0~ official d1roQtlo~~ ThO 

CroatG woro tiD. brutal peoplsl1l the Jngo!31nv6 B.B 0. wholo \7GX'~ 

~9 

~oompoa ~a of undosiroble eloment9 W ; ell d thD1~a ~aD a Rc1v111znt1on 

50 

ot tll eom1~berb6rlon ran the refrain. Go ad0d on by i mperial1et 

l.h"eul'!\s. Qud Q tor\t9n~. nd&r~to.nda l0 , desire to ab~ck a pO!:3f1lib!O 

r,e\"! rival, Italy- ata.:.:tod to 1nttlti'I1'i:lO a long the C99.fltOI"n Adriatio 

l 1t.tol'al wav ing, un dor th0 g\\1eo of po11co:1'len of tho Ad r iatio. t ho 

armtet1cG te4t a6 hOT ~arrant c 

• 

48. Iu tha Ita11an Saunt~. Prenio~ Orlanuo dOGlared on D00 0m~or • 

14 , lSl9, that l", oJ .. y ~oula not tlGl'l1ob!11zc . but mu:;t maintain 

hf)I" naval and m:!.l.1tary ootabl ielhmento in l"ead.1no 3e. He added 

tout the or~i6tieG had not dinln lIDbod: but inere a 8Gd dlftl­ . oult1ao. ( Eo.T. and C.B. i;'oodhoUH0~ ~1:~_e. ll.~lld the J' uSOG.l~vJl.t 

noeton~ 1920 t PPe 1 71 ...72.) 0 


.(j9. C.Rv 1'ra1n, UoS. oav al o.ttc.oho, Rora0 to Adm1rel Benson, november 

25, ~918o Na val Records. F ilo U~UB. ~raln quoted Admiral 

D1 nevel, Italian Chtof o f N~v l Steff. 

50. 	offiolal Itoll Qn ~tatooeDt ot Adriatic lal ~8 prepar ed b y th~ 

Ito,lian Nava l ..:.i tati', hRndcd to Lansing on J anuary 9 . 1919 . 

!2.£o R(') ~, ra l'l s PO~~DrorenQ2.1 I , ·~?6 fr. Ao oar ly BO 

1916 ComQ $.nder Honcaa1 1. an Itellao naval s!)okesl'ilan nToto, 

"For Italy, in tbo Adr la ~io, thoro can b e no halr -ffi~ftBura o: 

eith(l I' dom1.nat-3 or bo dom in a to d. \! Crhe !'l.11ite.ry pro bl o::n. ot the; 

Ad :c:\.at10 , Ror:s , 1 9 16.). Sonn ino· s paper, the imperia list 

oro;nal~ d t !talla took u p this thane ~te r tho nr lst1oo, and 

denouncad the J usosl e.va. (Inte l ligenoe RepoI"t, Oocombe.r 1 4 , 

1918 . 11&v~1 Rocordo. File C-IO-b~ ). 

~ ~ 
~l. 

Tho chaot io Btot~ of ~fta1rs in JUBoelav 1n tae111tat6d 

Italian d6613ua. Yugoslavia gaB but a nnmG; none of th o great 

~owsrs soriously entortnlne¢ rep~atod requo sts tor early racognition. No Atrong c~n tral Jugoal av authority existed whicb ooQld 

unaided orf(n~ effoct!V6 roelstonoe to l,,-a1yo The nU!::.fJI'OUS in'ogula r 

8e6ombl1oG l'Ihlch Illushroomed thro tlehout tho provinoos (l.S Austrian ~-- ) 

local government oolle9sod eould not ~UCC690rully cope even ~itn 

".­

immodiete probl em.s of r0viotual11ug, polioinGt Bna the likG p nor 

could Serb t.roops end: jueosl8.1" units of Austria ts (l ne.tt(lreo. armios, 

ratIonally t hInk of reeisting Italy's wcll oqu1pped battalions. 

l'Q real unity oA:!Gted, in NovembGr and early DeceJlbcl~ 1913 e.mong th0 

various J u'eoalu'l cOl'llmitt000o lootetH! ~ fa.o tlone.l bioke ring sruptGd 

constantly. and n stronG ~onBant party in Croatia 8eomod d6t rmin~d 

to frUGtrat 0 national unlfioution by ineletlng upon oaparute~ 

• 

1nde:pondont stntGhood for that province. Tho terr1fic ravagea of 

WaTt thQ U'9r oo ted people sGoking emplo ymont ~hou none ua s obtainable, and cus.t2!.lning t.homG01Ve8 ulth tood in li.'!nny rsg i ons procurabl~ 

on ly by looting, fidded to tho disorders and oonfusion ~roduaod by 

dlvIdod oounoila and weak authority. In msny instBDoeo Jugoel av 

troopa brok@ dlooipU.ne and i ndulGed 1n p1l1o'g o. Suon oondit.ione 

VIera perhf.l.pB uuavoi d.abio undor tho oiroutllstnuOOSt but thoy in'Jited 

aggrasolou~ Jugoslavln in ita formative period B8smad likely to 

y1eld partn of 1. ta national territor y to ltul.y. J ugooluv po litical 

leo.dare. and maBaGS or the artloulato pop\\lotlon ho.artily di strustod 

Clod dt1.311ka d !talY' ~ naten traditional grounds oi' vontlmont alono, 

but beccuao Italy thrBstoned their n0 7em~nt t or national osltdotlJrl!llnl:. tlon. A coutenpore ry ObBer'il~X' oOIal!ented. that thol:r 

1 
 ~ 
~2. 

fe@ling ~(,o wards Ita.ly 'Ull.S ~UDifo:crul.y bitter and contemptuous 

\n'erywhere, I) and ~"hcy segarded \;hs I tuli8.!ll3 Ilas ut terly and 

til 

entirely commexO a~ in thair demandDoQ 60 upon thle nCXU6 

of fea~a. pre teno1ons o end hatxeds waa pr~cat3d tho real 

po oBlbllHy of a ,\ioaet~otls conflict between i.Llporial1om "lid 

nationali e.m in the .Adr~.. atigo 

D!':'Vllk 111 th thlJ 'liotor.y l1hioh app0a:red ~o inGlonce~.vablo 

aftOi: thg xout ot Oo.po.;'Gtto in 1917 ~ Italy tollo'l?illB the arlniot!oo 

resented the tnt'3r!.'e:('cllc o o:f s.ny thil'd POW0I' 1.n .'\.dl~ iatic water!) 

whioh ~~o rogarded ~9 an Ital1p~ lako~ The naval command 

ca~ly in November. 1918, b.astf.ly dcapatohad f']aZ'liIllip3 to O€louPY 

the atX'atogi o ex"'Auati.'j.an i31ands lying ot! t he Cl'Qe. .;,!au and 

coasts 

D2lI!1at1rulA,and Xtali'!Ul tX'OOP8 wero c onveyod thoro d~illg tha 

52 OO~ra6 of ~Q VP~G mcntho Italy displayed an agg~0ssivo 

• 

t~~pa~ in taQ 50uthB~~ A~iat!9~ !ano~ing Jugo al a3 ~ote3tG 

It&~i£n autho~1tie3 ~whod n~val and mil!ta~ Gontlnganta to tho 

:IT,(tpo~;:tant llonte;:n08"'·.an portij oi' ~-':.ll~!7axi aud Dulo!gno beZor@ tho 

mzm1Dtioo \'ie3 dayo Ols.o The!;::;> 8Gtivi.ties ("t Co...tt!:l.;;;'o. oito 

of tho groat A?1.hlt=~.OJA na:veJ. barjc~ t10XY9 IDO Gz;t;:raoii]'~.ln al'Y a.;, 

, 	 to in:vito 010 ~f:lX" att,cni7ion nexo ~ paz-tiolHlla:ly oinJ:lG ..'u!leric!;!l 

fOX'O{tB ';1C;':{I 1nvolv0u" E.:I it llOt51:l that fl, tt~o J Anti'Ves! t and 

03 

DllQ1!JilO t10ro ai>ou~ t-SQ hu.ndl·~d miles 60utll at Oapo I'lunl:m. 

--- =- ~-

51. 	l!~OZ'n.n d.t"ll 01: an int ie~' t3t':1'Y;TI. .!:':::n~.;:. ;) ....40R· :r.n. Pa SQ cn4. 

lr.aj 01.' Roger Parktoo ~ lI'cbrual';Y 18, l Sl? &~l$ HoUtH) 'Oollootioll:) 

52 "' \~" "'''''''''' o~ 'I'T"",~o" P O"' t t'''=>TI"i c~ -' ~ ~ " " .. ~ ,," j!""n -."'.,. n ..... ' " '""'_ .... ...... ...... ... /.l '<I... ... .... .......... 0 _ ....1 ~J Il¢J ~ ... •• wJ _lJ ... V. &~::.._...:.\~ 

'P" ,,~ .... j:l"", ... ,~ I' ')~'~'''''' ''' '''''') 1 Ai" •. \ ..... ~, ~ .., '-~" ., ~ ~""'-''''''J''''''' , • .;.. .J .\,.,. ~., .... -_._--....,..... 

63~ x. :~s9 01 tie :o W:Ji.'0 'JVClltU.all.y (wBi llrwd to t.UG lI:zo11qll \Tho!} tho 1.~ avi ~ Oor..:m1 iit,o(J dr'J'a 	 zono IJ o! C:Ol)11Il::.tioil in tb.~ £C::lO m0 ti~!32 of:U-ovo!'!"l' ,} l" 26-29. ~ 
'33... 


the sGuthormnost limit of ~~J ~i8tio0 ling e and honc@ logally 

out sid@ the Gpb,ore of Ita11au O~IJUDE'~t!on 8%:copt fox pa.z;>tiolpat:J.on 

:i1G. opeZ'8,tio!Hj glGa!'ly ~~l1t0J:aJJ.i0d in Otl2,z;'a.o tsS'c llut lega.lity 

aplIas0ntly aii!. not w@tg.:'1. too heavily with Italy iE; tho oil.~i3t':m~ 

trtanco3", 

On 11o-vombQZ' 10 b 1.918, FX'GX1""'J:!.~ B:r:i ti8hj) end Ztalia,n U8Z'0b.ipG 


aZ'~:1.v€lo. 0.t O&;~tV.1i:06 at1d '&he next dcl\V Ur~:1t I:lJn e oonsisting of 


th1'OO .6Jnal'ican su.bma~1n8 chancrs v.ndo:;;;' Licl!tenant=(Joll!l1:lru1dcr I,cfti n~ 

5,. 

engho;;;,ed in tb.o haz:bol~~ The F~0nQh Adm~ral Cauoeta sonior 

. oft'ioGZO p!'es011t~ took posQel'JfJion of OattaEo 10 the name of tl1El 

sl.J~ie8, but thG It.alians a1m.ost irrilI\.'3Q.iatoly u.ndel'took to 

eque@ze out theIr allies by till.'1lsiing large numbers .of Italian 

t~oops into the ares o On llOVl~ber 15~ they p~opazed to land 

two ·ba.tt~}1.ion1i] at Oa.ttaxo o Tb,e JugooJ.av§ protested. l'epeated1y \ 

that they wox'€! in no way hostile to a joint landing of all:i.ea. 

toxes., out they ,ad obj0ot, amI uo'~ld :co""si U Italy acted 

55 

alonSe Tile /uu!ln'ioan and Nl~~m.ah naval Qb?-'lraP.J:1d3Z'S J,lequested tho· 

Xtalians not to put tI'oo.:ps a8b.O]:~ in 'lTieu of tho 6Zpl"ElBB0d 

misgivings of t~o i!k~bitantsQ ~~1s appeal waD rG!u3ed p and , 

in the end th0 ullieB Wf:,:r:a forcod to detail som.a sailors to 

~"'_=... ~'" -=-=.. 

64t~ AI!) Th(lnm13 i~ ~~~2'1,'O JJf;:v,,~,le_~:'~ ,~~f!.(!E.. . PaI'ig~ 192fl, 


II" 20-4 0 


551!) SpG~;d.e l it-gent D{ldgEl~ Cg~i'~¥~ to LaD.sing~ (fQ.ti, 11r..~1l!",."j _)?~ab::t3.. ;!? \:tnEd 
 J?ll~dlJ;.,.t,~B{Lff) ~A J\\go~lD.'J s~llltiment f) on allied and 


XtaJ.ian occupation:3 in gm1.01'eJ. 9 illth no 1. et:6 CIlGe to tho 


Ca:t,tas>o l~,lHlingn VJhi0h P ...,:vl no);; yet oGcll:rr e d . So d)'TIumic £,.,.ud 


i'Juid naB "(,he -a1 tu.a.tlon in the: southez'll AdIiatio about tho 


middlo of NoysmbeJ;' tb..a.t Doo.ge added!! I'lE~;f ento s.:re mo ving on 


gO f'ast tillJ.t i t ~eehlB useless to report them by mail .. r<l 


\, ~ 
060:. 


If!.1aomb J.t uiih thQl X~aJ.ion tW.tte.)),mne tCf z:~V O t h9 cPE~a;\'eJ!C0 og 

"" inte;;'alliod l<m<li"-!! """ =xcby pMi.Zy t.M J'aGoo.!.II.'''_ In thin 

"""'1 tho E.-eMA, llZitJ.~h, COld .!>olo;;'ic,,",o yi"l~.~d tn . It~iQll 

atulibol'llOS6 j but ~tgt.J.ll 1 &~oi.Qcd rlhet mieht; haVG Gsv01.cpod into 

M 

e pitohOd battle be·twoen XtaliMO e.n~~, JU§Oflla."l"Do ()"4ly :t1vo 

aay. later ltellan t~cp. ~o atood into Gat~~o with ~o 

thou-sond sticlit1.oil&l t~OO»3 a.bO;r:3(lu O($et.n0~ with e.;s ~.mo~iQc..n· 

fl? 

batt&J.iol2. Xhe X'caJ.iaXls eent tho1:" toroopo ",,",0"0 to . t.\w 

unoonoealed c~g~in of tbe ~gench,ungC~ t~~ apovioug pxet~~s3 

t.l'lst tho Gooupat1on W&§ !.l!tcX'nJ.:U.odg 1:'ho tWO oX t.J.i1(1%';\. OM oald1~tt} 

"llom tlW JugoolaVo tnln~O<l "aD oiuply an !tnJ.:!."" tlevioo ." thin 

and o thezo OQOaoi OQD to 8a~l"trt() 8an10 JW.;.l""Oru.av al-"Ca witl! Xtalle:1 

,

fo~ce3 in tao hQPQ at axiv1ns·out tho all!e. O~ et leag~ ~GaaQ1De 

th~i ~ DSlu"Ro~ ir tQat rogion. 

... 1/ .. " ... " ......--..:0 

!i6. l?li'o/j;roB" 1l.0J1ort, AGui"'~ J::<l)nnon to Sool:ets.".-, ot the Navy 

Daniela, Jaua~ 2, lS19 0 naVal Reoor~~ Pl1G G-56~20o S~eB1~\ 

Agon'" Dodsa ~opol'-ted on. }lCl 01lfbo ~ 14 , tl:L~ 0 tb.'o1' a1tt,ation at 

g"tt" .. o """ "QI11t:l.o&1, ao t£.a I~"li ruls lnBi3t uVon landing -­ and that [tll0] 7u[lOool",Vo 11:1:1.1 p~oll 9ly "osiot =eo~ [tl>.3] tl>. ~ 

ellioo Q~ the United 8ta~ D KO~~GO alQO l~d,· (S pecl.~ Agont 

Do ttsa . (los3"u p to !} n:1ti J~ l107QmDe&> 14 , 19l3t> l.J)..iZ _Z1.:;Q>"-'\,o- .P.9i~...\fl 

)If!..A....:..n__lJ.sr.s..g~1!l . XI. ~. l (I l 

.(U.lio:l "," J) ~O cnt[\t1'Uo~ nont 8.£IhOl;'@ "GO obsel'V5 tho land1llg, 

Md I?~rlJo~",:uly to 1":)a3!)Ur.o iJhZ) pOIH.llan8 tha.t 1 t diu not mean 

en Ita.J..1mJ OGc\.l.patio!l." ;i'h.0 colollel i&1 (;l\al'Ge ot Zt~11Gil 

ul"aopJ "tla.D !,;:lqu-9 :)"~eda at A' 1:raJ. Ge ub~t~8 iflBte..'10G' t t o m:::s.X'ob. 

off hiD Wlits in r.:r:w.ll. g!.·Ol.. pa~ and to aVDid. a:t!Y monf.ltre.t1on. 

Instead, t~" XtaJ.inns iJ!lrlUlged in cOllaid.i};\'~\bls ooZ'emoZl.Y" er.d 

pa:<'adea. ',heil\' 0010;:' 17hUe t.llryir baud pla-yo d tho Hallen na·Uonal. 

ant.hem. All!ed p:roiezta ~rvokod D..n a.pology f l'm:n tb.!) It;a1!cn 

Ac.u:l.:ral l!olato but tlH~,t cUd not 0!'ese the irJp1:'9sl3iol:l ~eocivo d 

by the Jugoclavn o (llomo <-E:...ud\.l!llJ 0:&":1'100 or l!;:.7al Raoomn ruld 

l..dlrral"y t o AoC~Dt, August. l~~ 1943)0 . 

570 ProgreaB Report. Bannon "to 'p,:;.:ltelB~ :Po,,:!./} to 17a.Bh:lngt on ~ 

JanlU\:io'y 2. 1910 .... · Nl'.val Record.s, File C-56-20 . 

\ 
 ~ 
~ 

~~~.-"-~-~.~"-" -"-

;;0. 


ll.Y u!tat d1Open.,.tion could It"-\ y ~do" "gout Mol e1llploy 

.I\;!le~! oa!l Moopa Xor ths al1vrolil"",,,,,t of hel'>' 0= aeU1ell enda? 70 

oxp1,,1n tltl. aitnation it ~o ,,~oono,,-~y to Iligrooo .. bit. In 

l'03pOna0 to urgEll.rt It.!'.liGJl Qo11aital:iio1l9 at't31' the OX1.whing 

defeat at OC:?Q~tuo, tho 11"", llopa1'Wgn~ !b1l-"Uod th~ ;;32,,(1 

anzQU~~Y. B~~~ 4ivlo1oa.vith at~QQhod mod1oal and supply unlt6 

58 

to the ito.llen $"lIo"t in July, 19l6. :<ha 1:0(!1mon~ .,a" ·"plaoGd 

at tllG d1spoaaJ. or thO Hall"" high o""",,_mll "hioh gould diroot ito 

movem~nt. ~Ol~ Bil10C aX tuo Am.~io8n atacion to Italy, ~o~ 

C<ln3,;::>l Ohaz'leo X.oat ..$ Eo""'" and (J:\:!.IllOOJ. Uc.:uElOO ul:l) lfotainod 

tao'ij.!o~ cmnQ!l1<:'!.d aX ~tQ ilmG1.';.Qn.n t3Qv'p9 Q K:i; weB a SS.llQ2fOUID gOEltUl:O 

on tlW Jil!ili~ oS! the U,,;'too. Ot,aCoo to .,J.MO a OO"JItine;081t ot: 1ta 

forcee unflaz: ' tho ocnw...'Ulf.l of a C10ekiH~ ~J.l:r tb.aa m <loap02:ato 

Btra1tD~ t~nu ~o D~lnOlpoJ~ nrlooion~ ot tho ~O~GP~ ua~a , 

t,hOB~ og ol~v!lt~"!l xt•.:!.1~,n nol1olo a'ld doll~JOai.x>3 ~$ ot tllo 

Qn~ by ~u1LdtnS uD thO illusion t~~~ l>e:!Ig9 A;ne>>:io!>%l ""lte M4 . I)' =1-.0" in Italy Mel "O~ ·" ~OP:>llt~g \\0 ontor "tuo line. 2bla • 

mi8Bton "as a~vo~ ~y b~o~g uy tlla ~03Lmont tmtc lto 

= .--..,..... , - • ­

~eQ &lO:iriO i r~~o U9::l~Jlt!D Oc.::.u.132:11onD ~O~ ~~A~,rt 

r5! .!!1!lt\.;: 1.~.L~ t'l~: Qo oz.~il PI:tnt1n...1 Ol(S'loo o \/oauU1stcn. 
 1),,00. lJ) ~.) o pc ,::.-9. 

59, AD o:l UlaiQ",iioll of OtIVOOM. tl:lo "'l).OlI!o~ Ill>?,;! iOt'l103 


!l.!i"c:!:ro ~\rJ o! mlos to tho [lou.'i::..~ 01!l tr:.'J Gt,.'\'Nl'?io ~~~ 0 h.a4 


hoa.'<l V<'-3UO m,,,,,,,,c all th1c tim9 that c.c =". e,· f1vo hnle .. i.o..n 


<l1V1610Ol0, ll ,,~ 1a, ..1;oll. ~ 1.00,000 tl-:ln, \1Om on th~ t"u1!lll 

g~ont)c. ~ 2.1h. r:!ll{~ & ;: ·'1:'!'J1lll)J:2?-E,l~g.1-QA .t i.1)._tU:·~{':\ti'. . 
 o-, "~ ~,. ,, ~. 'MO "'" t:~:":1:~L::;.w ....1\l.H " 0 A o1t.lio/ Q! Jio; "~ IJo" 11' e 

~ 
lXie 

oon2titv.ont 'b attal1c:u~ &Xld mUl"Ghiug til0 m~m abotl.t in O~.l) o8,;al 

poaHiona lJ;ehin4 tlw Pleve "'1V~&, SCll~ " itl! ,u tto ~ont "",Uolos o! 

tml.S'O&1\ .md o~ul lMQnt. Thus it BJlP"",,"O<l to lUllnro."'U~d. t,..!ou';' 

e.nd x'os alike tJl.a.t nttrn.e z:'OUIi) Qont:l.ngonte og J;,m~ i'1Q an :1.:W;B.DtE"Jo 

axtllleJ;>,y. Jila.Qil ill~gl.J,1llliJ ZS a..'1d the 1.1k,3 \','oro ~tt\ .. o!led l'tmaGd"" 

1"to.l.,y to tne ".,," ' Qt' t ]),D Xl;aU(ll1 Z'O''ii"",<I po slt;,or,n. OS' Hehtil!S 

the r egl..i4ont 63.])arlcnocd li t~} '!)" .t't;~~ it onta~ted trw 01J.C~ ou 

60 ' 

tb.e fJ!AY the ar>.u1stloe 'i/Qa gn~tl.~ l~sJ.y aont1nuod to oC':':""lfmd 

tl\e Z'Ggi,r.g,eut MJ.>ing the ~.lliDt~.OQ l.H)Etod~ it was unds3' thin. 

eXL'''-'lSOllsnt tll,,~ ShO o;c{", "~<1 thO . ooond batteUon t o embal')' 

!'Og Ca,'~tMo and pe1.:t1{d.p:ate i n tJho I~t\l"a.n 2und1nz~ 

No coeneZ' had. t h@ al ip--?J.lJ aat,atl isho~~ tharu~c:\ Ga at 

Catta=Q tb.n . .ll~.Y pI'o!,lGeao to yu,uh t~~OO~8 i nJ.e:Jd G,Dt'oal3 tho 

t'li'outd,cn,· wto llollt O:"H; ~Q ~a OfHJ1"9¥ O~t.t &neo tlla api~u.1 oX 

tha~ i~dc:n(i .t truyt iJ vJ(}~ t!\l0 a~ to DUPPOZ't the k :tnS of , 

Ug~te213 wh.~ goJostoa t;,.o· tlliJ~ 0.1' tomi QB3 \Jltll Ju:;osluv1e Bea!ur:;~ 

th$ ir..h'3~ oS' & f)!A'S.J1Jt Nlti~ PI):1t!M oX h!B eu~Jogtz our2.'ontly 

l.!IZ!d-sS ~~e a~!S¥ og J\..\2gola7 na~ lGwJ.1. 1Ci)tQo Xt waD JUlat part o:f: • 

ti.b.o !t.al!~.:l p3'Gg t o llinoo6' JU300lc.v lmi1"1oatlon; to i'rr.mote 

tn~ q& ~bl eh~ont at 89VO ~el ~~l ~d3S@~1o~~ otatflG l~Q~&ad 08 a 

l tklfS'" nat1o". ",,<1 l.n ~1D nz"ill6l' drul!lu" t& tl1,J JueOf)},"";o i;;J, tho 

61 

AtJ.tUS0 'S1t& .iQ.~ QA'UGill:' hat0V!2~ ti) Xt·aJ.y9w o~m lD.t{)6't%: ~Q o fl~:rhS~ 

...... '" :rl"......_=--~ = : ""17'~_~ 

60 0 1l..'2'fl "L-: ~-..~!;nt~.. ~\g1.. .::~12..~:....\j. L~~..-;r; .n...1? DIIo ~~"'Zl \)

610 5P00i8J,. A:'.{::Jllt Dodg~1I' OoZ'!u" -t,o 11a.n;;i!lJ, tJ'C¥Ulfi&.JZ. J.4 r 1918, 

( 7[0'1", ... ..."..,-",f' , '''1 ___ ~. p ......... ... · ~~,n "'~, __ .....,. P "'-")":"I'1 __ _ nn., __u .::·___ y ( "l"'1"i'l, .... ... "'" rI "~ ~), 1]:?3::::m1J ">J v ~~'OOtl!3 •. a 

tJ1Q 1·t.a..1..l2.:il plr21:J t:lOS'J th:-","1 a tj;,JQk £O !l t':':~3 y &ttJ~Er6fl.t:J, t~ 

OCOuY1 OJtGigna o 

~ " 
.J.l o 

, 


tOl1aO[l .low ~'S1~OIl~d G@tti.= .mfl ctnsr 'ItratoS:i.o point. in 

Mgn~~n0erO eaEly to novomce~ . ~916. and 30rb otfiQera aD woll 

,, ~ '.loIl ~onogX'1t\ Olvi1. c>utho:<,Hl.o" """""ad tho It...l1ano ill tIlo 

mQ.d10 o! =t month thl>.S t h<l:T "oul'" raoist aSl5n aa1on. 00"­

~IDquently. X~~ da~Ga ~ot m97G e~ ao to prooip1tato hoot1l1t1eQ, 

!O~ bo~ all1en, as t1Q~~~ a~g Vs~,,~b. W0~0 ob.orving tIlg 

ettuation Q~onaly. l~n~e~u. tho XtalianB doeidod to employ 

·J.£lazioM tNO();93 'ShQXl at Qatl;~Q, azld ove~~hGro weloCllJod " by 

JugoDla,a, to egZe<lt IC\'O O<lCl.!)?sUO" of tha lWlltonesrtn oapital. 

flo on llovWllb. .. 23, thoy a,'dered ~"O Amnican OOJUp""i•• to =oh 


62 


t01:larda OotUg;a·) ill 001= .:1 th tUg simU.... Xtal1"" ",,1h. 


!in lIOUt.9, aoI!/" 1304'1> oUintals a)!pJ:O&<lho<l !laJ." SOanlOll. oo;:=d11l8 

oiiioer oZ tbe ~.,,!gon oompanies, and ozpla!n~d tho politioal 

oir~umotano . Gu~roundiDS tho Italian JLa1L~~~. Zh. ~o ~Von the 

majo .. diQro sagded I t alian in.truetlona,end promptlY r eturned hiD 

_ .....-=. ~--- ­ , 

62., ';fu~ lUnar:~oan bv.tta:U.on T1a3 e;sxl'i.soned aboal'd the Italinn 

hoopital. ohip 'L1J;q," IJ1 , it boing tho vO"Dal which 'hed tl'anaported them to C .. tt~ro. Italian ordera to the Am,r!can • 

ot'fio3:x" O(\i11mand!ng the ll.."'li t f,IG!:".') to :report to the sonio::? 

ItaUan oilJ.oar o·~ tIlat port. It so happone d that Admir.al 

llola waa nenio;r of!!cer , hence tho Amezoican battalion caIJle . u.nd3X Italian naval oC'.!:'.Dl..'1ll(l" and this 'gas c Sl'tainly a p8ou.l.1a.r 

oitu-!J.tion when it is :remembered that the AmcI'ice.n regLJlcnt h~d o~1 1n~1 1y b3en rlstailed not to the I talian navy. bu~ to 

tho ·e~. llow 1t i. significant tnat llola refuBe4 to po~it 

the Ame~i gon aoldiezD to d1B emha~k when they rCbched CQttaro on llovemb8~ 20, but hrea day. late~. taking adrtentaga of the 

abfJsnae of' t.he battalion'c co.mm.:.mding o;Cficerj) the Italian 

admiral .9 udd~nly or'ered two ccmpanieo off the ship to march 

KOnial'd to Cett-igne. (llcmol'a.."lau.:n, Office 01" naval Reoord!!) 

and Librasy to A.a.n•• August 16, 1943). 

" 

i 

·- ~- ~- ----."-~~.-- -" --~-.. . ~---

~D. 

, 

laD2l 1;1;) Qattt;.<~ Oo 1:1lO 1t.&1a~ wt'antzy l'i:\4tne.8eli to EGaPA ~ 

ggont1eh'r bu'6 (li.Zgou.s~.;!.zed by t.hG g72....":\.:Li. :~c t7hich §:g'm-0~Gd thDE10 

t'oll0'Oled thQ h..ll~l':!.oa..:ul) baok to the:!.;: 'im . .eo.. /;~t.:r:' !OUI1 to ;roOQU,» 

the i J: lozt PX?Vst!6& ~ the. !t·uJ.1o..ns :pla!'ln3U. fll.l"the ~ o:wn1'9iol!l ~ 

against C0~tiGUo. but tJO~O Qventta8lJ..y d.lzcm.{1d-~d by th~ allied 

oftlcerD 8~ Oatt~oo Eru.wG ~ this, pal"~i cu.la.':? Zt-aJ.iall Gft'ogo't 

to U20 An~?:lGan t~oops 8.B [\ pol"! i1ioal uoa.p9Zl i'e11cdt but h~ 

. 63 lJOOClld oattalioZl we-a not w1thdx'a).m ! l'Clll Oet~a.I' o 

Italian &g~es81vQnelJa e/Ib CBti3-"fo o and thei~ obvioum 

att~pt to el~i~tG th~ alliea r~ar~ that point ~osulted in 

'" ehe.rp vu"bal. ()~ll!Gloll b~t"'O.Zl; "'''",1lfa,1 1.11 l1~,ol e.nd "aall?"';' 

.lI!1tye 01' tl10 lI~ollQh =V3 ..t t;hg ll.ome ",oet1!1~a Wo7G"'h~l:1 26~29) 

01 tJ:!.e Adziat2t1 c~ttVQ lag~ihed on 9Z'J'll1o~fJ J,lases., G~80S 

and oe!J.Ute~~l;'03 of ~aQ. faitl1 hl4zotlod 'baok and t01't11, e.ntl 

uhon it b'(JO~3 0'Ui_dent that no 8gI.',,~ cmcnt ilea '.n S)i~S:rrtD tho 

COIORittQQ :te1'e;1'"@(\ tho mettaI' to the Sup;:"~0!!le OOmlQil 1u l'agift. 

Ai'to r e. diOOl1.SBion Bmong tho poltt:!cn.:. oh1cfe , Sonnino found 

it expedi ent to ~dez th0 ~! thdraITal of ell Xta lian !o~o os t~~ 

~--.........----= ;'; ~ TnJ) a.bove asccu.n.t 01' th~ CstM.$D.s t't.3:p!ldl t10n he9 boen 

collB,ten p:s>incipally fron t'20 raporta which do not cnt!xErly e.g~ee .on the fa.cts. Th-ey al'GZ ChaJ:So in e~O ia.!lod5o. to 

the Aottng Se c:ret8X":1f of state. Polk~ Belg1."eda t o Wanhtngt\ .l. 

DBoamb8X' 18$ 1918, ~QSo_~1~~~~ .. ~ii.T~E.il . II, ~56· 68.). end ..-'\m1:ms:JE'.dor .Melnon ?a.:.:;a ..to La1l5ins. l:!ovcz;;.OC:i: 2£1 0" 

1'918, Rom3 to Waghingto.n~ ( ib:tdl 316-l? ) . In alluding to 

this incident, R'~ Tempe::ley& l.'"qf.VW .o n[f}.~Q.!{.r>..1. , 1'V, 202'g otctoa 

that ~ThG tuct.s a~e e::uH'Jedingly obscm,.'o . an~ it 10 d,oubt1.'ul 

if they al'G knO-::lD. to e:ny li!Ting persons. A ParHJ iODS ' oor'taioly 

ran h i gh on t ho llontenogrin frontier. and i t bo tha~ 

tJlo a.uthor ira OO:i.'xcct... 

if, 

" 

, 

• • 

39. 


6~ 

O.... t al'O on D;)oOOlbe" 2, :1.918. Although the o~o.e;;o \1a8 lat.r 

mod.ified to penait acmfJ I 'Galian ~62,~00:9a to X'fHDa:!.llt n(l evidence 

he-a b3cn d18Cov~n:od to 1r.d.laets t.b.F.l.t thtiy ~u.bGe qtleiltly t :ri(lQ. . 

to ou.~ tho ;6'X'ench t'rOlA tho zona ao.l.gnod tholll by tho Adriatio 

6 1) 

OOl!!!llit t Qo. 

It was uo~ only at Qattaro that l.~~iano damonotrated . 

thoir imperialist 8lldv.<wo~perat1\V. e.ttitv.do . vrl!on tho Ame~ioElJl 

.... 

I!Ilibme.i'ino ghana., 110 0 342 put in at P01~t Lacioa, Leeinn $.Gll andf 

tho. !t!t11e.n port oi t.'iGer illst",-,oto(, tho l\.lIle;:ioe.n oozmnano.e;;o to 

keep his mon Bboard onip. Tho S42 i ntonded to x.main oaly 

ve~lght. Duo~or 5/6 , 19l6, but dusing that uight throe. 

dinOl' n~ ItaJ.!e.n Oia00l'O al'l'i\Vod to hint that tho mo.erioallo 

66 

l oe.,o immediately. ~o 0".1> 1t a n tlw l.olalld <lid n ot 0110n 

--= .. ~4 Deleon Page to ~enaingJ Roms to Wa3b.!nst'on; DJoe.ruber t!,c .1918. 

1l..o.,:~s. R&~~a.:::':i.O l?,~,a.~ o :"G..2..~.z:.i; 1Lrt@. p II, 320-21'1 On PJ3e. "i1h:!:ooh­ hgld. 01' hie oazO();.' a s a publ1.o1 3"1i V!b'Bm1.o Gayda. 0z'p1'~OfJC4 

oAt~em0 Itali nn ant1-~~ nQh conttmonta in ~Tho AGX ~t!a 

psobl.em and till') peaoo ccnf07;'~nQ@ ~ n· .'4I') ~t.!l!a~J\.v.: "I~ '\C3SL o l!aroh. J. n~ . Pl'. ~7S-91.. . 

600 EaGign no Do Dl Jnthal, . ~h~d1ne of!t e~ ot tb0 U0 3. Qh~ecr 

Ro o 80 WaG ina~"l'1.\ ted by Ad.!11 7:oJ. ntllesd OIl Do{!;,')l1lD07: 1, 191a,. to t.2sw.na th.'J U:~!6lJ of Sozlioz UcS o !l~ n.1 O!'!1oGl:' n"il al":Gt~~o, 

(naVal A~ hiva~. Vile 28766o l G5). Hio mioG1o~ uaa t o· aan i st 

tho Bll10d 1'0 3' O in c,,","?,Y1n(l out · tb.o nan,l aXill!Stio~ ' tel'lIlB. 

66~ O.We E~~D O~~~ding O:~i or V. SoS.O. 042 to At~~~al ~~lln~d , 

D2Qom"bO T. 6 , l0J..6.., lITa7al ll"3oc;cda . 17110 VAo 

B.es::lond. Ui:tJJ:I 1. d o:ft 2: ~ o.n i nall3O l.t..rato vcroi oll of thin 1nQ1d~n";:' in J}}(">:...!\1l\ \r.t:.:l!-2'1.2-m, J}p. 356-57. !Z11J.hollr..nd. u~a 

G."ll.ot iliahi n!,,;; u..to on t In B.C. 2::C "hich to.r aomo obecure 

rOaGon ht3 cslla tb.-a S.O. X~ i n hia b~ok. AJ.tb.ough tho S.C. 

226 tI.:'.o not c.t L'3o in:1 ;;.t t,h10 M.m-:l ~ 11111h.olland ooni"1dcntly 

pleges it thoro with ); tlQ~-911· aboarf.t on ~~cemh~:' .0. ).918 , and 

o·u::iJi.toa tha.t upon I talian t~."u ·6'.io n.s to l oa'Ve, th~ ohe~ :r 

clo:l.Xo d 1'01' Gg~:;j 1on. ;~ G1 ~ti !:!. ~r.:tu::.ll y \"jOg ·not. qui~o DO 

)3'p~:\~a.t oo 

~. 

, ~ 
__ 

____ ______ ......... ____ ,_. __ o:......:,,

40. 


belong to Italy~ but Italian w~ruhipa rodo 1n the harbo:r, and 

t1:00:9D flora on. dLJ.ty a!)hOl'e~ Hot long after thie incideni; a 

t'loifille. 0 1" American !}ubmarlne Oh8..f.\01'3 togellliex- wi t.b. tho m.o~'~Br 

eh!,P U08 .. 3. lAQrd.dall, a ll l!lldel' the command of Ca.ptain Nelson, 

etopyed oft' ,at t.ho island of CuX'z.ole on t be a.!ternoon of Ds oembel' 

15. The Ame:Ci-C8.ns X'o ce i"?sc;\ a great ovation i':rom the h1hab1tania 

who p a:called the quay \'1 i th t heir ba.nd t vW,"fing Serbian and ',., 

IJIl""ic an nag.. l.'h16 d=netl'ation r1as entirely fri endly, end 

leqve Vial;} g~an.ted Ame:~ic?..n off.1oGl':J enG. men to go achozoe. Ju.st 

as the liberty parties landed, ubiquitoUJ rtalisD troa»B sei zed 

the banner6; and, in ~iot o~tion ape~sed the craun , composed mostly 01' women e..1'ld chi1dl'e-n, at the point of tha ayo llet~ 

Wishing to avoid t roubl e . Oc-.ptatn lleleon o:rde red his shipe 

67 

to up anon01: and p1:'oce od slasnhere ~1 thout da l ay., In thta , we.y Italians bl'oko up B demonst!'C'~tion g i VOll in h0110l"' of A1Ile~ica.ns , 

eppasantly beoauB6 such enthua!u~tio ~anife8tations might • 

quiokly apX'sadt' eJ.Jd b eto!'" lor-..g a..er:H..l.:me e poll t1.cal Eign:l:t'icanoo 

wh1Qh uo\u a ~J~~ it moxa difficult fov Italy to ann0~ Di~abla 

regions in Dzlme ti~, Like La3ina t tho l eland of Ourzola wSG not 

u.n.d~~ pfJ:rm,:;.;,nont Z"Ga.J.tan SOlfl..U:Cd.g411 (,y , bl.\t oJJJ.y 3IDpora...~1 1y and 

un1late;;:,uly OO Q"I).pi6·d oy th8~...., ~ Suoh iuc1dent8 , uhioh neQu 

oot DO multlplte d he;rs Q 1l 1u~trBte ~e 02WluniV0 polioy t/niah 

t he I ts-liM na.val e.nd ml1itw..--y oc.m::Jll\t\da t.mclert-ook to follow, and 

how d10(.lQu1.'t.QOHB and in.'JonoidG:l"ate uaB thoir stU·tude towareo the 

---~-=~~ 

6?e> 1,18.;ll.ol'<:1nc.b.,w., 01'1'106 of rIaval Roc ~~d3 and Ltox-ur.{ to A.. O.D4' 

August 16,. 194.30 

~ A 
~1. 

~y thilt 1" tll~ ttnoJ. "11(;ly"1. h\1d m2,('~ o.n Ad.?intiQ v iotory 

posai])).., 

AggAClOsivi) rulQ un13oNpulov.o eo wCX'€1 tho Ita-lianG in tha 

couth. t1lo1z: oond"gt ",.,n o'vell mOlle 30 t" 'Gho no","" M.l'i"Uo in 

tAis Qa~ly po.t-"~\9~io. o~icd. X~al !an uaxohiDo o~ouptod 66 . 

~giG3 tC O~ Ho?e~ e~ a, & ~V bDro~o ~ho .~!a~!GQ wont into 

0;\1'00'1;0 A l'!e.1l'l11. IJq1.\odgon u.:od03' ..A&lm.it~ l C~1 oo~up1ed the <:1 ty 

""'<) ",..v<>l b"•• 0:1: Pola t'J. daya l.a.~el:, &>l<t, !ollou1ng " polioy 

at m,tblooB He.H""l."",tiOIl, "H>o~ te~., Qa~ . Olld diao,,1minatod 

againot tll~ Slav inhabi~ant. ot th~ D~o~;noo 01 I"tria in a 

QaJ..Ql,.Jj> ati~d mOVCU1Qnt t'Jl:d.oh eb.oZ"tly ?,eao.n€Hl the pX'ollortio~a of : 

~ ~eign of t0~~O~~ It 13~ nowove~o tu lt~i~ activ1t1ea In . 

lIi =~ -- eO,11)O:ming "hian 80 much tn" 1'."0 bson epilt h the.t 

"3 no\'1 tw.'!! fo!! e", 9"''''''ple o~ !taUan oc"dv.ot ""<\ the 1'urt llor 

om.'b~'o !J.m t og ~w~i{12J1 'Cl'oo'po. , 

ll'iumo ll..d bG;)n """neo,eCi by llu.nse,,,y 1" ~he l!1~,il.h 01 1868, 

but was IWzi(lllo<l to Groatia In t..">o :;:". aty of kone,on 01 1915, 

Hu.nga.~ 8i)dulov.~ly lltu:'Bed- !tal lrul B0nt:!.m3nt o in ]'il:::ne duwin$ 

, 

the time. th,~ 0;'/6Y \:Tao \.l.ndOl' it:;:. B{H'{Iro;!,gnity '&0 oounteZ'aot 

Oroa.t l.!.at1 o.nal1 ~!!l p end. t1u:'OI.1.gb.out tho t1a~ eo 'RungCl'iaI!. €a~1S011 

ll1uO £t atiCIl.oi.\ ti;l,Ol:tJ e 1:oua.l'«a the ond of Cctooa;so. 1918 . gOInG Oroat 

troopa appof\l'od to d:!08rJl th3 5al"X'ison a..:"'ld lloiet the Ol"oat 

- - , . ... .,,~ 

GB o ~'L!Ji~.i~;:!J!q-ry, .J£ . .Jill:~.. .. U.O!ls~t 1915- 1918 ~ J..PIJcnd1x~ Chut 

lJo.2 . utlli">ll~ d by tho llistoziaal. !J0a~!on 01 t.ne OHioo of 

tb.@ Ohio; cJ e ta.:rz ot tho Eoya.l IiaJ.ian lJavy, B.cme, 1927. 

. ~ 
-42. 


69 

llationaJ. l'lns-lo On ]101/€'.mI.~:t' 4r~ M It .i8J~ X1aV:ll fH:,:.uadSoZl 'I.'Jld!3:'" 

70 Adro.il'~l E:o.iDQr atocd i nt;o Y h l 12L0 h?3boz oc&l:mg to onoupy t.b.o 

01 ty blJ:i). war.; pEev3P..te (! f z'om do 12';:: '. bo by ~~ (J~ai.;s.. A OQZl:t'liot 

!lO!/ dovolopcd batl1een !'iia..l.ie...u w.d l}';H;1 t the.t 1@ to s ay Jugoolav, 

elements witb.i;'l tho lJity" Tho fO~1l:1 el" Bf':9Galod to l"tI.TelY fo 'Z' 

e-lmexa'tiOIl_ but the Jugoslavfl l,'c q t!·a ;)</j e d the ~sclloe of Co 

Br.it100 orui13er to act as mediatoJ;'" Rac:l&l.. ;t'Gcling ):a!.\ 'hiah 

on both sida DI f i nally A!imirru. Ra:\.nel" J.'de~ed marin!) dctaol.rraGllta 

&oho~e on h~ night o! Eov~be~ 9 D in an ~tfor~ to dlslodgo 

.the ,Croat t~oops EUld mtPPoJ:'t tha Italians inside thG oi ty . . :the 

marines wera followed. by e.n Italian infsntJr,y ba.ttalio.ll on 

71 

Nov0'lI!bazo 11" whici1. pI'ooeadetl. to dis;;.l'lI< ~h$ Groa.t 1'07.'cea. 

li'aul' days lateX' a Serb bs.ttaJJ,on appa8.l'sd GIl thG Boene , and th.e 

:r ~sul t!ng tension between !talJ.ann and Sel'oa e:r.;pXSB2Sd 1tiseJ.! 

72 

n i n ~many inoldenta of violGno3 o A~~iral Raioe~ ~eruan d.d the 

!m.madiate eve..cuation of jj'iume by Jugoslav t'OZ"C0S . but his 

v.ltimatU!!l wao xeJectad. Nogoc i atione i'olloU'cd, and on No'VeznqO:Ll 'l, t h-a ugo51~;v unita withdxerf -to an . outlying. diet:r.lot upon. 

P",i.'1or' s p~C"'li3G oot to land addition.u t"'. op ~ in the oity :O~ 

~-----

69 \l do :BUGhau ( ade ) , IF:: !,~1£...!~~ London:. 1923. P1>. .e.O"'~ 1 , 

''(0" '11l "I'(,u~ 2.n~~c.. .u.Qt:lf!_\~a,;.: , 1915...16. App$ndJ.x~ Chart 

130 .. 2 .. 

710 ]'olson pa.ga to Lansi ng~ Rom.e to V1aah!Dzton, lloVelIlber 18, 19l8. 

lLQJ.R. t;!. 1;.::..~~...Rs2:.gq CC!EJ.:2.:!:.tl?ES ~ XI, 296-9']$ 

72 , Belson PE',~~e to lan~ ngt Rom~ to UuDhingtoo~ !io'Vellloozo 16, 191 8; 

i bid. ~ 339-400 

r

I A 
43 

n 

t hree dsya . No sooner had the Jug0 51avs d01>" rted than the 

l.tallrul ,J;oner eJ in t"", vio:\nity . Marzano , ..ep"d1a~.d 1\alne'r' 9 

.grGomsnt~ and nw.l ·cD.ed cODs ids rable nuw.beZ'8 01' Italte.n ool di el'B 

7Il 

into J11umoco ~hj,D dlt"hQnoZ'able aet nat.ux-ally inoree.oed the 

bi ttetnllfJO, and. oX'ea'.ed an. eloct1'iG atuo sphel'e. Bfo~f g 

70 mov.n GQ. ~ tM (,1:;:(;1 " III o:cdol" to oalm tho exoited lt~goele.vet

!Ill'" spaoiously to e:~M. tho OOcup.,tion ,,1til M :l.nte:falllod .... ohe.:faotor the J.talian QOEmCx>d ordo..ed tho third battalion oZ 

til• ./\morioan 33llnd l'Oeim.,,'G to i'itlmo who". H ' ente r ed on 

76 

llovombe1.' 19. InthiB '/lay did llilmo P"S" undo>: !tal!."" oontrol, noz 

did Italy lato6 make any geatl.U'@ at ;:.calling hor troop" whon 

tho Brit1all ~oro assignod Flume as their oooupntto , OOIlO by the 

l!.dr1at!g GCl:;nUtteo lata in till month of November. lIor thoir 

past, the ~ltieh on tllo sput eDPoa~ed u~lllns e~ UGh to "oti~o 

f l.?om ]'it~ 'G'hatovez tha attitudo c$ l.1ondon t Md allm.'l the , Italiano to dcminat. the oity end it. 0n~i~on3. ,Italy employed 

&m~~l.g~ t~OOp3 at Fiu~ ~n advanco no" O~ poll~i al lntera.to 

Ju~t as ohe did at Gatta?OQ and at the tims of th~ ebo~iva 

exped1tion to CGttigno. Whon the Franoh gov ••~ent otest~d 

..... -~

~" Ac;b,'l$.Z'al D.llla:sil to' Atlmi!'e.l B3I1.8on. iJil.Ul.!8 to Par!s·~ Docemba:r 

20, 191B; 1bid~ IrQ 3~9m~O~ 

7~o Ibidco Also S8il J Q DllOh0.Jl ( cd.), l.Wi~}. .:! .t.Q , p .. 2.1:1 3 c..ud 

the geneh"oJ. r;'cQOUJ7.·~ to :0. 6 AJ.b:.:ooht... a~{li'l6 " ~~.t~.1L~;' ~~~ b ;An.. .&c ~4L..9:J}31.Q,It1P)J,,~ t PC! 51 . 

75 .. Fo:s tho Bf3ute a1 tuntion in ')JiUL10 at t,b.i3 t L"lo ~ov F,.2;'t..J:.:.~~ 

J] a..~ G 1'!J0::.l0 nn!o~3nn A . Xl t 29!3",bl'l. 30Z), 331 ... ::'2. -. - ....... --~....... 


16 . A.c.1l1r~ I.Ullazd to :D-~llson , Vcni oo toO P!:l.X'i oo undatod, :l"b1d~ 

}>9 340-4 lo!l 

~ " 
'-- .---..........~, --~~-~~--- ~-'--"- -,- ______••--......_"'-"~ - .......------'"~._ '" - ·~A___ _ _ __ __

44, 

~ainr,rh ml1lA'Gel'Eo1 Italian e..o tion in ?1t.U1l ~ Pr emior OrlanQ.o in 

l'ebuttsl oolerrmly observed t hat t.J.!lGl'toan oontl ngilnt£ had 

c.oQom'paJliGd tho Ital1e...n t:s'oops , honce tho o:pGL'e,t;!.on 'i'l8,~ e. 

'17 

logi timate 1.nteral11ed O(lol.2,Pe.t1on. Xt \iTa':' dacopt1olrl trans ... 

lI""ently Glmpl,o the.t the Iteliruw ",sre emlea,C1:1ng to pu~ ovo~ 

on tho United mtatoD and thO athol.' allto o. 

SOWa1!a" . tho llJll.e:<>il.can and llr.enoh delQg8:l;oa iu th~' 

A<lr~ati" keenly B()""tinilled Ital!,,,, mothod. and aill1.s , no>.' cUd 

they " .aloot to Npo" t tMm in d~t"U to \;hI>l>.' poJ,HlcnJ. 

6up@r.'iOl'D in lfa.ri s a..'lo, \'TaMing~~:ns A d$.cpat gh D3~1 t by l~dm!reJ. 

Bulle.x'd t.7h1oh uas pZ'ompt.2.y tX'anfomi ~~tiSQ to Pzc a i dent iJilDon J.ato 

in Ho ~e e 191e~ bluntly @tnt@d that! 

ttXto.li,a,n !Hlth04'i·tiaa h2.V(;f gOYl ~ J!U.\oh !asthe:r 

th.an llSQi;lS::lI....:.'Y l' 059~iDg lifo and p3?o.P~:r Cy 

04' than d@laa.tuieo. oy th-a tG~"'ril 5 Gf \thii) 

"""lotion and iliumo naG (tllo) e.l'poaro.llQO fpt 

eJ POl"'m:':.!lOn·j) Italian o@ on:S)l .t i(}n" e ~ D 'l ~ xt app0~~3 ~ha~ exi can t~oop~ are baing uDsd 

to pZO~t0 r,ath ~ than OU~Q ltalian a@tivitiea 

an!! ou", s :t1!!.y rop::osentaHvo J),:obably hao 

not o.Q;?initol i;n ~.;ruct1e!l o • • ., .,.~7ZJ ofliollUO 

• • ecar@ dom1nat3d by Xtal1anaDo 8 

~ia ropo~t to tho P~o"i den~ p~aoi pl t~ od a maj o:<, ">.'ioi9 

in oonno~t!oM uith thz riQrul ~Btm0nt c PAd therofo r e m0~it a 

olg nan or~inatinn• 

..,.. .._.. .. .,. ~--~. "" 

77 " OOlOD6l .TId.ITal'd House t,o E:!.nB, PaJ.'j,n to \1e.ilhingtotll' 

lJavcmbs;\, 20 c 191.Bo ~?.9.::"t~ £Ja.A,,1? aI.j:...EL..t22G £..-Q..9E;tr'~:1E.QE ~ XX J 

303..0·~. 

73.. Adm!rel .f.!I.tll.9xd t o r.3n~ on . Rc·w.G to ?a:'dn, ZlOYC.l'Jlr}c:;" 213, 1918. ,\1'oo n::071 Uil~on Co11aotion , "G;;' o Oonioroz!oQ Ila. e::rt~l .. 

\ 
 ~ 
45. 


On November 18, 1918, Dr. Koro sec , president of the J ugoslav 

National Council of Zagreb a~~a ed to Colonal Rouse for Ameri can tro o~8 

"to occu~y strategic pOints, end points wher~ trouble WAS fcared because 

. 	 n 

of the want of s)"Clpathy bet".. een J ugosl avs and occupying I t.a11en t roops. fI 

Less than n k ~rev iously Premie r Orlando had made en i denti cal r equest 

aRki ng f or adc'.it i onal Amarican un i ts t.o reinforce the 332nd regiment. ThUB 

Jugo slav s and Ita lians eiike sought }~ eri cen soidlera, each , of course , for 

different reasons. Colonel House forwa rded Dr. Korosec's ap~eal to Preslden t Wiloon on November 16, with the recommendation that it be approvp.d. 

The next M:;r Hilson cabled. h i s a cquiescence stating that t he :oresenc c of 

Amer1.cp.n sol d i or s 1n tr..e d1sputad a!'CllS s e.emed to him "essential to a 

80 

peace ful set.tlement. II House h imself ;.'as anxious t o sec American tl'OOPS 

al ong the Adria ti c littoral because be felt t hoy would er.erc ise a mod er81 ati ng and ~t8bi 1i zi g influence . 

------------------------' 

?9. Hous e t o LanSing f ol' Pr eS i de nt Wihon, November 18 , 1918 ; Woodrow ....'11­

80n Collection , l!'il e IX , Eox 4 . 

80. P:;:ca i dent Wils:m to House, Wa shington t o Peris, Novembe r 19. 1918 , ibid. 

81. 	Early 1.n November, 1918, Hous e hFld o rotested to O:-lanrlo t he occu:oa tion 

by Ita.l y of u.~onla.v t erritory a l ong the London Treat,v li ne and consented 

"only unon the ftxp11clt ro~is ~ that tbis territo ry should have t he sa~e 

ste-tus as t he territ.:::.ry t o be occu!lled under t~·e t erms of t}·.e German ? rmi stice." (Rouse to Lana ine for President Wilson , Peris to \ie.ahlngt on, Ncvt:~

ber 11, 1916 , For. rte1 . , Pari~ Peace Conference, II, 257 . ) . The Iteli ns 

....ere one st,,!,! ahead of t he Co1onf'!. Tr.e y h...\~ drafted tr.e ar~lst1ce terror. 

so t hat tr.e armistice line c oinCided ""'ith t h e London Trt'at ~' line . Conse ­

quentl:r it \~es legal f or t hem t o occuPy all such te r rito:-i cn witt ! n the 

line , snC!. no !lrote-st , ho....ever stro!\l; , coul d alte r t!-.e t l"cr:nicnl ~rre ctness of t!":e i r leg~ l po sition . The J Uf!on lav s siL'v)ty wcstec'. ti tle in slr.i ­

l a r urotests . ( See ibid, u . 2~1 ) . 

~ ~ 
~.~~""....~--. .... 

,< .. 

Colonel Reuse n f:z.t ap.P&,o8..Q:b,o{.j. tl~J ~genoh end Ert tiM 

. so"e rnmanto to inqnir0 \'Ihothzl: 'ohoY \'foUl0. ooJ eat 1l llmO:<ic8.'l 

tx-oope ~ne.8,ged in ooou.:pati ou c\u"i;iCi3 ill t-h.~ Adz'iatlQ4 Fo:rolgn 

minis',.,," l?iollon enthv.2ie..tJ.ceJJ.y ap?h'ov.ci tM mionio" on Non",])e:\' 

82 


23, and Eouso cabl.ed t.bO ;goGBic.(m.~ to that €!ifoO'1i- th;; llo:it dnyo 


lla?ing OOl>L<r t ;ienty-fou2: hoU1"3 Vl'c7ioualy in.!'oxmcd WilBon of 


83 


Belt!l!."'" e.Uil'llW.ti". ~.l!ly. ~oM"hll" {jolonol rklt!B6 had 


invited G@neral P.e~shing to ••ent hiB view. r0gar~ing $no 


tsanapol'ta\;iQ;Q. of t~$l'1 an \l.Ui"~!l to the Ao.rlatioll Alth.ough ?:lot 


fUlly cogni2M~ . ot tho 5it""UO!l l?orchine opposer! the stop, 


but thought 0 that the troop" e.J.rGao.y in Italy (tho J~211dl might 


8'.1 

be used for: occupyin'g the d1Rr:m~811" tCl.":dtol'y,,<3 ~he Ita.,li rulD , 

hOl"IOV6t', di d J:.ot uclt fol." tho complGtion of HOUS0' D elv,DOl'ate 

diplo.m.atio ezarOiD'J b bU.ti~ a,3 e..!..rsa~y de:;:wZ'ibed, had m:Jhed an 

~.Ee;:1oau bat te.lioXl'tC' .!fiun~ on N(("l0mboZ' 19 0 end Ma thes to Qa.t ta.ro 

ths t'allow1.ng c...::1.Yc Ae pointed out in prev i ous pages the tto...l1an3 

did not employ tha Amei:l.oan rooldiCLt"S El.long 1 1;o.<8 £', which pr~e1d~nt 

__7': ... . . __",__ 

8,8:. Pichou to Roru:-:s, 1:T07e.m"be:4' 23" 191B" Yale} ROU~"H) Uo11eo'tio11<> 

8;,')" HOU3§ to J...an@211g t"Q~ )?!'aaldent "JLi.30n. P.ezia to WashinGton, 

llovember 2~ ~ 1918" Woodrow Wil.son Golleot:iQn ~ J;>1.1u IX, !!o;t 5. 

In b.~s l ctte X' 'lJO hDUSO ~ Pichon a" ate d th.....:l.t the ij\l'Jn~"h gGY :i."'!l "~ 

msnt ~cC'.n onJy ;;:oega:i.'G. '31 th 1?1ec>. :.:< ul'C thn d€H5pa toll ot.: .0."!!.ls ~i an 

troops. ~o tho E1J.;"' ...str(j...El\U.ge.3:ianJ tel':>:"i "toj.~iefJ !ib.~;l.~-3 thoy 

'?Jill :find :Jrench d.etacr= !lt~ bcsid~ ~~he.m" ~ :':i';re.nce waa I taly' a 

l"'iVal in tha 13.00.1 tCSl'e,noan, ;; B:o.d \,W.f; bag-a;;o to tako nny l'Gsoon.ablo 

fJtep, a'ld 8CL!C POl'h3PS I!ot So :reasonable I to l lmit Italie.u PO ,;]·91.:", 

84" Hous;.; to Lru:;Jing~ t"Ol" ?~ee1de!lt '9ilson, Paria to He.3hingtol'l, 


D~Oeillb el' 2. 1916 r ~~..J2:\l-.. ~iL:P~~~.2.t\f" nl..9.~". II. 3190 


) 


'" 
4'7.• 


Wilson Ol" CQ~onel Hou se \'10111d haVG ap};lro'Vcdf but uSf;;d thom to 

further tJleir OTIn J! artiot~lj3.X' intel"esta, and tho J\l.goala9a~ in 

"e..usstins Rousa [or Ama" ican t;:oopa, uu,,1tol11gl.y played into 

Italy'd ""nda. 

Soaroaly had the Hurry ot diplomatic. aotivity GOillle o'tod 


wi th the AlJ1G;;;ioal'l rp.giment subsided ~! hell Admi2>'al l3u.11ard' e 


85 


despatoh of November 26 deeoxibing Hal,'. politioal U3~ · ,ot 


the "'~j,·oopa. ar1:!7e c1 in Paria. :l'h1a dropped a bomb3hell into 


all llxsv10ua sX':rangeml]nt8o YoZ'thnith cOlnlll.1!.Qioated to :W6s:!' ~n:t 

Wilson tho mOBsage produced ~~ immediate r O&o t10ll t for on November 


28,SSo",.ta>:y of was NeTIton Deker ordered General Pershing to 


86 

rec&ll tha Ame~iQan rogiment to hia co_and. Kno,,1ng the 

culpability of 'their activitie., the Haliar.n appa rently anHo1pa tod 

some auch Amer!can mo~~ c because ()n t he ve:sy day (llovemoet" 26) 

t hat Admixal Dulla.l'd Dant bia despatoh the Italian govern."2GIl'i.i 

J 

oiiiciany requeate d ·'he Unitod stat.es not to recall tho 

, Americ an "egiJll~n t, and stated that '.Hell" ,,1thdra7ial woUld have 

Co.) bad politl.oal effect U:;>Oll L1,h;i] Jugoole;u situe.tion [ .. om . 87 ' 

[the] I~6e.liQZl ~aIlI:~p oint~~ Rem t 2':'l..le tb.at iJl:\3 tho !t2J.ia..n~ 

---""'.."~.".,,. 

85 Q ~uota d Roove o . 44 

86 .. Tho ardar appoar a in ltl1U2El to r~ani3ing for Pr.:;mid'3nt Wilson, Pnrifl t o t'aBhing~on, eo!mlhEi~ 2 , 1913. tToo t~i'O V 1Y1!.aon Oolloot!cn, Mias uA~ Lox 5? 

67. 1~'bu. B83.d or Page to L2.!l~ ing , Bome to T1a. 9hi ~gt tJn, IlO"'lOElIH1~ 26 ~ 

19l8c E2.-~~+.:"...: Pe.;,:1'..~ e..g e~ COl~Se;~Q1LQ..,:;~j :i:I~ 314? .On ii o7om~o ~ 

27 , :'c!"eisn :L1.nisL'!l" ~);; n:1i c a g,::'.i;l l.~q'J..,o'::,~d );' £). ';0 to 1'OX":1'11'·i 

to the ':~WS G8..\l ""!l lr:":::i. H:.t an l.:.\)ucG.l 1.'0;: tb.a i:'Jtt)l:rtlcn oZ t.::::...,

X<36imOllt.. SCX!.nino:at t,hia t imSl- Q.[lkOd :for '\H~Yl );'",1) 7:'0 J~1: 00 P::i .:> 

{Ibid.; :;'iz,m.e ~o S8ln~ , l:!ovmabex 27. 19H1o) 0 

) 


" 
48. 


:t'ully realizedf but it was the usual doubla.... to?.lk de5i gnod t o 

ereCite a auo:\~abl e iln.p:rel:lsion in Americun circles while the 

r eal Jaotive l ay conoea.led. Unaware 01" this It41i~ bypl ny 

Pel'Siling obeye d his instructions f~o:.a Baker. WJd had in :f~ct 

dlrecte a Genoral Tl'e u t to u.333mble the troops a t an Itt,11an po rC 

prellaX'ato.ry to their elll.b1:orka tion 1"0r. the Un1 ted States when 

Colonel Hou.se inta:r7ened. In a cable L1,.El.rkeo. 'ftsecret foX' the 

Pre s i ti.ent.f) House on Deceillber 2 , 1918, a d.vised Wilson to reverse 

his pOBition and. countermand t he order re cL:.llin.;; the regiiJent . y 

bec ause it /illlligi:lt crea.te an un1"ortul'late im.flression in ItalyFl •. 

U9 

Hav ing ~,s5uZ'ed himself that only the one regim.ent was invol ved, 

the Prealdent., 2..ftel' w6ishtng House; e reCOl.llLlendation t decided to 

oancel his ctire"ctive t o the War Depsst,ment in the inilel'ests of 

i ntero.llied un! ty. So Italy gaine d the l au:<'els 0:1:' a minor 

cli plomatlc v ic to:ry I and t he Ame:r:i.can regiruent. X'eraai neu on the 

Adriat!c Bt[~tion' fo r. the time be ing • 

• Although Colonel House ha.d advlsad th3 Pr6aidsDt to r a ... 

consider hiB direotl"ye reo.;Q:t.ing the ::egim~nt, he did not un da~

eatUlate Aclmir"l llul1a,'d' B in1·o:rmatioD of l'Ioyembo" 26, and l1e 

r emained by no meana satisfied with the i>0culiar situation in j:;h~ 

Acl.riat.ic. Through Admira.l Benson he caused Ca:t.)tain GherD-Z"di f 

U.S~ D I to be sent to Paris from the United Stat~St and contemplatod 

____,__. _w._ 

8d o Hou~a to Lansing, OBe ret. for the Presi dent, 'Pal' i s to ~,r Hshingt o:a , 

Deoembe~ 2 , 1918. Woodro\'{ W:f.lson Colle.t;!ticn, File I X-A, Box 5. 

89. 	G~n~zal Payton. ).{B.l'c"h~ Chief of Sta.ff) to l)x-s:::s idcnt Wilson, 

lloyembal' ()~ 19180 lbid, File II··A. o:~:: 87 . 

) --- - "-,,­
A.: 'il•• 

entrust ing h1.;l flith B con:t'idontialmissi on i nto that C1gitated 

90 

eGa. OJ.!''CUlllfJte.nces favor.ed thia VlaIh F:r.ench naval and 

diplomatic repr8fH~ntb.t iv e s hnd throughout the month at: lroV8mber 

reported on Italian to.dX1atic activi tes to their govel"1l.Ul.ent . 

When the a.llied 1'e£l ie r5 me t i n London together \,1i th the ir 

foreign minieter.'2 X'Ol' a seriee 01' p:re pe ce conl:el'ence disrmaoi ono 

n 

on Dllcelllb... 2. . tha lh"enoh chE>1g.d tho Hali",," \'11th b a d faith 

in the AdX'i atio . and enumeruted a s pecific l ,ts!; of aacusa'tlons. 

T.h.e Ita11ans WOI'@ compel l ed t o agX'eo to th.e estab11em'l3o't of 

a e apao!oJ. cOlNllission ot fou~ aQ,.'1li!'a l.s to 1n'1.uire and make a. 

report t o the allied Go'Va l'".dlm!Jnts nh0\'1 1ng clea.'t'ly '1'hat is lthe1 

Gx10tlnlil situation [i n t he Ad:ciatio] and wh"t measurea it is 

neoe ssary to t ake to safegnard against disagreement 0],' trouble 

in any tOl'6' i tortes of [the] JtdE'intlc occupied or to be occu,Aed 

92 

by Allj,ed fo%' oea. ~ .oQ Apprized 01' this resolution , Oolonsl 

Rouse xllad!ly ooncu:t'!'cd i n it, since an i.n'Ve st i gating COW:li:.Hlion 

neatly blel\de d into his own plBn3. During the morning of Decemb e J: 

7. he held a con1'e~elloe with Admiral B~ nson and Captain Gherardi , 

and here HouDe and naon oh ~ged Gherurdi t o proceed to the 

Ad:r1atl0 . oonfer wl.th llulla;rd, survey the 3Huation. and report 

----'----------..... ~ 

go. House ]Hf>.lX. (Unpublished) ~ Bntx-y fo r Dsnember 7 j 1918~ Yale Hou~e Collectiono 

91. Colonel House did not a.ttend beoause of 1l1nes8., 

92. 	Fore ien Secretary Balfour to B~itish Embassy, London to 

W<lshington, Decem.be r 2, 1918.. Ya l e Hou~e Collec.tion.. 

~ , ~ 
- ..... . I<:-''''.--,:-:-.c:. ___ . 

cOQ 

93 

baGk to Paris in peroon•. O,9,pta1..n. mlexa:rd.!· Vias not- a membar 

of tha illvastlgClt!ng QG.1lll!l!sa!oJl~ tor- B;an:Jon appoint,od BuJ..le.rd to 

~t post; hi. missi on "a8 ~o con<!uct e,n independent J\IIj""'ioa,n' 

invGst.igation while tho intel"'allied onG \'.Ia::l in pl'OgZ'S fl 8 Q ' 

On Dzoember 10, 1918., Ghsra~d1 l~aoh3a Spalato in ths' 

American. 2o:n~ whe Z''il he mat AdmiZ'al Llul.lal·{\. l tltoly rat1J.l'D.ed from 

the Rome s.saiona or th. Adl'iaCio o()"'Ullittee (llovembe:r 26 0 2t'·;, and 

Just beg!nni:ag to conc ern hwselt' wi tb. m.!a.tte:cs 01' 'civil ~in'! " 

otration in D~atia~ From Gherardi. ~llard secai?c brief 

wX'itton 'and OX'al instt!otions £lent by AClIli:-Ca.l. .D-9naon outlining 

hie dutJ,es aa investigato", By Deoem»e" lO, the allies had 

named ~epxesontatives to the !Dve3tig~t!on commission; Adm1~al 

K1<ldle !or tho lll"ltieh, Admiral Retye t'or the l/llench. =(1. Admh'al 

11018, \lUbstituting XOJ: Dl Revel) fo'!: the ltaHeLlo. ~ogothar with 

Bullard these delegates composed the alroady discus,ed. Adriatio 

Comm1tteo, hence , in addition to their previous tunctionB ill.y

, 

ware now cba4"ged with slifiey-i ng oondit.i ons in the Ad:l.~iatico The 

Adl'int1c Co.m.mit.te~, th;;lI'ct'Ol'C f operated . in a. dl.Ml.l capacitYt 

Aboard the ij pS.So 1ilmng;':l.~ ~~ BUllasd and GhGX'ardi on D~ceX!lbeX' 11, 

steamad to the nortl:!. Adriatic; Btillal'd to meet .w ith his collea ue8~ 

GharaX'd! to scrutinize developm-snte on .his O\';n lnitiative G 

The Ad3;'iatic COl.mni ttC$ ar.sOlnbleci first at Fiume wharo the 

tension remained unabat ed. Bullard and Gherardi ersived theE0 

-----_._-­ 9~o Rou,sa 1?i.~ ~.'{, ,, Eillt,~· 1'01' Dtc cIilbc r 7, 1912, ... Yala Houze Ccl.l..ec·Uo:c 

Wrote Hou a s ~1Q-heI'al' i i s one o:t' the mO~'l; in elligen'~ Q.!H~ 

trustworthy mon I. knowo t< 

1 ." 
- ,~-~--

~l\l 

....~.~..... •.. 

94 

t'Z'OJ!!. Venice ou the UeS .,Se YtJ:.eJ>,O;.,;:L at eUJ!cet , Dt!cowD~r 24. and 

ll.~: ter lo okin ~ over ut'fu1s~ i:or lOiOJ3 tilU.O t.v,'o Ub.ys ~ Ad:,d,X'~ 

Bullard \'9.)2 00 lw,1:uYol'ublj !m.o:t'e~lJet! with Itu..liaJ.!. COllauo t that 

1n n rcJ}ost' to .lleuuon on DacG.....oeJ:' .16 i 1l.e 1oIt.u.r,c/J. th.u t though 

his i nsil'uotions were ~ezIGt\.l and oOiitui14eo. ~no et~! 19 wQut~ 

91) 

806V01''' he belitlvou llone \:io~a lJ.OCe8s~yo Bullard xcu1ized 

that his au..v0riol' iU:.d not cU-w ted a. detu,iled di,,:.a ctivEl beofiua0 

i t WeB uw..e t\ u.t Italyo an 6.0Dooi<.(.tod .;.;OYI O:::' 01' the Unitod Stute s~ 

but tlmt. Ilea Bullcu-d, \'ias , e:;~peQtod to E'eud batween tlut l1uon. 

The AUZ'intio O!!l~t tEl~ l'ouno. 1i,iU!il,@ \.1.Vlo'!3E the LUi!ltury goven:~o~ 

shill of General Gren2.o:U" ,...uti oompletely domini.!.tcd by the 

Ita liru13 \"no aIlli,>!oyod ooe sQlon and ZOGBo xotcd to all klnd. ~ of 

pt'Ol)UjJund6... Food aent j.'Z'OlIl Za.gsab to nee dy JIJ.,sosJ.!W2 in too 

F1u.me ~eu WL~S raqui@!tton.ecJ. t;OE Ita.:U,une , ruu! t he lMJhoolo 

olose d to hOU05 Itulian t~oop~o hlino~ otS$et ~ightln8 

ocaan1onalJ..,y t'lased, i nto J(u..1ou!'J Z'iOt30 The Ital1.eJ1j} h~d 

barl'""ked too olHoer" ot' t;ILS ~~"'1o"" b"tt-nlion in ).1.,,-=10"'" 

'luuztoJ.'" abohrd a..'l Ausc:;:ieJl sco"",••' • to keop ,them "",dol> obliiPUon ~6 

in eve;::y 'fiu.y 0 C'l AGho~'3o llO\'I$Ve:?:, t~..e Au\e=iGE>,ll t'lug did not Sly 

- - .,.,,- . 94 0 ~a~ J~~ ~ ~emnin ed 1n Ven ico to t~k0 on Goul l {~~ lute~ 

proY0G:ded to L';ll'.mO l.tn.{tor Bull!..~r.,i1 s oX" d") ~1).. 

Co. Admiral B<tJ.l,,,,d to Bo,,"on, ]'1UlilO to Pb>'l D. Daot)!;joc>: 16, 1928. ~:,'\.-..~. J1.,,*:1.1 ~? JA':..~E..,'1L t'}. ")r-, ('r. J,~ ~I, 3~2"~~4 

96 0 J,.CYlil'al Thul~d to P."'Jnaon, FiUr1fJ to par1~. Deoetibc>;, lOt ·1918.... 

Ibid , • '327- 31. 

) 

-

----- ---

I _~~C•.__ . .. ­ ~---- ...... ------~.~-.--. ------.... --.-. ....­

52. 

Elc :)ve t be be,rra cks which e;arri s one d A:r.e rlcan sol d lers , s o Bullar d 

i nRt r ucted Col nel Wallace to hoist the s tars a nd stripe s. 

'vlr')te Bullard: 

I'T'tle lv8 th:)Usand. Ita:ian tr:>r) q s , and 

a t attali:m ~f ,~e rl c.9. n tr")o:)l:: ::'.a v 

o~ ose an Inter- a llied r~ ~ b ut' it 

100!<;5 t o r.J8 a s t h·,) ugh it wa s a X'eal 

I ta:!.lan ar'U.y. fl 9 ? 

Tile Adrla t:.c Committee cont inued lts ins pe c tion of t he 

Fiu :~. e regi on until the latte r part of De cember J when it removed

to 'lenice where 'll,ltness8s were call e d for interroga t i on . Duri ng 

this ti;r,e the Ita l i ans dl d ""hat they coul d t o h inde r t h e 

inv e stigat ion, but they 'dere unHb ~ t o f o re s tall t he preparat10n 

')f a r e port Ylhich, strongl y influenced b y t he Frenc h a nd American p:>int of VieH, conde r:me d Italia n actlvities i n Fiume. This 

d-'Jcu'.1ent no t unreas:>nably insisted t ha t Flume, beine; t ,ne Brltish Z.1ne of oc cupation, IImust ceas e to be t he ::> bject of t he 

continued d omin ation of t he Italia ns, 'I and urge d tha t Ita ly 

ev.s. :.;ua te he r f'Jrces except for t wo ba ttali ons , to be re i nforced 

b:r' one b attali':m ea ch of American, Fren c h ) British, and Jug-'J s lav 

troops. Adr:1.1ral )'lo l a a s well as Ad iral Di Rev el r et i r ed from t he 

C::J:!lmitt e e ra ther tha n s,lgn the re:",ort, b ut it was nev e rtheless 

f ,)rwarded to the Supre ::! e C:)Un c ll 1n PariS o ver the s i ? natures a f 

9? ~;lr l Bullard to Een s on , Flume t o arls J De ce:r:be r 1.6 I 1918 . 

For . Re I .. Pa rl§ Pea ce Confer:.enc e , II, 332-33. Ac tual ~' ::me 

Erltlsil. a nd tHO French att3.11 n E we r e also in t he vici:"! tty, 

c ut we re complete l y ove rsha q.mred by t he mas s of I t a lta n trc>:) ps . 

.0 

f ;
O~. 

98 
 tJ.h~ Azl sX'1Qan~ FZ'cn.ollo end B~!tiElh dalGtjuteDo In Pu,g:is,Orlumlo 

eEl£. SOMina a,yJ)nJ}sntly SU:~O Ot;lt'lJHl. in t,~bl111g tUG 1"0 POl"ti beceuoe 

Italy Oon~lnu.\Hl to t'OX'(!8 t.~oops into lH.l.!IaQ~ and in Garly llHgOh ~ 

191.9, Ol0J:l9ngeall deolared tllat ·00 lJ.ad tlw WOl'st 1.'eoollaoti orlG 

ag s oommi8@!on o~ gOllE &~iEels Do~t to Fiumo flo~e tbXee monthB 

azo, ta ella miMG tlt@ 1'1 I ta.l1an AduiiEal II-,,,,! ,;'o,'uoed tv "" tmlt to tho ~9 

v1m:m ot.' the tuaJ ol:ity" Co • 9 noth1.uB had. b-sen aQh"hrred. n !'t...u"" 

l<'ei'u1WJ. to Mt in ooncu't wi t lJ. hUll G1Uos in ogCeot el!minatod 

th-~ oommi8sion of inqu1;;y ,mic!. in 1 h b,,101' l.Ue time llad. proved 

it ~o\.lJ.<t bo e. eoUl.~ca oi' o.aWosA'asewsnt to Italy and. heZ" schcsaes " 

:thin may ba OOV.nt0tl. HE Mothe!' minor <.U.plomutiQ vioto:.::y f or I ta.l.y. 

liC}\ieVel', ' bet'oZ'tl its oOlIll'lotQ uGuise, the iHv6nt lgu ion ·oo.mmienion 

peXl'oX'1Jled. u.not.nol' 1ncpeot!on r/h!ch ~'l1 1 be C0l181dl2:':oo i n unothe:r 

oonr~eotio:ntl It Ulua t be eUlVIu.,sined tllut Italy <ltd "not slJ.oceed 

1n aestroying tll.e e~:g ec tivenefJ g ot: tHe AUJ:ia.tio C":~llm1. ttee wllioh 

" """"l.nG(! tllS orll';""o" interalliGu zu.,w. OOn~e~u.t \[fi. but only 

in rew.O'IJing l,"2,"OLl it tUB ud.u.itiouul 1"Wlction 01,' It.."":1e:Jti c btlon nnd 

evOl.~to 

ObviouDly "the intcz:all!od oxauiJJl:... tion into condi tiOl.. S o.t , 

F1ume MOaID.lJl iahsd nothinc.s, but t he 1nU6iJendcut Aceric6.l"l lJitloion 

entruoted to Co.,;.)tain Ghe3'tLt'ul Vl'OllUOc d olr;;zlU'icwlt J;'o uults o 

Iruu!sdh.tely u pon h13 r eturu to Par10. Gherardi .I.;;t'clJeu tod a 

-..,.-~ 

98 0 IfI..i"oJ.'lllat ion conccrnlu3 th.o contelltl:l 01 t ile l'Oi))rt W~ 12 

ob ta.ined ,t":i'QUl Adw i!"<.-.). iHbll.ok. L!CH...... .JX'WldLJ...UJ on the AdriL:. Cico 

'I'lle c h.u1!'l.J<:.nahip 01 t.ne Aurii.d~ c C(lr:-tAit.t.oe l"ell to tho Iti:ilil"'.a 

A<.l.IJ~lrhl Rot.lbo u.1to~· Di Rc¥e1 t s l'aui,.;m... tiOll. bu t ROo..lbo d i d not 

e1.gn tho COUUCr.Ul ~ .. tor;y rO.;}O l't o 

9? ll1n\4ttH3 b COWlO!l. 01" Ten, .1k,r oll 7 ~ 1919$ Yul o liou ~e Colllictioa .. 

~ 
- - -

~- --

~ 

lie , 

... . .... __..._...._ 

etatom@Zlt. cOllt.a i n i ng his ohaenatiot\s to the Juu61'ican Pz.aao 

1U.aa1ono La.ter that sams day, Dec omber 23 , Genel"e1 Xaske r 131135 

despatcned t he BuD 8th...ICe ot' GheJ"aI'di? S Gom:uant a to preeid2nt 

Wileou. 

iii Xt is the U!lMiT.aOUS optnion ot: tll$ ~0ric~~ Peaoe 10.88ioD hat oo.~the 

lom\U.~ice..'1 ~GN OOpD are being Iu:!c d t o i'uxthElZ' 

e policy oX oc cupation ~~d ponetrat!on •• . 

I.t ae enw that tho 'polioy goVel'ni llg the uss .. 01' this regiment has baon to enSU1'O tJ:lc 

eoattering 0:1: 1 t 31) that, at no tlma deef! 

1t come. as a Wli t f l!.:lde r too control 0:1' 

ita Gommancc~ o ••• TA5 r esUlt appears to 

be that the regiment i s being employed 

not 'j, Cl~ leg!timate m11itary ~l\;rP06en btl.t 

to Zurther pol i t ical aimD, " 00 

Bliss !'Goommsnded that for political rea.Bons !"t would ba 

inexpedient to withdZaw t he ~ogLmen t, but that tho president 

shoUld issue a direotivo through Gel!!oJ.'"al Pershing go'Verning 

its use. ~re dGn t il~o n approve d this adVice. but no evidence 

has been found ind icating that be eve:r dZ"afted auch a dil'ect~ ve~ 

Further r epo rts 01' I talian intz>igug . :t'0aohed t he ?rasiodnt 

101 

th:rough dilll O!llatic channel;} end, in apparent dismay, he wZ'ote 

on J anuary 9 that the situation "oODQernS matta~a unhapp ily 

102 

aooUnlul&.ting \71 th which I oonfess I do not lr..now how to deal. R 

All this. teetLmony served 1n t he end to c ry stallize Wilson'. 

100 . Gene r,al Taske r Bliss to t he Prea i dant, December 2 ;;'t 1.918.. 

!9..!:t Ile,l. Js.r1.a.. Pe,ao'3 Co.n ·e~~t II ~ 337 ... 380 

101. For exarople Bee ibid, II, 344-45. 

102. Ibid, I X, ~5. 

) A 
55~ 

attitude inflexibly against Italy, and before lOllg he ordered 

103 · 

American t:roops to ';l1 thdXaw t'l'om Fium.c o In Maroh)1919, 

the entire ragiluen~" assembled at Genoa , and 1 ts l a.st u,,"1i ts 

104 

embarked lor til. United States all AVril 3, 1929. 

The recall 01' the regiment ua6 \ one b'esUlt o~' Capt8.in 

Gherardi ' B investige..tion. !t ooncl uded the EieriouB and vex ing 

problem of the pol itical use 01' American so l diers by Italy. to 

encroaoh up on Jugoslav tel'xltory. This entire epieode otrongly 

fJugge sts WllY the ocoupation 01: DalDJ..atia was unde:rtaken and 

Oal'l'ied out by Al1l9:rican nava.l forces alone with no assistance 

1'rom the a.xmy. 

The reports on Italian Adriatic aotivi ties submitted 

by lJ.dmi ral Bull8.1'U, and Oaptaln Ghel'l;ir.'di to the AmeA'ican peace 

negotiators in paria produced another iolporta..:."1t l'eeult~ DUG 

in lal'ge m3asure to that iu:t'ormati on the American mission in t he 

Adriatio ap1,l X'ec!ably altered in character. It assumed a defInite 

political GoloX' j and /ill Amerio&l1 orients.tion which at times 

conf lic ted VIi th its 1nterallled aSiJ60tSt During the inittal 

phaaes of the Fiu.me inQ.-u.iry Ar..mh'al BeTJElon :t'uI'thc;J2,· defined the 

,Policy which Bullard !laB to 1'ollovi in the AdrIati c" 

IlIn deaJ.tng wi th qU3~tion3 which arise 

as e. l'e(:J\.\lt at' fJugoalavJ ef1'orts be 

guided by tho goneral prlnoiples laid 

-~ -"._.... ; --... ~. 

103" Adm i ral Niblaok. Memorandv~ on the Adrluti c o 

104 0 American .Battle Uonuments Commissio n, .b:,w;..t; riGan .A:gnie~_I},,n..2. 

1J 9.ttJ&i.s.l n i~ ;s:.QR~J p. 431. 

\

• • 
--

5'6 0 

dOlm by the l?:reaident. It l.• (\eoi~ed 

that QUI' good off ice :;.) be u:aed to mairi"" 

tain order and a2ai~ t looal govel~n

ment~ UB n~cesaary in adjusting matte rB 

looal and nte~nationa1 as they a~!ee o~ 106 

~e Ngenel"al prlnoiple3° l"eferced to Wl130n~ s po'-icy of 

ne.tional selt·",de te l'Illinat:l.oD, and assistance to local gOVGJ.m.;';.'.ents 

meant. aid to the Jugoalavs o " Thia directivO Ben30n o01..10h'l.1u i n 

genel~a1 terms beoausa it was dlrected 2gainat Italy, a 1JQwe~ 

ii'iendJ.y to the Uni ted states" }ll 1.l1al"d e t-h~re:fol'a " wa~ to 

pursue an Amni c,,"" program in additicn t o the intcral110()\ 

mission. It; involved !3uppor~ t o J'i...\goala via. against I"tal:1.. DJl 

attempts to ,Pl'event national unit'ication, and ooo s8Quently the 

Unit ed states acted not as a m.adia-tor e!noa thL;.1; g:;;a auppos01J 

neutIa11ty on au 1~~uef but &~ a Jugo21av part1~~o Fu~ther 

ooni"1rmatioll 01' Italy's imperi al1. t policy by Bu.lle.rd and G11.1'ardi. 

as already ncted ~ reinforoed ths Junerican attitude, and it 13 

a e ignifioant ta.ot that \'lheZOOEl8 Ita..U.o.n t:i:'oopa o'VeX'ZOM ~hfJ' 

J3J.'i t ieh oacv.pation zone a.nd wel'a p~egent in. tho Frenoh, Admi ral 

Bulla.rd and his SUCQeSlJOrs pl'e11'cnted, oy a ®ho'lJ of force whan 

noc ••sary. tho landing of a Bingl~ B a li"" sol d!." in the 

Ame~"1ca.n zone 01" ocoupatioD..o A Gtatement made by PX'(3a1 dQnt 

Wi120n to OZ'lando and SOllo.'l1no on J\.pril 19 0 1915, in the pr.afJeuoa 

01" Clemence a\,\ and Lloyd GeOl'ge l'eat fi ~led th':) position 01' the 

United states. Said Wileon. Ott Italy ~~d po.a•••ioo. in tho 

1 015e AQlD.i.!'£l,l B~naon to B'J.l1tlXd. Pal~i a to l'i um's , DJct"1mQCI' 16. 1£'Il8. 

Nav~l Re oord ~, File VAG 

1 
 fi 
5·7. 


106 

Easter.n Ad:c'1atic it woUld be a th:t'@at to woX'ld peaco . ti 

Ams~ic an policy, one of itD instruments be 1n& the naval mioaion 

in the Adriatic. Bought fr.ankly to ex.cl ude Italy ix-om that 

region in the t ntarests of in~e rnutional stability\') 

Ad!Il.iral Bull a rd had not long retu;l:ned t o Sps.lato fl~pm his 

dut! e2 of investigation a t Fiumo when he was re lieved by Rea~ 

Admiral A. P. 111blaok as cO!ll"ander ot the Un ited stete. Naval ., 

Datachmant in the Auri b..t ic and delegG;.t.e on the Ao.riC:l.tiO 

Committee. This occurred on J anuary ~ , 1919~ Niblack9 s stay 

on the Adria.tic £Itut1on w&.s of short dura t i on ; Re ar Admix-al 

Philip Andrews succe eded him on llarch 2G e 1919, and retained the 

o o.m:uend until A.ill'il 28, 1921 , at which t i me the Adri tl.tlc Datach... 

mont \'I::l.S disconti nued" Although Admiral lliblaak performed 

cOll11llendably during hls brief tou:£' of duty a t Spal a to, and Bullard 

acc om.fJl isi1ed the arduous pre:U"minaxy t aaka that l a.id h~ founoot1 0.tlv 

01' the American misa io:a i n. t he AdZ'iatiQ. it i s \'I!th Acl.mil'ul 

Andrews' name that tlw Dalmat l,"l! oog upation is mo at intimate l y 

s360ciatedo For twenty.,,;fivo r:wnths h'D iJunhed l "oruard thlJ MGl'10M 

obj eo tt i yes Vi i t h a steady d:l.Elplay o:f a~UJJlen ~ i.m.agina. tion~ and 

1doali er.o. - --- aJ.l nec eaoax-y ingredleuts in t.ho co:mpound 01" 

GUOo6 sat:ul mioelon o HO\7eVer , befol's cona1de:.;oing tha 'eol.'k or tha 

1W!.<arica....'1 naval daleg~ttea in the exe rcise 01 oontl"ol. in Dalmatia 

it 15 essentia.l fix-st to pause foX" B b r ief desoription 01: Dalr..uat;ia 

and the Ame ~1can Sone . 

___ __._."'_M'"" .O~"' __

106- 0 illrovandi llar eB cott1~ :il£r.F!. I?J..:Q}g!W~D scc D.p . 221-39 0 

~ '" 
58 

DAJ..UATIA 

G601ogtc pr006fJDGB ntive produced coreu OU1'1ona phenomona, 

'0' 

and Da!na.tla furnishe s us a n in tero$~u1ns oll:e.m:plo. "'rhl:,i ,Provinco 

COQalets of n ns.:rro"t:! OOQotnl etrlp aOIllIS 2"'0 miJ~ee long 8.nd only 

thirty-five ulloa Doroas at itn broadoot po1nt (nonr Spal eto), 

than 1 t nQrl'O\13 &o\lthw~l:d to about on e rnJ.l0 at Cattaroo Exo luding 

the fringe of nu.morOQtl 1 alandn ito £l.l.'OO 1s 41,956 equaro milo e , 

mora tban a third of uhleh l oy ""it-hin the II.m sl'!.osn zo no. Dnlmat!a 

1c un1fornly billy, nnd in som~ placoB tho clovation r1eoo sutti010nt11 to ue~ lf y omploymeut or thG &djactive mQun ta ino u~. It 1m 

no 0xnggeJ'stloD. to state thnt th€l :ruggo", barr ,on. Karat l1Cl.6tJt.6no 

terrain oompl~tely dOllinateQ the re gio n~ On the no rt h} Dalm.atia 

i.e bound0d b.y th3 Volabt t runGO nb.lch st:catohoo from the OO t'l.ot 

fifty mile s j.n a Bouthe8.&Itorly 6.1r.o c'Gi on to llIerg e w1t,h t ho D1nuX"10 

' . 

A! p8 ~ ~he lattor chain oAtoud3 about 160 mi l oa in tbe D~~ general 

diroction to for~ tho cont1guou D ¢aster.n f~ontlo~ betn$sn Boan ie 

and Dalm n~ 1a and thon jOin a tha rocky h1shlnndG on tho sho ra a 

few miles sou th of Catt aro . So the goneral shape pf Dnlma~lQ 10 

roughly trinngul a.r ; it9 ape: lyins i n tho south, a.n~ the 1rl'.0gul al' 

b Gse eitunt ed on th ~ north, with the mountain! to tho 8Bat Qnd tho 

Adrio.t1a on tho nost beJ..ng ita olon.ge.tod a1d.(JO .. The Inte:r.io? 13 

KEl.X'l3t upl and country, brokoll nn.d UQoudo(l , although, a numbor ot amall 

t ort11o va llojo la~h tho ~ounta in c a t right angl oa. Alon ~ the o~ 

~:Tbo fol l owing gQ08r~phlc desoript1oo of Dalmatia has bG~n 

obt a.~ned. from T • .ia ck!>on ~ .Q;'ll ~a tiu , tho "~!!nGl'o ~ 8nd~l'1~1~ ' 

(3 vols., Oxford, 188?), uhic~ atlll r9~31 n s a mODuuontel and 

ntand.~rd "".2or:':. Supplamuntsl.'Y mnt 6 :,1.e. l 118,/l t,a}:00 fl'Or? O.R. Ball , 

~~, Londoll, 1932j J. Buohan ( eel. ), J.2 :'; £2...1..-a_..t~!'~ ' Lo ndo.D.·, 

1923 , a nd HoD. Herr1.oon, 1.£.;:; ~o '.ll of Yu[)o~lCl. £., London, 1941. 

~ 
59 

runs a 008f3tW. plain ot I!.:C :i 1ng -atclth, but at .soma pOinte; notably 

e.~ Cottaro , the' billa ma.l'c~ right to "h~ 6urt wi1oro they oon::;t1 ·tuta 

i naoo e'Bolblo o1 1fto ot oonsldorablo bol ght. 

In come rG~oto 6001oB10 ngo the l a nd ma89 in the BQstern 

Adriatio Ban k; tb19 phan020uo n or antod the pr0sen t thouoand O~ 

more islands larBt3 oDd small \vhich gua:tG. the approachos to \hG 

1ndentQd ahore. TheDa ilJlanda, being ouboEll.'god Qre a te no Of aJ..!-ered 

by Gl'Oflion, share the aamo geog raphic t oatu:t"Ga of the mainlan d 

~1th tho oxcep iion ~h~t, ~he reaB the lattar is barrou nn d ita soil 

poor, they ~lld the <'Ioaat~l plain al"G tCl' tilo e nd agriculturally 

prodllott,VO. The provine;) 18 dZ'ai n~d by a number of un.na v igable 

otrenmD ~b~oh ris e in tho Dinaric Alp s and cwlttly flou by olrouitous 

ro ut~8 ~ostwa~d to tb~ Baa. I n tho A~erlca n ZODO the Inrgoot of 

s uoh r17ers use the Cetln~ uhloh debouches near Spcl a~o . In auamer 

and mi nter tho clima te 18 c)laracterlzod by extrem06 or h eat u od 

oO.ld, al·,hough tho moan tomperllt; u ra 1 s about sixty dogrcoa. The 

dry.· frigid Bora swo eps in fro m tho Bon aonet lmsa ,,1th Buffioiont 

volo city to d~rail traiDs. SUmaer Is tha sGaso~ of the prevailing 

Ql'1d S11"oCOQ aocompe.niod by uc.auPPol-table ho nt tt1l 1oh froq u ently 

oannos dr oushtn , although gen erally the nVoraso en nual rainfall of 

twenty-eight in chos is adequnto. It 1& a strnngQ land , vary1ng 

troD near-arctio to l3oZ"l11 ... t r opieal, troD'J uterilo limo ston o billa to 

luxuriant valleyeo 

It depand3nt upon its own rOBour eo a DelJila.tlu could not 

support a 1 nrge po.p ulat1on. ACQor ding to th e Austrian oensu s or 

1910, 63 5,000 Inh abitaZlts 11Te d in th e pr.O'fill.C0, but Jug.oslav 

~ ~ 
60 

,,. 

f1gur0s tor 1921 iDdioute SD inorosoG ot ZlttoGn thoussud. 

ot tho total , 274,000 r2Dldod in the It alian oocup~t1on zona 1n

• 

Da.lllat~Aa: about t""o tbizo4u of the l'omalndoI' U'(Il' e dom!c l 10d i n 

the Alnerlcan. and tlJe T<lst in tho J.<' r enoh zono. Ita11ana form(ld. , 

Q oma \' ll m1nority in Da ~8tl~, thirty t housand Qo oord1ng to Italian 

ostlmatGv . and only ~1ght eon thoUB Qnd if lugoslav Gtat!oticD Era 

V1l11d. Both olr..1:mo ere tandano1oua J but tfh1chover correct. 1t 10 

Q taot thut al though tho It&llan clemonta conoontrated in the 

OOast al cttios they tOl'DOd a X' otBl t'll1jOl."'.ty Olll.y at Zs.1.~a. which 

wns 31tuo.teQ. in tho :ttoJ..lt:ln mOil . It 16 ins'tt"llotivc to nato that 

only foul",oen thousand . Italiano \~ei'e oUlltnlnGEl in that portion 

of Du lna t!n Q061cnc~ to Italy by the ~roQtr ot Loudon ~ and wh1 0h 

t'oglon booano h01" i:one of oooupation ill NO 'Y 0mbo r', 1919, vot It al y 

6b~RG109~17 mbUDod &thno5~aphle nr~umGnt] to tO~TIard her ennoxionist 

pro g~QD . 

The over~h 01 !n g maj ority of tho p0o plot cvo~ ninetyt1vo per cent, ~crlvea trom lusoolav ctook, bMt that dOGS not 1~ply 

thoy were of similar na~!on l!t11 b60 aU9Q Q h 0toro3aneouB oondltlon 

extetod. ReprO Eontod 1n Dalmatia wore So r bs. Croats, BooniaOB, 

Slovon0D, nnd herdy Li ka mouutalnoer3 ~ho roeooble thQ llontanogr1uG 

and QOlilO tI"Otl tbo Li ke. Hountc.ine uh10h surround. Spulat.o. I n nOl"thcl'n 

DslmQ tlB, the Ita l ian zona, Crouto rod om1n~tod, 1n tho Amerlo~n zo no 

-, 

lOS Statiatlo!l nne! int'(;l'l'llltlon o n th l!J Dalmntinn :p o:pulat10n has been. 

.obtalnG<1 from the 60\11'Oa8 cltecl in not3 • In addition to 

thORG \lor1:: 111 the i'ollowlu g wore u e0 d. ~W~ Proth€lro , (a d.), .!.!!.Q 1..~~2.21!U....!~, no. 14 of nandboo~o pI'spsrau unCl.6r t h-a direotion 

o f tho histo.:i.·lQcl GO CitlQ Zl of th o FOl'Cl:t en 01'f1"0, London, "'~ 20 . 

No~ 11 of tbis sorleo, at1a co Qln~ morc dotailed nat orlalo 

Q"Ao B01lxd o.Jld Q~ .ft;,ad:.b\ -;-1·hOB~l::..91L~j."'lili....b.~1:E.Jitl; lhn:J Yort;: 

lS2 ~, trQsta population t roB an ooonomio standpo int. The J ugoalnv 

vh..;rpo1 n~$ an d etat1sti e a nre found in tho J!J.emoro.ZldUfl of ola.1l2o prtl~ffllto'd. to tho p\!,lI.lO~ Goni".n'en aa on Febru a ry le, 1919. (YaJ.o - 
61 


tho lllixtUl'O was v;;r'l great, but chi()f'ly SOl'ba a3d Croats. Toward,g 

tho south , 1n the ~reDoh zona. the proportion of Sorbs and Boan1ena 

lncrofl6Qd. Tho language commonly \load. :!.n tho proy:!.noe uae. SO!'booroat. alld pnGt gauer atloDG hud &dapted it to Torioue d1a1 8oto~ 

'R01igioue differences wero 1I:lporte.nt; Croats o.nd Slovono03 p:roi"o6eod 

the Roman Catholi0 faitbj the Serbo nnd Liza mountaino ers adh~raa 

to the Orthoaox Gr eok. an~ thQ Doonianu ware Mosl~D, Of tIl'" antir:J 

,'. 

Da.lmatian population. e1e;hty... thre9 :per cant WM Roman CGl.tbollc, 

shteon pOl" cont Or~uhodo~t and the rernaind '!lzo Uoa10lih DonoL1inat1ona l 

bel1 oi' i1\ocountod 1'01' preforellce e.tJ to al;yhabata whio~ woro oonetontly n couroo ot minor dlG~Srmemant} ,tho Catholic 61om~nt8 u6a4 

the La tin J ~hel"ouc Orth odo~ 1'01],0>161"0 Gl'lployed tho CY1"111 10 alphnbGt.. 

In spite of all thace dlttorenco3 n oon~olouo feeling ot unity 

obtain au , inspired by 3imilarit1os of s~O~ n tongua and commOD 

historto al tradition. 

Dalmatia. nas be.okuard not Dnly bEloaueo AUfJtl~tB. had 

ex:pend.od little effoJ;'t on ito devol opr;lclllt, but nlao r end porhllpB 

prlmur~ly, because tho roglon Duftel"aG f~on 6 pauo1ty of natural 

reaources ~hlch " oould bo ro~d1 17 t~an:;1 o~~d into foodstufta nnd 

' 09 

conSUhlors g?odo -wi"t hout tl1zable cnVital 3:itpenLUturQ, The so1l bOine 

poor in quali ty, oighty.,.throe per cant of thl3 ;>opulnt1ol:l tlngag>$d 

in agr1<lultul"o to pl'ooura e. 1iv.1n/3, let. cOZlBiderable annuel iznportD 

of grain were l'oQ.uirca to pro7id3 nourioh!'ll!lnt fer all.. Rem.nants 

ot feudal l andloru1om Burvivod uh1o~ eubj octod tenanta to tb~ 

oorv6e an d othor disagre eablo dutl~ D . but it woe on tho usns 1n 1918, 

/r~ "; Hoat us.otul 1:0 7:' Goonol'..d,C aspaots tU O A. tlOU6B'!It, ~.2.~Lr:!!. 

t!ea Sorm, C:ront<:l3 1 at Sloyorll~£, Par1e, 1921; Beard and Radin, 

Til ;.') Bnlk!l1l.21vot. : .T nso:l1 av1ll, and J. BuohaJl ( ed.), JU.,S.Q ;,l a vin.

, . 

i 
62 

ana sEall proprietorship oo~~e5 ndl ug l! o n tho nC~0Qa0. Dal aG ~ 

, 1il£'\1'l3 no r o, the ro orQ~ pr ac5.ot1iJlsnt 1. 1 rural d Ha ll eJrar e igh ty to 

ninoty p cr oent l iving in t ows of lasa than tOil thouBund, and 

only o.boui oO'Yont t)n par c a nt 0 f tho total popu.la tion wos 0ngc.gE)d 

in oc()up at1o n a otbor than agr:i.(lul t t:! r&'.lo No Dora than tnolv0 pOl' 

c ent of the l Qlld in th 3 i ntario:r •.w.e are.ble, honoo uoet of th0 

fJrop n i:J0rO BI1C1t..'Zl Oil .thlll oO ~3tal p l fttn e.nd on the if'llc.nde offshoro . 

Apa rt troll gBru.on voso t :t.b l ofJ. Da !r;at1e. protluoad grap$G Gnd."'o11VOfJ 1 

u1no ond o i l ~l~g tho tua pr1n oi pnl expo rt ~ Grniue and sonio 

t r op!ocl fru!~a g~orrn ~o r l ocal oonou~pt1on. figs pa rt iaular11~ 

bau 8t tho 11 Gt~ Ps ra do~1oul1y ouo uSho thirty por OQut of thG 


p r owl n oo eoo 0180n04 as tO~QDt i yet tbe region proeoDDod no tlmbor 


QU~0 it uaa mostly Bomb o~ thiokot a~tBupt1ng without BueeeB8 


to 6Ul"ilotlilt tbo o b stc.c lo s of un un,g@u0r'oua soil ana tho ubiqui tone 


goat. S! 1ll1 6r ly~ otutistioB deoor!bo tO l"ty... Zlve rOl' (lout or the 


~atten Dalnl~nd ae paotnrop b~t othor tb~n largo herds ot ohoo» 


pro4uo1~ G intorlo? woo l, end numorouo Bouto yiolding little milk~ 

tho Qstt lc an d pig induat~y ~aa ~o~llgibl~o 

Usnufaoturing n~c.\ the faotor$' GYOt0!l1 had aehiavod [lmal! 

pro gl""Oa in DGloat1n s mont indu, $ t :> i()f) uoro in th3 d01a(lst10 etago, e nd 

tJbQtcYlSr staple!'} could not bQ p:""O a0 6ooG 100al1y were noc~.eflal"l!y 

iaport64. Spalato ~aa the chiot 6oap~~t or thG provinoo~ and th~ 

fH) nt ot auoh l'ud:t.L1on t aZ'1 iud~i otry 0.8 ~iGto d~ IDl'PQrtant us ohip:ping 

'\laG to th() c",<muDH·;r in tbe oa!';fying tl.~aao ~...:ad til1b.oI'1eli~ tor tho 

DBl ltlD.t 1 o.n!1 Vlfll"C outrztnndinc CI(Hlrltlll t\.::.11! ~Hld f o:;? Y0 0r fl anpplitiO the 

All61tl'Oo"'Sunga:d,an 1..; (l,V)' wi th its hero~; poro ~nl'i.ol , it. hud not dovolopod 

r~c n a"llratt with n~ti~o tn ~nt b6~~UO V AUGt~i~ had ~ ced 

~ 
53 

rGst:-lotion$i on Dal:\at1f.\Jl CODS.tll'OQ in o rdG!' to O~lCOU),' (I.SCO\ the.,t 

1ndustl"7 &t 'l'rioGtG. BOUIJVG1' , 3pnlattJ "auld bOl'll3t of hQ.!"bo~ flor},:Q, 

ooa0nt~ anndle, and t a nn ing teo torlag, and a pac~lu6 nOU~0 

pX':o O@G13h:l.S l'lativo tJ~rd1nQo tmd olivo e11 fa? ()XPOk"t. A to'C1 nl1o<)4! 

northO& B~ of 3vn1Qto at D~n!gh and Sinj n~ 0st~Dalve ~8rbl a 

qUIlX'b'!eB oonte tuiv.6 an o3:ooJ.lollt 0'60:10 uhlon t:isa h(;m4i:ld, finished 

roughl;r, sne! t.t'e.l:HlilOl'~41U t o SpO-l ute by tio.:;"'!'o.., Bc:tU~Q ),"Q1111ay fQ.l" 

sh1prnant e'b~ QQ u. Thof31J CrU 8.l-'l"io3 oF1plQyed. m. (jo~g14ol'(l\blo f4,llount 

9f l nbo... 

LGok at oap1~al, Att8~~1an lo tha~crYt anG tUG forb!d~1~g 

topogrf\911y ot Dn"l.!latS.~ !>Z'Clvon't,od 0.';'1. 9xt,0na.iGn of comllu!!.ioo.t1on 

faoilitie s uhl cn eould uav~ ~t!au}~tv4 1aduot~1' Tho oo~on b~aQ~ 

of buraon W&o not ~n e~etne~ bu ~ a donkoy obioh ~ou la onoo~ostu l1y 

n ogot!c.ta tho ~;or~uouo, t,,1nt1ng Boui\tnin t railc . Ewon on the,) 

GOQBtol plain »a7Gd Tvada ~ara ununu~lJ nnd ~bQj ull1t o rol y y101dod 

to pri1'l1tivG all·t lJu~facoa 1il the S.nt~r1.cr. The ontiro provlilQ~ 

oont o.inod only 80r.l0 HIO mi lo &! o f J:'al1:ro Gd tl"t.ck. 1'rolil Spalst? 

n l1no ran to S~njJ auothGr northWQot to Sebonloo (1n the Italian 

zon0) v1tb a ODor to ~a ino A p~oj00t @d traok tro~ Kn1n t~ Zogrob , 

anG fro ~ 81nj to SaTRjovo ~hiob it oonplot ~a roould haTe probebl, 

tran~forDo~ SpalQto into nn i~Dort3nt port rs~oln0 d in the blu~. 

p rint atago in barnony ulth Auat~i~t9 polie y of d1v1d~ a n d rul~. 

'l'o tJo1'v10 0 an catlI'1J prf)~'lnc{) at a1:-:.0&>t rive J"ho\3~o.n<l oqual"~ uiloii; 

Austria lU.H'\ !lIl'Ilnto.lcod- 0:13.11 about 217 pozt (;11' 1 002 in Dalmatia and 

nppr-o:::::i laatf¥ly 1..:-3 tel~gl:'llph stntionB. Toe oongUfI ot 1910 111$ts\1 

<:.58 pub11e el(),;;HHl t ar:r IHihoo!s t'l l t.h £Ijl onrrolln ent 0 f 5& . 600 9upila. 

rnlJtltu~lQi'l.G of high0T lor!J.'l\lnS O;:lQro 111l1. 't.-ad t'O 1170 &nUQ.3'-.B end 

) A 
G1 

thre o ~oulDabulo~. Although EohoOl att~ndanQe u~. oompulsory " 

but~a@n tho ag®s at rotx and thirtoen, the nuthorltlGc U3 vcr ontoraod 

-,th e ruling atriot1n OO!looQ.us!ltly almost tal'sa foui'tho o f th(;l 

pcpul.c.t10l! 'daD 1111t ~r:? tlD~ H"i10VG1:', e. oultivo.tG u, literary and 

proZo9 01onal Gooi~ty eonsro$at~d in the COQ st 91 t~~D. Parhape ths 

reGS.Oll oould not !lavo auppo:rted flO ';; Qn.$ll~t le!3, b;;,oat~o (ii D;} lmat ia. 

an4 ito 1~heb1tan t D wsrs not eftluont; p~~ ou nr tax ootptD an d 

,._, 

the annual budgot avoragod about one million aolla~a. 

Tho p r ovinoo, bo ~ov 0rf otforod OGrtain att ~& ot1 vo 

rGoouroes out of ohClraotor wi th its QotuI11 pOv0rtYt and it !:a partl ,Y 

b@oauno of this oaonomt6 t0nt1 1 that Italy o!a i aau Do~th3rn 

Dal~8tla and alDpl~yoa Guoh flvldlty to nn o~ ao auob Dor~ of i ts 

t 9i."rit.()I"r t\G I:1ha coull!.. !n Dal F~ '"ia loy 0 nOl"a01.1fl b m.uI:!t.o bode, 

Qnd Ilt>undaut tin ~('Or 1'O-"Ol'" in the tnll Q of tlH~ r1v ore Xl"!Ia and c ot1UQ 

tla.!tod t o b s hIl1'i::!.Q::::lOod.. j'a~t ooa bill.Qt!on oonjnre!! up i J:!:\ gos 0:: 

hUJ:l..B1ns ple!lto tUf'ning out Gl<U:ltn:u,u.. i'o;;>ttll:::; ers e nd oho:atoslu 

Ooula a loa bo BunuXa~tu~o4. 00 lndood taoy lator we ro. b7 utl11ElnS 

hyd? O~~ 6ctr10 pou@r, In aadltlou to valuablo Daluatiou QQyholt 

and rook aalt ap o0itG~ th~ r03ion ncar Se bcBtoe produ~od G~ls 

j Ie 

Q. taot 01: nhioh tho Itrn.liQJl gQV01';"mG n t THHI not \UH\ifs,rG. 1JOl"G 

i mportant th3!J D:ll £!e.t !o.ll 1'OD0l14'009 vor& til" h 'on, oopp8r. and 0,0111 

tiolda of Bosn1.1'.1 'Whi(ll1 lay 'Co tbo Gnat o oyond tb~ Dinaric A1loH3t 

Should Itnly hnvQ GQ~ui~o d Dulnnt1a. oap001ally the porta of Sob~a1Qo 

and SpBlato, located 8. ,- '.:h.e7 UOl'a on 0:a:collont harbor s!t@o a.n11 

6Qn8t1tutl ~g tho OOAtQra ot r:n11w87G ~hloh rQll oastua~d& !t311en 

-


/JO MbGDD~dol' P~{te to Reua", Rono to Pnri o, lUl:I.0 111 1):119. Yula 

BOUBQ Oollootloa. 

\

-
65 


o~p1t~1 could hbv~ eao11y G~tendod the ral1ro~dD end ox~loit 0d 

Bosnian rrd.noro.la for tbG bf/!:.Gflt of tho It-ol'. fl.ll induc"trle.l 14aohlnoo 

with ~oo noNlc prizos of Guah m~ Bn1tu de Bt stake it i G not su rprising 

that Cl"lflodo ehould baV9 r o;t3rked to C1B!l1onoatAu and. Ll.o;rd Goor50b 

III. 

nFor tho Itali ano , tho ;u30ele~8 ere uhat tbe }ochQ@ arQ to~ youo" 

It hus b Gon !nt lmatod On pro~iQua paCos hog atrQtD~1@ 

~a6 the poo1tton whloh Dall::.lat1,Q, ooouplB<! Wit.h rQ f orenOI9 ~o tho 

naTal oont rol o f thQ Adr1nt1oo Bor coastline, ~ore O~aply indontod 

than any in Modl t@rrnnoan r.a tcro u1th thG ~xo~pt1oQ of Greog~t tOrDO 

(1 8i)r1~c ot eAoClllon~ nlltU1'31 hs:r-bo&'th ~b~ iDlallt'l.~ aN) fl. pl"otl3etive 

a~r lar prov161ng ohelt0 ~ t~on th9 wavos and windilo It fortif1Gd 

c.stutol;v theoo haX'bo ril and iclv,nd" O)uld b ooon1!'l virtual l y l!lprOanablQ, r.nd Qould ~end11y uQea~odotG etzeble Zlfjot~ ~h1 oh oould 

fltOam. O~~. ett.utJk tho ItaU.G.D ooa.:!lt at n111, noa. t!ithdl'3.W to Gotot.y 

G.t tho approaoh of PX06l!lu:lobl:r GUllo:.:>lor It31 inn ;)qu$.d~ no. Bn(JOUDQ 

tho oaat OOo.st of I~ al:r ()ontn 1~ID no adoquato ho.:rbo :r botWO€lll B7,.' 111 tlig1 

and Ven !cG f

. hoet!lo nQva l unita baBoll on (.Il laa~{.ian poZ"ts~ O'lon 11' 

lutor1or~ aould infliot oonQ1d 0~Qblo ~ag@ O~ ItQ11an ohlDpiug nod 

l notullo t10.tlOo WC?ll"O Da13o.tia d~Z' Itel1C!.n ,zoY'or01(1:nty . h0I3 QV01,' , 

elbBolwt o mal'!tia~ 061J:h"ol of thQJ A<l:dllt!o ti0 1.1..1.(.\ pase to Italyo 

DG1Mat1 t he~Gfo r~f ua~ tha £oy to a evol po~o~ ~a tho Ad~!Bt!e, ana 

Oli ihis 13r."Oun d Itt\liilIl. navt11 G.na po11tl oal do:to36lt a3 at Pnr1s 

Gtr0n~ou'ly U~8od tho &l11o~ to oo ntGn~U0Q Itol1&n annc 2Bt1 o~ ~' 

---------,, -------­ /I J Aldl"o?undl J.;! a.rs!::ootti, g~,.9";~"? q._ (\t1)~~&1t p. 362. UIH't t1Da of 


tho Big Four, pz'.tH:<idont Wi loon b e ing ab c:ont. ApZ'l1. 21~ 91~ . 

II ~ O::rlo.1"tdo aU'1mlO ~d thi9 O:l"g'UrJ0Ut at ~ n0 0"ting of' the Big 70u;;" i n 

Pn .t'io em. ~~}:r 11 19, 191~. Aldro El.~H1i l'J:l;;.~eDe':ltt:!. . ~2~M:gJ.!tr2~£J)&Q.t 

liP. :::n1.,.:')0 J.U[lO oao th~ o.()(loun t Qt 0. (Jollv:Jr!Hltioa bu";;''' '>l v1\ t ho 

l'ub ll o1.ct 111' . l1o.:?:i1 U;.l(j AG.oi rul D1 novol i n l1nf'too Uaftl1, 

:'_~L~!"i ~t;c~~." 1l\...b..3:;!"£t.. , RQ:iJ.o p lt1l9, I'D ' 171-'13. 

1 A 
65 


, 

Spa l a t o f &0. D.l1c1~r.t Qnd th:-iving oity ot L10ro t han 


oOOO 1nhab1tnnt 0t was tho Om~n1G r&t V6 o~ 1tel o f al~ati~ 

as <toll ao its induGtl"l ul and a h1,pplng Qontsr. ~n tur!6o o. so 


,

I the ID e~o~ D1oo1~ t1nn had con Dt l~oted thoro a mas~1 ~1oGn t palaoo 

in tlil10h h @ luxuria t e d unt il 31 3, find thE> 1.ntol U.ge nt, oult.1vetod 

01 'UZ0ns of S:pa.l ato polnt.zod to that t rncllt lo11nl 1m.llo:r',nl link ....i th 

prl do. but no 1 080 t h&n to ita t~ng blo re~nnto Q O tho p a lno&

ru1ns ~~ ~hloh oo nstitutod en n~Ggral ~r~ o f thG ctty. For 76UrG 

t he 1'eo p1 0 of Sp 0.1G.to and its Gnv;tzoou 0 had DG01l ao tivo pol~t1(1al . 

Under Allotrio.n ?ul c thoy, 11.1£0 all other Da l net111119 , csnjo yo d Hanhood aut tl."QSO , and t=Tor e \1ell revres{)ll tod 1n tho eloven a01~s fl to3 

whio h Dalmatia r oturned to tho Iffip0r!al D1ot ~ B0f oro tho World Wa r , 

th ~ lo cally olcotod pro v1n o!al Diot cn t rogula r l y a t Spaloto 

with po wor to ao t on 10001 t~Gr~, or to bring up bu s i no oa in tho 

Impol':iul Die t t hl'ough t h s Dall.1":a t1;J.1l. d alli)6a tolh Spaluto, tI!. C1O?illnon 

n1th other ~lH at1 a.t', to'im8 , ol.Go tod a m,\D.1o!po.l oounc il and mElyor~ 

. but iu 191 2 , local aympet,h leG ho. v1~ g boon VOOU' 61"Q u oly o:rpresoed 

ID favor of tho Bolke n al11 eG, An ot r1a oupprosaed tha Dalna t1an 

pr~ao a nd tho mun101pa l libertioe o t So bQa l oo and Spalato. Ea r l r in 

tha cour ao ot the Wo rld \781' t ho Auat l"i3.n gov~ rnae nt di11 0o lvo-a tho 

oonn e !l a or. all cltleB in Da ~at1a$ but uh Qn tho ImDori l debeolo 

ocourrod in tho full of lDle th o inhabitan t s 90re no t q1thout prsviouD 

pol!t c ~1 pr~parat1on. 

Thio oxperionoo in s lr~So rnm~ llt, a lthough 1 1m1ted in 


oharaote r , prov od oonsp i ouo usly pful when t be Dalm ti8n5 undortook 


~o ere ct a pravi lon l ro volutionary g07 ~rnmant in Oc t~bor, 19 1B. 


1 

" 
67 

Late that month l ocal l anc ers met at Spalato and con8tituted 

t hemselves into e. pr ov inc i a.l revo lu-tt onary commi ttee . and havi ng 

acknowledged t he nupreme authority of the Na tional Council at 

Z~reb . arr ogated to the co~mi tte e all civil and military funct ions 

1n Dalmatia. In other ci tie6 t he leadi ng c lti ze nd a~8emb ed t o form 

municipal councils t o nr eserve order and carryon the government 

....hich had g r ound t o a stand still ....ith t he hadty da';larture of 

Auntrlan c ivil and militflr ;v officie.ls. For €I- time all 'r,as cha os 

and confusion. The ol utlon~JY techniquE clo sely pp~a leled 

that 1n "the thirteen Amerl can colonies when Br itish 'po\tsr broke 

down in 17?6. By January. 1919 , hO\.ever, the situation had been 

regulari zed . A governor accept&ble t o Eelgrede and the r evolutionary 

jWlta of Sprua to had r8 ~lace d t he origina l comm ittee; unde r him 

served a board actin(. in an advisory capacit y . Provincial elections 

had r e tur ned membe rs to the Diet in Spelato which oince 1912 had 

not been 1n session. The gove r no r and Die t constituted the executlve and l egiBl at.1ve branches of t he provincial goverrur.ent . In t he 

cities, electione hed r epl aced the Belf-ap~oint ed revolut ionar y co~

mittees with free ly ~looen municipal officers and councilmen who 

l ooked to t he gove r nor and Diet for lea~erehip. All the se political 

arranger.1 nt~ were provisiona l, because the Pep_ce Conf er ence ha.d not 

ruled on the statue of Dalmatia ~hich re ~~ ned occu~ cd by the Ameri ­

113 

cans , Italiens, and French. 

113 Tr.e provlsior.al governoent nf Dal~~t a Was abolished by t.he 

Jilgosl l1v constitution of June 28 , 1921. By the Trealy of 

Ra~all0 , ~revi u81y sl~ned , Dal~tla had been a s signed t o 

JU€oslflv ie . 

) , 
68 


The provisionsl governm~nt of Da l matia wan Oiv111~n 

but neoessarily employe~ po ic~ p owsro v ery cxte n slvAly because ot 

unsettled local caneitlons. Balgrode detailed n goneral to the 

·prOVince who was responslb~ e tor mil itary affairs under tbe 

n , • 

governor) and who commanded tho Jugosl ev garrisons there . Oon6squentl y. the gove r n o r could call upon s e vera.l k1n<1e of pollce 

fOrces in the eTont of d18o r~e r 1n De!mst ia. To supplement ta e ...., 

re g ular oivili an po l i c e, ~rho numb ered si xt7~f va 1n Spe l ato 

alone, he had j ur13dletion o v er tha mi l itia, a nati o nal gu ar d 

tha t h ad boosn constituted d,-lrlnL t he rsvol ut 10nary da.ys ot Ootoher 

and Novembo r. Composed of 8rro~d oltizoll 8 it at first did not prove 

entir e ly re liable, having p artioipatod in looting on oooa810n 

during thQ trans1tional po~lod to 1nd up andont g o varnmon t, but by 

tbe beginni ng ot 1919 1 t formgd a oreditable po l ic e a u xiliary . 

To hall dIe more serious disturbanoes an d to pr ovent I talIan 

encroa obmentt JugoslBv vogu l ara uera ar~l~o ad i n tue larger c l tlsD 

and torin$. I n genora l tho more sizable s eaboar d o i ti es suc h a s 

Spalato, Trau and Al~ls61a quartered a battalion e ac h , wh ereas 

i n l and tQwns 1 k~ Slnj oont a ined smaller units ab o u t th e str ength 

o f an Amer ic an oompany. All th0SS tores a fell un dor tho command 

o f the Serbian genoral who se hea dQu art srs and st arf ware loo a ted 

t n Sp alato. It should be kept c loar t h at the fore go 1ng in oonnect i on 

1 ; '-/ Jugo~lnv tl'OOYS-, t hat 1a to oay those un i ts i:lh l ch hnd fO'.1 ght 

i n the Auatr o-Hun sarlBn a rm iec against the a ll los, were merged 

on Novembf.ll' 2i!~, 1918 , with the SGrbi an Brny. R0)10Vel', Bince tho 

Ju go e1sv netioaal unio u a 8 effected 10 th e mldd l~ of Dec embor , 

19~8, it 10 correct to to rm Se rb troop3 as JU60n1sv aftar tbat 

data. 

' :.' Adroira1 P. And rowo t o BeDDoD, Spu l ato to P arta , Maroh 30 . 19 19. 

Na val R6forda, F ile VA~ 

A 
--

69 

11th Ju,gosle.v regu.lars refer$. to the Arnericr:.."\ zone; i n the 

It 1.~n zone Jugoslav force s ....erc cc.nsist e ntly e~cluded 'becau se 

of itlcomoati'bi 11 ty dettt lleti elsewhere . alt};ough t hey d 11 oe:casi oneo.11y b arrack i n sooe small i nt eri or v~ 11 2.f:e 1f au.f!icientlr fr.r 

removed fr oC'\ It a l ian inflt;,enc e . The French zone contE:.lned a. fel;! 

Italian troo!,!s , but t he ovcr\.'~elming I!lajo rlty was French nne. Jcgoslav . 

Forma lly and officially the Americ a n neva l go ve"na r had 

no nol1ce authority smore wt:ich ....a15 dc,!,o stted 1n J ugosl av hands b :" 

t he d i rectiv e wh ich en.joined the occupying po..... er1! to wo rk through 

local governments. I n pr a cti ce , how~ver •. th ~ naval gove rno r 

exe rci sed en extensive influence , Rnd it iR no exaggeration tha t 

ultirr.l'lte police f unc tions in the A!l1eriClf n z one were dete rmined by 

the admi ra l under e r ticl e four of the Armistice which permitted 

occupation n·to maintain order. I! The American admiral controlled 

not t!-.e adml nis tl'l'. ti on of t h.e Ju:-;oslav civil "police , militia , and 

re ~l lar s, but did cor.:mand poli cy. There has been found no re co rded 

instance where the Jugoslav offici als directi ng no l icing activ!ti e9 

1n the zone f a iled to tE:ke cog nizance of t he adm ire.l ' s sUbeeat lons 

or orders . In additi on t o !loliey control over Jugosl av police units , 

the nava l governor landed Arneric n s~ilors whe never existing co nd itions i ndica ted t he adv isabil ity of such action . ThUB , by direc t 

and indirect methods it ....as Amedcen police auperv it;ion t l:et maintained o r der in the 20ne du r ing the neri od of oc cu tl n . 

Such . then , "'(lEi the gove r nment, physical as?ec t ·, po-pulBt io!1 , 

end economic ndi ion of Da1mBtla ....hen i t s c entral are~ ro~ Ca.?e 

PIa nka on t he north t o SIano Isla nd on the ·8 out~ . a dlstence of 

more then one hundred miles, p6tised t o Ame rican naval co ntrol in 

Novembe r, 19 18. We must now- c onsider' the N~ ~~.r!~ -,- - . ..' . 

j ~ 

..'.~- .•.. : .~,'.. :'.. . 
----------- 

-------- - ---- 

70 

-. -- ------ - , .. -- .. --- .. . .. ..............~ 

:f' 

< 

administration, and tho probl e U!o C1! oou:ltal'ed by tha na val gavel"nOr 

i n the 6'Xcoution ot tbo naval &1:).<1 Iio11t1oal phaso s of hia mif.i1l1on. 

.... 

AlfERICAl'I NAVAL COWi'ROL III DALHA'i'IA 

The tocal pOint of Aa9ri can authority in Dalmatia o0ntGred 

in Spalato Tih are cloae rela·tlone wgro mo.!ntolnGd t7i th the provls1onn!, 

provincial government, £::.nd from tho city r ,Cl.d1atGd 11nee of' ArnE)rlco.n 

influenoe pormoat ing tho entire zono of oooupat1onc For the first 

three ~eeks or Novombc r , ~18t i t appeared highly doubtful that 

U~lted State8 naval foro es woul d ooouPY Spalnto end tho etrateg10 

aroao in its neighborhood b eQQU96 Italy displayed BO t~ong a d1cposition to extend her control th ere. Approached by tho Italian 

naval OOIilJDSUd, tho Br1-tioh naval nttnohe to Roms agreed. early in 

the month that Italy oh oul d oo oupy Sp al ato." Alth01J.gh not an 

interal!lc d understanding) British ncqui eaoonce provided Italy wi th 

a usoful uodSG in foroing open th e ooutral Dalma tian re g ion. Rad 

Italy dar~d f aoa the consoquono6a o t unilatoral action Spalato 

might voll hnvfl boen incl,udsd in hor zone as subsequently delinitcd 

at the HomE> aosslons of the A.dl·intlc Corn..mltte~. Desp1te unimpoac 3e~ le 

evidenoo of riot and dl :'Jo rder in Spalato wh ioh c o uld be made ths 

preto:tt or Q 1 aDding, the naval oOl":U!land realized that Italian 

oocupat1on would oau eo an uprisin g of the countrys1de . Hence , 

-------~----------

Admi ral W.S . Sl~9 to Deh soD) London to ?Hrl s , r;OV ~~b Ar 1 5 , 191 3 . 

Neyal Re corda, Fl1e·VD. 

~ .0 
?l 

Admiral Di Revel formally requested a jo~n:t interallled occupation 

ll7 

on Novemb er 14 , 1918, but it Beerns that American naval forces 

arrived at S~elAto first. 

. Thh was i n connect l Qn 'With the t ransfer of t he Austrian 

b a t t1eshloa BAdetzkv and Zrinyl together wi th t orgedo boats numbers 

12 and 52 to the custody of the Uni,ted S~ntes JleVY f or Burveillance 

until the Peace Conference dec ided on the ir di5~osal. In obedi ence 

to Adtdrp..I Bu1.lard ' s ordors , Lieutenant Commander E. E. Haz lett, .-.. 

in cha.rge of t\o'o hundred men , :,Jr oceeded to S~alato on November 18 , 

118 

t o t l"ke oyer the battle~hi'l)$ . ~'lhen HR21e.tt arrived , Ar.erican 

sub~arine chasers of the Otrp.nto barrAge were be rthed in 5~alato 

harbor not f ar f r om tr.e Austrilln warshi!lS whi.ch had been·towed 

from t heir base a t POIR with Jugoslav nersonne l aboard 1n com­

~1ience with BullAr~ ' e i nstructions. Hazlett manned the bettleshins ~ t ornado boets ~J!.th tte skeleton crew a t his dlspoRal, paid 

off t~e Yugoslav 8ail o:.'6 , a~QI giving 2 recei p t in t he name of t he 

119 United StRtes, h01ste~ the ~erl can colors on Uoveober ZO. After 

l~ 7 A~bas f:.l'.do :.' Pe,~ t o Lr;.nf;inr. , Hor..e to ";a.ehington. No ver-ber 14, 1918 . 

Fgr. 3el. , Peris Pe~ce Conference , II, 29~. 

118 Ac:r.irr.l 51!"'.!; to 3enson, London to P[',ris, l{ovPt"bc r 18 . !91B. 

KP.'1&1 ~eco,ds , ?i1e YD. Tl-.e l\EI:l1e is g::'ven as Lieutenant CO::lr:llnder 

~':. 3. S"'n:f.,r<! 1n :'l Progress Reool't by Admlril1 Benson to Secretary 

of the Ilnvy Daniels dE\.ted J~nuar;v 2 , 1919 . (~avd R.ecords , File 

C- ' Ge,." ) . 

119 ProC'res5 2.E' '': ~:- t, 3(>n~on tc :')2J".iel5 , January 2 , 1919. naval 

HeCOrc.ll , nIp. ~r, ~O. :o'o r et.<,i1 s see l!aval Archives , file 

28785-?08:~ fmC. 6. It $hould be re:nembered tr.llt centr ~l iJa1-. 

~p. i~, o~P he r wlt~ SQDlato , did not c~~e unde~ &~er an jurisc.iction .AS [t zone of Occul"Atlon unt il tJ-,e Ror.e ses~tO!lS of n .C!; 

dri.~.tlc /)~jr\i tt ce . :iovp. r:b er :?6-~':l , 1918 . 

.,

l'I 
_. ___ _ _ ____ ________ 

___ _ ___ ___ _______ ____ 

72 


adjustment 0 f minor det a tls nullard could r epo rt on DG(tembor 13, 

that "all the o on ditions of the armistice •• • na tar ae regards tho 

, C 

partioipation of the Unitou State s are now complete." 

The striotly naval fe a tures ot the American Adr1atic 

mission, therefore. ware early on tbe ~ay to complotion with G 

minimum of difficulty. Thera r ema ined only the duty of keeping 

watch over the oX-Austrian tjarsh!ps until thoy WIlTO allocntpd. by 

an agenoy in stit t~d by the Pea oe ConfaronoGo But the mO&lonta 

are treache rous and the Bora fteroe in Dalmatia. During a storm 

in 1920 tho torpodo boa t6 draggod anohor and poundGd rock until 

they Be~k in shallow wator, but the battleships rode satsly. sub... 

sequently ell ve.lunb le ma.torial and maohinory fl'om the grounded 

vessels were ato.wo d aboard the Htiny1 and ; tho bulla 

r6ma1nad. gaunt, broken, wh on American forOBS with dr6~ tram Spalato 

I ." , 

in 1921. 

Surve1llance ot tho waroh!pa ontailQd the ~resanco ot 

Americnn naval units at Spal ato, and G6tabliDhm~nt of at least 

minimum base fa.cl1it.1 oD, for Austria had not cOL.structod naval Y10rke 

there. No purpoa0 would be aoaompltohea by onumerating the various 

Amerioan naval vessQls, oruioera, destroyers. and di n1u utivo 6ubgo r inC 

: ~ ".:.. 

ohaserG ~h1oh woro on station at var10un times in Spal&to herbor. 

;"·"" Adrnl r~ l Bullard to Donoon, VanioQ to Paris, DeoembO l> 13, uno. 

Naval Rooorda, Y11G VA. 

,-{I Admiral Andrewa to Adl'.!"ra l 1... R0$10, R.I.N., August 25, 1920. 

Navol Arah170il , File 2B185-20813. 

$uch lnfoTi:lat1011 18 obtninnblf1.l in -tho !-..2.., cok of tho U.S.S • 

.Q.!1:!!!.piu, and that ot thD UoS.S. !!2E..!E.g 11 a::.\. 

~ ~ 
'13 

Suffic e it to state that the eoncontratlon ~as n~t gront trom 

1 919 to 1921, between six and Q dozen ships at any g iTen moment 

were un dG r command of the A~orican admiral in Dalma tia . !)uring 

th e l est two months of 1918, however , tho number VIas considerably 

larger because units in the Adriatic which 181 been engage d in 

oper a~ lo ns against Auatria bad no t yet sailed fo r tho United states. 

One ship, t he U. S .S. Ol ympia , dSGSr V"6 s specia l me nt.i on. She 

carri ed Dewoy'e f lag at Manila 8n y; from her deok Captain . S~, Knapp 

i seued t he ~Proclama ion of Oooupation~ on November 29, 1916, Which 

ostablisho d nava l goyornment In the Dominican Repub lio, and as 

Admir al Andra~e ' t lagDhlp ahe oon stituted the backbone of Amer ic a n 

naval power Bnd influenc e a long ~e Da l matian s ea board. The ym pi ~ 

. first appe~rad off Spalato on February 21, 1919 , and except ror 

infre q uent movements to other ports, remained tberG until April 

26, 1 921. a~nQa. she 1s olosely assooiated with AmeriCan control 

1n the zone of ocoupatlon~ 

Tbe physical fnoil1 t lo e of the tomporary Amorican naval 

base at Spal ato were inde ed meager. Ocoupy ing o ne floor of the 

Cata llnic ap a rtment ho u se was ~ho Unitod States nava l port offica 

which supervised water bOrDG t raffi c at Spalato . and through which 

\fore cloared passports iuto and o ut of the zone . A WOOdfjD warohouae, 

an ioe p l ant, an oil dopot •. a b ran c h of the Y.M. C.A ., and a. 

recreation conter in the Aroba e ologioal blus(l um v~rtually cOiJIplete 

I 

the list. Stationed in Castall i Bay tho Zr1ny l and Bada zk~ were 

Memorandum , otr ice o f Nava l Reco rds and Library, 


t o A. C. D. , !-larch 22 , 1 943. 


) 

---------------

74 

unacl a.s otol'f)oh"'p s, u1l.til No vombo;;" 1 92 0) when deflt:roYOZ'9 tl.'f\naf'o1:"l'od 

th e storf)s t o e. ra o dc;,1n t1srOUoul1lO '- :0. SUCUl'"BC, ncar Spfllsto. Freah 

t oOd . o£1peo1a.lly meat t vozoto.bl~Ut end. fruit \lors p'llrohutH3d in 

• 

Spa l ato Bud SueUTno; ~08B sto~ardB aeu t aBhoro dall y to ahop t or 

v egotnblan and fruit i n tho 1000.1 al· ke ta. but Ital iBn dealeX'o i n 

Ven i co u.nd P ol e Gu:ppl :l.. 0d oo mmo clit, i() o u nobto.tnabl e in Dalmati a ... 

Sl l1a 17f bocause neo6Dsary inBtallet10aa ~oro un 8vn l1 ~~, rout i no 

ropairo to Amo ican ships nore made at tho Italian naval buDO in 

Venio o , or in a privately O\1nOU. doc);yo.rtl at 1>011l0 

Until tho, s pring o r Hl19 OOlll.."11uu.io!ltion bet w\!l on Spalo.to 

and P aria wa s ve ry diffIoult. Telegr n:pn l ineD linko~ F1uMC to Pario 

via Ven ic o, b ut no wire conneate d F1un3 t o Spclato . The Fluge 

telegl'aph tlaa eo overlo aded and unre liable dUl.~l:ne th~ i mme d.iatCl :po et .. 

e.rmiat1eo phase thQt 1 t llolilat~.DlGa requll'0d a a m\\o h as :n.vo days tor 

I , 1 

a de apate h to go tbr.o ugh to Paris. Can se qUGnt l Y, Adnlra.l Bullard 

i mp ro v1Bsd 8 eya t em to 1nouro troDsrniealo n and receipt ot ioformstion. At Spa lnto b.o etatione-d e. deetroye:r nhlch tre.nD!!littod by 

rodio t o e.notber A:mel'ioan dostroyor lying otf ll' 1umo. \""ho n r e ceivod, 

th e massage procoeded by telegraph from Flume to Vc:n ico and than00 

to Paria, To g us.rantoge ro ceipt o t the despat oh, Bulla rd dir e oted 

tho destroy e r a t l!iuna to l' adi o tho i dent i <3o.1 l!'lo sflase to a slm1 1 o.:t· 

Ame ri can Dhl p nnchoro~ at Venice, end thon r els7 it to Pa r is on 

t he Venloe telegraph. Du plication i n aanding_ "'0.13 dGs1r~b e owing 

to tho co ngostod state ot the Fl u~e 11no, but tt lrel ~ na d id not 

prove altogether satisractory Gither b e cau ao the air wa G jamm od 

).J, Adm iral Bullnrd to BtiJnaon, Fiuns to Perla, DecGmbe r 15, 1 918. 

For. RtlL" Pa r i!) P ElQ CO Co nf er enoe, II, 330. - 'j - ---­

-
---

75 

by the numerous jjM:~s in tr.e Adriatic at that t itl".e . anI! it c(\uf;ed 

"Ooor r eceot ion. A:'"lD.r t fron the fact that rad i o de s-:;)at c!">.es cnme 

throUj!;h ~nrbled. i f a t a ll, BullArc! cl)u1:1 no t afford to €t:l -:"llo ;V dc -

stro~' ,s ~s stlO.tion IIh! T)s , sincp. he re rjl.l!red tl-.p.n to c8.rry officifll 

~p.il. So dyn lll!l ic W"p_s t he Adria tic siblF.ti on t hat Adr.llral Benson on 

December 17, instructed Bulla rd to write doily r frpo rts , and each 

1"5 week a courier wCJ1l1d p.rrlve to collec t them for delivery t o Paris. 

'Thi$ arr e.nge cn ent offflrf!d t'r.e dU?l adventages of secrecy I!.nc. "'" 

eli8bil it ~· when thE"l? were urr-en tly requireC-. As cnndit10ns 8."0­

-prol-ched normal in the 1A.t e w1nt e:- of 1918-19 the F.iume telep.;r Roh 

carded l esft traffi c, b'.lt tr.l'lt only partially solvE:d the probl em', 

Therefore, Ad!nlral }!ibladc UJ"Idertook the construc tion of a direct 

line fran S'oalato to Fi Ul!le wl'.ich was con::>1e ted und.er Admiral Andrel'''s 

in May , 1919 , ane, afforded eEl3Y wire conne ction t o PA iis . :'!AAned 

by AT.er i cAn navR l o~e s t te telegra~h e~p.ine1 in us~ until 

United SbltE!5 for c es wUhe.r ev !:-O;;"l D?J.natia in 1921 at w~ich tine 

it was tr ?~Sfe~ied to thp. Jugosl~vs . 

The n8v(l1 "O!1e~e of tr.Po Ame ri c,;n 1l'.1!lsion ""as not its 

Ard t.:.o'-.l!l. fep.ture, bl1t thRt ~art of tr.€ nirective instructlnl'!; ]u1lard 

to ~1f!s iRt loc~: .e;ovflrm~ent8,, ?'6 gave ril'"e to nU1l' ~!'ous dc l1cr.te 

nroble!~s ....·!-.ich ri.id not cbete duri p.F, tr_e en tire st".Y in Da::':""'atif'~ 

Such "'"lir,;bler.s re s'-J.ltcr. fro~ the tenf:€ noli ti C2.1 rf'llt'ltion~ bet'.IIf'en 

Itflllrns fmd Jw.o :;lf1vs ; t~ ~ A~!"lctln .<l.-:!.~lr;ll l !\ ol'd!'!i!> ntaced hi", 

in t~.1") dif~ic\llt '1o~l~io~ of a:din~ on"! \;itr_o:.:.t l1 pr.a inp. trot:' ot~er , 

1" ••,J "ii~~ il"""l 3(>~ !:.o l'! t.o h.!ll~d , Jeceob(' !" ~~t) , 1~19 . i!;tvel !ieco rd s , 


i'i.... "!- U-l1i3. 


:!'; ~6 S"o p. bove, ":lr) , .5- " .". 6 _ 

) 

,0 
----------

- -

.-----~-- ---'..- .-

'6 

-- -------- --:....:...----- -.--­

an upparently selt-contradiotory task. No Dooner had Itali~D 

, 7 

warships put into Spnlsto harbor on D0comber 12, 1918, than 

friotion deve l oped. Within a few daya a serioua riot h ad taken 

plac6 betw~ D Amerioan submarino chaGGr personnel and Italian •.­ cre ots whiOh originated when an Italie.n sailor abused a native Girl. 

On December 23 . a ftar the Amerioan ohasors had loft fo~ Corfu, a 

clseh oocurred at Spalsto batnoon the crew of tho Italian destroyer 

.'.. ~arabln1~re and the looal inhabitants. Only interve ntion by 

Serbian officers and prominont Jugoalav oitizene prevonted furthor 

I ~ I 

dlsordcll'. Rioting of this nature was BO frequent that in lato 

:F'eb ruary 1$119, the Adriatio Commit'te'3 in ! ta dual oapao1ty ol 

investigating c? loaion (as explained prG ioualy) and 1ntoralliGd 

instrument or naval coopar&tlon proaoedad to Spaleto in order to 

examine . the s ituation and pl'OpOGO l'Gl!lodlal· meaaul"Os. BGfoZ'o Clan ... 

elderlng its daliberatlobG we muot first inquire most olosoly into 

the nature or theeo disorders. 

Although ,locatod In thG Anel'ican zone alllod warshipo 

could visit Spalato and other porta in central Dalmatia, b~Oau 6Q 

und er the a rmistice terms tho oooupation was interal110d. Thle 

did not alter ths tact that the A~erio ~n admiral rGm~lned so lely 

~'The Itnlla.B..1LaVl In tho World War, 191~ ..191S, AJlpend1x, 


Chart No.2. 


-<.;:"R. Ml1lholle.nd~ Tho S_'011ntor Fl eot, pp. 857..59. 

'IAdmiral Bullard to Banean, i'luma to PariS, Deoember 23, 1918. 

Yale House Coll e otlon. Aleo printed in For. Rol.! Parlo Peuoa 

~oren~t II, 338. 

~ -
-- " 


i n con trol th ero lth the r09ponsi b1 11 ty of a a~al govornor, I 

but be acted in an intsrij llied capacity a nd not exclusively as an i 

agent executing an A~0rlcan mission. Under th13 arr ang 9ment 

Ital i an wa rsh i ps put into Spa lato rogularly, end o n occasion I

, 

! 

French end British nav ol vessals did 11keoiss, hu t Italy Je alously, I 

i 

yet tactful l y , den i ed the sa.me privilege to har allies aB f ar f 

as the Itali a n zone in Dalmat i a wa s conce rne d except for a c hanco 

I:'J j

British de s troyer a rriving a t long intervals. Th e Am eri can 

admiral did, homGv er, pr e v ent any landing of I tal lan !d1l1tar:r 

fora ee i n his zdnG. It ..a6 we l l knoun to the ~t at 6 Departmen t . 

aB this cbapter has pr ev iously emp haS lz~d ~ that the It a lian govern_ 

men t in tend ad to exten d 1ts 2ove~G1cnty over all Dalmat ian tarrit-ory po ssiblo. and fu rthernora tha t Italy lUade no att ettpt to co nc ea.l 

ita a id to the artificially etiaulsted n nt ional mOTsrn9nt a~ong 

,. the relat ive ly few I talian partisans in that provinc e. The 

Italian go v ernmGnt h ad ~VGn drat~e ~ pl aus ontlining t h o administration 

~ :, r;, No record t1e,B fOt.llld 01 any p u blic proclamat ion iSBued to t he 


Dalma tlane by the three America n Ad mtra la auo ce es1v ely on 


st etion at $p alllto aUrloun oing a naval g ov ernment. No teohnic ... 


nlit y would have prflvented Buch e laGnLfesto . Ad I:\ ir-al lIillo. 1n 


charge of the It a li a n zone~ rro~ t he f irst regularly styled 


himse l f tlGo·-te rnor of Dalmatia an d t he Dnlmat 1an and Currolan 


1alD nd .~ Da l matia ot course r e ferr ed to the northern part 


of tha t provin ce \'f hich const i tutod the Itali a n 2. o no. ( Nnv al 


Aro h i vo s, File 6471-230:6). 


I f I AdM ir a l Andrews t o Renson , Spalato to Paris, Ma y IB, 1919. 


Naval Records, File U-UB. 


.A1ll.ba& dor Page to Lens1ng, Romo to ash iug ton~ Nover:tQ cr 14 . 

1910 . For. He l. \ P ari a Penoe Conferollco l I, 455 . Also ElQ!e , 

ib5. d. , :po t;: 2. For a de s crip tion of 'feel ing in I t-sly on the 

n;rtr.at lau qu estion consult R. S. Ba}{ol." , Wood r o>'! WU.a on a n d \1orld 

~ctt16 o~~, S vol a ., LODdGn ~ 1925~ X. ag:----------­

. 1
 • 
•• 

--------- ~-- -"---'---" --......... -' ---'-'->. 


78 

, 

. o~ Dalmatia to bu put into effect aft ar annexation. Whenever , 

thora.fore:, Italian naval orf"leers and meb. o n liberty fro.m ships 

Illoorvd in Spe.lato harb or Bet foot on shore , their behav ior was tructllent. Coum~ntlng on this stato of affaire Admiral Andrews nrote: 

"'I'ha otf'-cors and me.n of th~ Italian sb Ip s, 

from th~ fix~t days of the armistice ca~e 

as victors. with that air and bearins, Bnd 

their arrogant bearing has not d0ere8s6d ~ 0 

Thoy have not a v oided incidents•• • • Their 

instructions have apparently been to keep ", alive and activG the Italian spirit of the 

I tal1aD. minority hore. Their 'purpose here 

has e~ldently boon political, and for propaganda purposes p and everybody kno s it. The 

Ital ian elOc0nt hero has not been martyrod 

or abused. They havo been an active minority, 

g~nerally eager for i nc1donts to be martyrs 

for, and al\1e.ys bold by rGaoon 0 r the baekins 

given tho~ by Iteliflll l11on .. o:f " 'i)'ar being harC! . " 

Andrews ostinated that no aore than three thousand 

Italians I1vQ.d in h-is zons, most of them in Spalat.o, and it l'1a.a 

thl~ c·1Ellilcnt Ylhlch, wi·~h the moral and sometimes physical Bupport 

of Itall6.ll naval pers~nnel, partlcipatod in riots '71th lugoslavs. 

That 1s not to say that the Jugoslavs were blamel ess, for 1n some 

instances they inflicted personal and property dams86 on the Italian 

residents. Had the Italian gO'lO'srnment witbdro.wD its shIps fran 

Spalato, or oven had the naval command. slt1ply l'estricted liberty 

partie a aBhors as Adm1.ral Andrava frequ~ntly and fut1lely suggested 

to the Italian authorities, all unpleasant incidents "ould have 

"3 promptly coasQd~ As matters \lJcro _.. and remained ..... the AIIleriCl:1.ll 

' > "> Admiral Andre';.;s to Naval Operations, Spelato to ~ash ington, 

July 3D , 1920. Naval Archivea, File 6471-230:1 . 


:· Adairnl AndreRB to Naval Operations, Spalato to Wash 1n gton, 

July 26, 1 920 6 Naval Archiv61'J, Fl1G 6471 .. 230: G. Also see 

Admiral Andrews to Sanson, Spalato to PariS, March 3D , 1919. 

Naval Rocorda , File VA • 

•

~ . 

A 
79 

, 


naval governor 'PTe!! constantly plagued by pop\llar e!'11ptl0r:.O 

requirlns eloaa police supervision. 

On Fo bruary 24, l.919. the Fl'ouc:b, Britioh, and Italian 

ntEHnbere or the Adriatio Co:mmlttee procoeded to Spo.lo.to to Iacot 

w1th Admiral Hiblack aboaro. the ,Qlyr.\J2.i.Q. en"- conteI' on dlatul'b;d 

1-' -' 

condlt:.l.olls in tbe Amorican zone . A .TU:30a1 av oonniceloD. hooded. 

by a. Sa r b colonel ha.d called on the adJ!i.ll'nl earlier that de.y to 

aoquaint him nith latest d evelopments asbore, but dopartod botore 

tho allied admirals ar~lved . Thut evening 6uother riot broko out 

in Spaloto, fl O the captain of tho OJ.ym..vie" and L5.el.\tenant Comlilando:o:" 

R.S. Fle l d to~ether with a few men loft the ship to inveotigato 

whil e 8.0 armed la ndi n~ for ce aboe.x-rl atood by ready foI' aotion. 

Aftor tY/O hour 8 rookets utJre Bson firod 1'1'00 s'aboro, n prear1'angod 

s1gnal indicating that th~ dl~turbanoGB had Dubc1ded. Th o nati ve 

po lice, reinforced Borally bY' t hs prosCln00 ot ABol.'ioan authorit.y, 

had Q.uGlle d th.s rio '~o fihon the J.d~1atio Co:r;m1ttGe Bat in ito first 

formal e f) a sf on a board .tho 91ymp.ll tho noxt mOl-ning tho cumula tlvo 

troubl,ea in tho ~ono . emphasized by the o~onta of the prooo dtng 

G'lElnln S~ contributed to a quick dao1;siun. 'Four intero.ll$.ed patrola 

1'1(;1'6 to circu l ate d.ay and night t.hrough tho oit y , oe.oh ptlt::ool to he 

composed of one oftloe~, one ohief patty offio o r, ~91va onllatQd 

me~ , OD e loc al policeman, snd on e Berb Goldier. Enoh allied nation 

rGpresented on the Comm1tteo ~ould ooutrihuia an ottio~rg n ohiof 

Admiral Ni bl eC:k 1 hr e!TIOro.ndun on the Adriatio. 

~ U,S,S, OlY~E~, Lo gb ook, Fobruary 24, 1919. 

1 

" 
------------. .- .- -.---.~.. ---.~-. ...-~. .- -~

RO 

petty officor on d three mon t o ova r y patrol, lt~ offic or to ha lO 

the oomman d. The organization or the se poltoe un ite ner o 

cntru,s ted to Ad.:il.irui ' Nlbla ot vho detailod L1Elut (l n£lnt CO!l!J!lo.n dar 

137 

Field a s oh1 ~t officer o f all patrols. No e~1 onOG na3 baan 

found of zton9!VG rioting in SpalBto ~b l16 the patrol syotem 

continued , henoe it may bo con lud ~d that the 1ntaralll e d p olioG 

und or oontrol of tho American ~v e.l go v ernor pro1"6 d effo cti ve . 

Re tors tha Adriatio Comn itt eo disporaed an inoidont 

ooour red ~hl?h facu nae many aspeots of the type ot ut~orlty 

GX0 r01 6e d by the Alnerican naval governor. GenoI'al li110eh WafHd, th, 

command. ing o f tioer ot all .Tag o sl a.v gart'laona In the Amerlcan ZOllG, 

138 

Bont an urg on t lotter to Adm i ral Nlbluok on February 2g , 1919. 


In It he repo r t.ed t.hat a lx thouGe.nd Ita11o.n troops ha.d arl'ivod at 


tho v l11ngG of Yuo duriDg the p r evlouD night, a n d that a slailar 


number: Gqui:p pod uith QX" tillory "J8.8 axpooted l'1i t hin tho next t!'J e nty" 


f0 4~ houre. At t.luo the Italio n s bOB. otod that they t10uld m.al"CA in 

tuo oolumna upon Spa l o.to nnd Sinj, bo th oltlsa in tho A!.lsr!Co.n zono. 

Waaa!tb requested Admiral Niblaok to aut hentio ate the DGWB and 

pre ven t the Italian a.dvenae. The ne xt day Nlbl o.ak co lllJll, unloatGd 

this info rma t1on to Admiral Rombo, ah C3. iJ:"man o! tho Ad rlatlo Comm itteo. 

with the sta t om ont thet, 

137 vmui3 Losb~o~. 

U.S._s , ..... 'JTob rue ry 2t>, 191 9. AlBO MO!lloranduJ'ij: Offi0E:! of Nav al 

Recorda and Library , addr cBce d to ~C " March 28, 1943. 

Field quartered th0 pa trol on tho U,S.S. l a rnel. 

1.'38 All fact ua l mator i al on this incident was obtain ed from 


Admiral Niblack, Uemor~ndum on tho Adriatlo* 


~ . 

.' 
---- -- ______ .c... ,._c __ 

.<___ 

----

Rl 

-- ----~ ,--_._._._­

flsuoh Q roovooent of troops at this time oannot 

but have grave rasulto 1n my endonvo~B to maintain ordor in the A.!"aericun Zona, nOlll acrloue:ly 

disturbed at spalato and Trou, I ~equaBt that 

you immediately inform me ",hat her thi~ iniorma"· 

tioD 18 to your knowledge, correct or inc orrect, 

and ~hat aDaursnooo you call. give me as to itB 

· ' imp or~o I cannot but·viOl' thtfl movement of.' 

troo ps at this time in nny other l iSh t than 

unfO l"'tuna te. tt 

Admiral Nibl aok thr ea tened to ~rl ng the mnttGl' up bofora the 

!IeGaian oX the Adrintio Com.nitt(l $ aobodulod for Fc;bruary 28, and 

on thet warning note 010D0d the letter , ooploa of Which h0 doepatobQd to tho Brit1sh end French dolo Buteo. 

Ro ~bo ra turn o~ an immediate reply oategorically donying 

all s11esatlona of Itali an troop movemsnta. Reoeiving this disol aimer with Dome doubto of ita v6raclty, Admiral Niblaok sont ~or d 

thr~ughout tbe atfootod arena of bi s Eone an~ounoing that »thero 

~111 bo no Italian Oooup.!l.tlon • • o t.bo population ma.y rest quiet." 

At Trau, a 01ty of ~ome 26 g 000 inhabltantBJ the looal officials 

plaoarded publ10 plaoea to thDt effect. Muah exeroised ovor thio 

blou to ItalIan pre8tig~, Rambo wroto to Niblaok aak ing uhe thvr 

bo bad dlotrlbutou Duch infcrmat1on. cnd Dimultnneou61y lodged n 

formal protGst. Admtral Nlblaok oOlllpoeed n aoorohlng r&joill dOl' in 

whloh he etatedt 

"My annner 16 , yo e. I did not eive an , direotions to thG Lo onl Government as to 

how to ~9G tbl0 intor~atlou> ond •• ott 1t ITas 

poet0d, 1 aD very glaa. o.beoauv6 i t oorved the 

purpose for uhlc h I intended the info~mQtlon.,. 

namely, to allay the taar, ex oit emen t, und dr~ad 

in thin community ( Arooriean ~o~eJ that any 

oh ango ~1 11 b e Made 1n tho pr~nent BrrQngomont." 

rlatu ra.lly thia only rubbod salt in tho uound p but Rombo porforoe 

let tho matt e r drop ainc a he had no oontrol ovor tha pO~ rg of tho 

' 

i 

- ----

------------~-- ~. -.-----. "' -. ~- ..-"-"...~-- -- ~ -----.­

82 


, 

P-..mcrioan. I!.C!val OV01"l!O~~ nor ooula [litig"' '' o.1 tol" dispoll1t1oD6 in 

hi 9 201\e. 

Thi s inci dent hro~ o into x~11et th9 oompl sx arrQngem$nta 

in tho Amal"' j.tHiD ~one, it 111ustratos tbo typo ot BOl'tie. aa tual 

"B,lld umQ'7e d~ by uh:i. llh Italy E1.tt Gmpt cd "to pO i:l0"trat.,. 1nto tho re g ion . 

end ;"'0\1 the naval gov~l'I!or met cuoh a R-ntQqA by flranosfJ IllHl 

oXorciso ot mora l iufl1.10llGoo It typit 1eo tho harBon,. uhf.et.. e:d st&d 

bt) tweeu thlJ Yusofllnv liIil!t ary Dorsonn e l and the Aill.orl oan nd~iral. 

and un60rsoor0s the ir To luot~~~o to aot alo D0 ~ga1 uet It aly b y 

ah~ginG that thoy norkod throuGh tho DG¥sl Govorllo~o I t prov1d o~ 

a 0 &60 study' in the: use of proDagttudo. by Niblaok , o.ud portl" ay fJ tho 

fU)J. ction3 0 f t ho At1!'iatic COlt1A1ttOE! 60 tho instrn.oGnt of in.tel'... ·­

01110(1 naval oooporut 1.otl and its 01aploym0ni:. s a a court or fWp eal o 

li':i.nGll:Y D i t ..e oor ds · onG 1nsten(lO in tho o xooutioll ot tho ."i.merioWl 

mi sn10D to Itaaalot 1000.1 gav0rnr.lOn t. ."3" , in this Oe. 3S 'by i'X""G.Gt1"o.tiug 

a oont.ellnplat.ed I talian GApanoiorJ. into oontra l Dalli1Qt1.oo 

Tbe dcgroe ot control exoroio od by tho Amerioan admirml 

1n 01 $ zona varied with alrcntTIlZltnnOOEl bu.t h<!l u.\'itaye eX(ll'tod So \11 40 

i nfluenco. He ua9 not responsiblo tor the ooloDzal job ot l"e 11~f 

after tho E1 X"m.iot1o a, fol' that 1"9ffi5.illOd wtthin the prov inoe o t 

Herb er"t. Hoovo rfs organi za tion. Admiral Bull a:t'd d i d , nO '1E1V Elr, aa ulot 

Colona l Atwood . r,hom HO OVQ!' h ad do'~ a1l.e o. as his r ep reeontati To 1n 

sa"l.-b l ll. , "to Elxp€ldit a tba t'lo\7 of toocl::;tuffo to Adriatio ports on dar 

an AAflr i caD Qr edit ext.ended liO 'iil1at gOYCrnlIlSnt,,, Docking fuoill tie s. 

Bteva dorG 8 , and wnrohoua oG ~ore err anBed tor by Dll l lard ' s st att to 

I':' 9 

handle thece tood Dh ipmant o" Thi s hu anitnrl~n program d id n ot 

.I .Y ) Fer. R:ll. I Pario Pt< uc a Con fe rQn0 9 , IIp 68 3 ana 713. ~ 

~ 
----- - - - - -------- ----

83 

._............,--_.. 


ondoar itsoli to tho Italian navy whioh ~a~rn d for ltn full 

pound or flesh. Early 1:0. eo omb0~~1918.Itlll. iuD.B ho.lt Gd t tl0 l~d n 

faod1JbJ.p::: at Catta.ro th at W(Jr0 b ou nd, tor t.ho rolief of Spal ato. 

too ­ alld esoorted t ho vessels t,o an Ito.1 11i\1l PO?t. It 1 a true that 

t ho Supreme Council did not 11ft tho i~drlE1.tio bloo!tnQo until Ua.roh 

141 

8, 1919 , fllld tht:.t tho)';'efor o !'i;aly could eppoQ.l to the lettar at 

the 13."<1. bu~ hoI' aotion was manlfaatly oo:n.tl"adlotory to tho p""U.oy 

o t the' Unl ted sta to (l a.nd Br1to.'-n. aDd tlae 1nt ~jl c:10d to 'ixort Goonom,i o prlHISUl'G upon the Yugoalavs in Oaloe.t.!Q.. Roither Bullsrd noi' 

the State Department protoated the matter to Ita1yo 

On the other he nd ) certain Got~ of th~ A~er1can naval 

governor dOlhoautrate the v1rt\H'l.lly bouudl.;s/3 limi tn of hie £l.uthor1ty" 

Wben tho Yuaoo1a.v Govorn~6nt ~.n Bolgr~d& £lou ght to reoru'. t troops 

in tbo Aoarioan zono, Aaruiral An6.rotra pr9v"",,nted ~ t by "personlll. 

142 r.Gpro~onto~io~ to (tho) l ooal govtllrnaont,,'" On tno ditforsnt 

oooaoloua Bolgroao atto~yiOd ~o 1~ t~oduo o Ju eos1av law into tho 

zon0; bo t h ti~Q9 Ua ra~J ~Q~1~~ud by 1ndlcav1ng that. be1ng en 

oooup1eu tQl'l':i.t.oz·}fo th0 ro~io n n tH.l "\:, roua1n under tho AUstriD.n. '-aw 

. 143 

of ito to~m5r Govero i suQ Conz~au~ly tho navel governor played tho 

_. ~ .. '""

140 A1do mamolre, Sorbian Logat1on to Departmont of State, . Docomb or ~I 1 918. ~or. P. l~, Perl n Ponoa Confer~noe) II~ 321. . .. . - .... 
 -,-

141 liinutss, C~H\noil of Ton. l1!l.l"ch 8, 1 91 9 . Nnval Re cords, 


File QW~ 

142 


Admiral Audro\'lCl to Havnl Operations , Spalato to tiaahington. 


July 3, 1920. l-laval A:'Oh1v$ s, l~~l e 29 23'.., (5, 1 . 


143 


Ibid. 


y A 
84 

---'.-.-.-..-----..-~--......---.~=---- --.. -.--~--- -~ ...------­

rollS ot mod io.1.o r end arbit:>'atoX' in adJustinB qU0stions b 0 t _fJ80n 

the provisional gO'1ornme n t and Italia.n nuthoritioa. HCl prSD!9oted 

the atatornents M d opinions of one :'!lcl~ to th(l otQ.elr. or, both 

parti es willing, he deoldod o n an issue. HUffierous exnmp lG6 of 

." 

thi s form of co ntrol a re cn :reoord. On his own lnltl a tl vG 

Adm ir el Andraga dl sQo ntlnued on April as, 1919 the 1nterallled 

patrol establish od by the Adriati c Comm itt€le, a unil ateral e.ltera.. " ..: 

tion or on~ltlon8 in the American zone. He "forcod the SOl'b s 

,-I S 

(Jugo91e~B] to' take thG mi litary oo ntrol on sho rG~ n but at tho 

same time instituted a emaIl American Doval p atrol dragn t~om 

Unit ed staten ships prossnt to' c i rculat e in Sp alato d uri ng dayl ight 

>t/o 

houra . In th it.l way Andret'ls elill'l inat.ed the Europoon ellte!;! 

from sharing any vestige or tbe authority vested in h im ao fnr a a 

polioo pouer ashore wu s concorned. ejected p8rtlc~la rl y t h e Itullana 

whom be oonsider ed troublemakara , Dnd together ni1.ih the J'llgos1 8v a 

polio ed. t he araa with Ame ricaDs . This errengeme nt cootlll.uad un t.U. 

the occupation endod in 1921. 

The prooeUOB of rt e liv.n D8Yfll units in the harbol', honover, 

oontinued to bre ed disordor even atter t h eir orewe had been excludod 

fro m the patrol s . On ~e rch 11 •. 1919 It a lia n naval personnel beca~e 

."' involve d in n minor riot , and aGain on Uay 15, that aQm~ yoar U 

. ·Pj Nav al Archiv es, file 29231. 

:~~ldm 1rnl Andrc~s to Faroe Commander, Spa! at o to LondoD, July 

25~ 1920. naval Recorda , File ~ 

.,- l.{emors.nd.u1!l , Offioe of Na val Rec or ds end Lib ra ry, 

to A.C . D. , },tnrch 22 , 1 943. 

, ', - U. S.s. Ol ymp io, Logb ook , :b'.rc h 11, 19 1 9. 

~ ~ 
--------------

80 

rl.ist1trbance ·... a~ ,· ~ ;; '; o1te te d when lta ll an ofneers failed to ·atand a.t 

148 

fo" ... ..... •..."'rbian national antheL1 . Elsewhere the awnc flort of
 8. tten t1on • .. .. • 

friction bBtW' e~:-. -: ;?,'J sl av9 and Ital ians also t ook ol Rce : f or examnle , after 

an attempted It.<<: 'A"', encr oac~en t UTJon Lai b<>.ch. t !16 frontier between 1t31y 

and Jugosl avia >, <o ~ -; 10ged on Februar!, 21, 1919 . nowhe r e along the Dalmatian coast did .:; :tal1e.ns enuce-vor to edl)?t a more conciliatory atUtude. Even Sl¥. ~·. ·.:- ~ranchi ..... ,ho l\.S!':.Qc i ated himself with the mo r e mode rat ~ 

renunclatori ~e,~ .~?uld exclaim: 

li The : ,.;~-::318va do not exist ; t hey ha ve never existed. Tr.e y 

arc ::,.; :"1,:.1 Croats, end we kn ow by bltter exne rience that •.• 

. t.hey I;. ::': !:'lo r e or lea s savages cont.rolled "o.:r the prip.sts • • • n 149 

Spalb,t;', '.taB full of thouna.nds of ,r.ef1.lf:ess frol'! the 1 t.al1M 

zone to the norU': ·...:"l".lre t he aggressive Italian naval gove rnor Adm t r a l 

Hi llo r uled wi th l;. fL iron hand . J ueoslavs were beaten, t he ir rat i on cards 

seized, and oth'Jr 11 1Sagreeable cI"J.elties infl icted on them. H1110 ~U:?

'!lresaed ell ne r fll"'("ll liberties, and. dissolved t he Jugoslav press and 80­

c'ieties; he H qn!,ln lP.d thirty out of t.hirty- thr ee l!Ill!Lic1:oat councils, and 

dismissed more l·l"n half t he loca l magistrates. Teachers, docto rs, p riests, 

and politi cal It·(I.\flT'fI "'ere harassed , denorted in "o£Ltche8, and r eplaced by 

Italians . I n or.l .. r to erect a f acade behind which t o CPl,rry out t h h ruthless 'Oolley of d"lIl,~tona li2ntlcn, the Ita lians i ssued false r e'Oo rts of 

smallyox ollt br(,l.l{ ll . Anidemics of skin disease , l',nd t he l i ke . l!'iO It 

148 U.S.S . OlY! ~~ \ ''''' . I,ogbook. Hny I!" , 1919 . 

149 Di a rv of GIH" 2~, nrfl.nta . It ~ly 191~ -lm, p . 229 ; ed ited. by Fl orence C. 


;:>era~z a , N(,lo' Y,n 'IC _ 1941 . 


1!10 la ter ial on t l :' \ Ian Activities in no rthe rn Dalmatia durlnr, the occupation 

has b een CI) '!. I" l'..I from t he foll owing sources. Admiral Andr e\~' t o Ben son , 

Venice t.o P:\,'\" . ~lny 10 . 1919 . (N~vd Reco r ds, Pile U- UB) , H. Tempe rley \ed . ) , 

Pe!lee Conf!: I· •.'."...,'·., IV , 304 e.nd note , Re po r t of Italia n SenH.tOI' Salvemlni . Novemb 24 l O"l' ',' ..t. Hiller , 1'\;1 DiRTV at the Co nference o!' Paris ( 21 vols. • New Y~~k, i92Sr. · ;'\. \3-13 , Doc,844, R"! po rt of rr'Jfessor H. Temo erfey on Dp.lnatl a , 

Au rtl 2~. 1:11,,:1 . I; will be noted tha t t!1e sO'J.I'ce ~ .are Ame ricen , ItalilFl , and 

Brltish nH:" , ,,~ \ "<l-:V; each agree on Italla.'1 t errorlzl\tion. 

1 " 
---- -------- ------- -- -~" -~ ------ ---..__.__.­

S6 

, 


.
 

be comes ob~ioUB th ~~efora, aby fr i ction Bhould de?olop be t~Gon 

]ugoslav8 and It a li a ns kn tho ~~~r1oan zon ~ h~n Just a taw 

mil es I'llHl.Y s uoh n br·u.. l p ro gre.m tta l'} be itlg con d uct od by Admi ral 


Millo. Aftor Nitti s uo oe od ed Or lando as prime ministor on June 


19, 1919 t erro riza tion / ot 1ugoelave abate d, but leTg$ numbe rs 


oo nt in 1J~d to ~ti'08.l'I! into c entral Delt!at 16 nhQre th~ pre sen oe of 

:.:; I 

t hQ Al1l91'ioon n evol g overnor Buaranteod dO(J~!lt tl'Ela t men to .. Admira l Andrau a uBated no symp athy o n Italian methode . 

In n despatoh to Admira l Bon eon h@ f latly e tatedt 

"The mo re r oe6 and h ear the mora r know 

the ItaJ.1en demanda ar e wi thout j1.l atioe~ 

an d th eir actions based onl y on orualty a~d 

lack of oono.1,dorntion. Thoy a re totally 

unr eaoo Jlab1 0. I hav e hald tho BOaleo eva n [Ello] 

hera, a nd n~e dlsp eno Gd justioo 60 tb~oth 

s i ded 0.'0 gl:ateful . " .s'~. 

,He opined t ha t the Italiau naval eomr,lQnd had '(1 1th fo",""e­

. t bo ught solect ed offic ors mo st aggreoa1ve end re okl e ss i n t eroporamen t to ·doal with Dal ma. tian affa irH, s nd h e ohara cte rized Adr.11 ral 

Ro~bo, chairma n ot the Adriati o Co mm itteo, &B "one of the mo a t 

: ;,- ~ 

Bnnoying an d con't empt!bla parsOD s [he h a d] ev er met." What 

Andr OW8 d id not comp r ehend was that any pro te stat i ons ot gratitude 

he re oe ived fro~ I t ali an n aval otti~er s in aok no nl odgmant fo r 

b a vin g . "disp onsed justice" we re but te~porery and skin-deep. Tbe 

allcg()d hi s torian, Camill o ?lnntron1 , apo ke ~m an for 'th e Italian 

na vy and more modo ..ate thnn ruoet , 1n 1 92 3 alluded to th e Dalmati a.n 

.,:.;: Adm ir a.l Andrews t o For c e Comrr.a.n dor for t he secretory 0 f tho 

Navy, S palut o to ~;esh1 ng ton via Lon don, Fo bruar y 17, l i 20 0 

NaYal Jirch i yes , File 64'11-228 . 

~'. Aamirnl Androws to '0n60 n, Spn l ato to Parls, May 1 9, 1919 . 

l: nval Re.co rd s, File u.. un • 

• 

AdmirSl Androi1t' to Henson, Ven i ce t o Par l s, /.lay 10, 1 919. Na v~l nd cor do, F1 le O-UB. 
87 

ooOup a.t lon a pplying to tb.$- Ame rionn navrD.l governorl3 !}uoh ' o:plthota 

,Y"I 

80 ignora.nt, insulti n g, c.nd tUOputut:lO\lS, It 1~-not eurprloing 

that the admi!'sla Bhcr.Z.d have incur:t'ad Ilueb hostility, fo r in 

carry-1·ilS' out the political fcnturaG of tha Juuarieen :missiou' they 

uere compelled, the situation in the eastern Adl"iatio being uhat 

it Was, to adopt an antt-Italian attitud.e. 

An incre aoing spirit of .TlJ,goolev resistance tq Italian 

oppre ssion bec am e notio eab l e in the tor0part of 1920. The naf1onoe 

youth was eaGar to begin .3.S!-Ttatadj\ t'lG.l·fare, and obeervera ozpreuflod 

tbE! opinion thF.l:t the Jugo sl avs poesslSsod the nGoGSGt:.ry pover to 

I;>Y 

drive Italy from her zono 1n Dal rnRt ~ ~ l1GVGrtltelo Go,olller b:ends 

among the Jugoalav9 roa11xed b orr strong ~a3 their position boror~ 

the Dorld, and that to launoh Q ci.r:l.v~ aga1I:.Dt the Ita11ana tiould 

r esult in proJl.ldiotng th~t ta.vol' ablo international BentlmGIlt. Rnel 

hostilities on 8. Inrgo ecslo er t.i.pted it 1s very proba'.1J.o that Admirt\l 

Andretlo and his dotachment ~oula have been withdrawn from Dalmatia.. 

In t his connection it 10 significant that Seerat ary of tho Wavy 

Daniels, reaponding to e. Sen ate X'eaolution oal11nB tOi~ informa t ion 

on Dalmatia, stated thl::!. t An dr ews had Pno real :fu n ction in th e 

I S .. 

Adriatio 0 thaI' t.han to safeguard" tbe Aust ri an ar sh1p9, an 

:Sf C. !lanfroni, Storie. o'e 11& ffi8.:rlna Italt. ana durant::) la e.uorrn 

~~dl le, Bologna j 1 923, ~~iEt ~-~&3PG ai ellr page 383. 

}'or really rubid .fork OD. tilEl ";:lUro aroisIO.o n of the ItuliflD 

navy co nsult A. Balli ano aDd G. S0 8v i J Ltlt n11a Rul nul'S nella 

arando &£.Q rl' a , To r ino, 1 934 ; and A. G1noeo b lettl, La gU'il.rr~1":!. ..­

aut !!is "" ;) , H.ome , 193 0. 

Adro lral Andro~8 to Naya l Opsr~tlQne, Spal~tQ to Washington, 

lune 27. 1920. ~8val Arc~lTB Rt Fl1 ~ 6471-23015 . 

secretary of th e Navy Daniela to Prcs ~ent ~11 ,o n, Octobor 7, 

1919 . Ko od ro w Wilson Co11eotion, File VIII, Box 6. 

.-, 

f 

--------------

.............u ___,_......:..._____ ·_. ~_."'__>.......... ___ _
_ _ : ---- --"'-~~.~-~ -"""'-----~""':" ---"

88 

• 

offioial pO G1t1on inoouv~t~blo ul th t oe actual fact of th o adm1ral t o 

control in hl~ 20h@ o Th1a ooourrad in Ootober, 1919J when tho big 

. 4obatG on t bo Treaty ot Vero&illG D waa proBoting isol ationism in 

the United Stuto Do By the m1ddl~ ot 1920 ieolottaniam had DO far 

p rogr0$sed that ~DU"O oompllcations in tho Adriatic almo~t inevitably 

uould uavo reaultoa 1n r ec nll of the Am5rio QD do ta ohms nt, 

No thing like that hapPGllQ d p bv.t ~hl[) :J.Bgl'Bvatlng pre.f;Jenoa 

of Italian men-of- oar a t SpalBto and tho grou1ng raatlaasnesB of 

1ugoolavo tbrollahou t Daln~t10, a fooling uhic h oommunloatod itse lf 

to t~ e Amor1aun 20llG t cr0eto d oon di tion e t hnt tinally e~ploded i~ 

a v!dG3prOaa el eeh . On J~ly 11, 1920,the Itnlien orui acr ~ 

1ay- zoorod to a bZ00aln<;a tGr in Spalato- hartlo i'. 'h;o Ital ian potty 

offlcel'l9 pc.lloe <lenD a J"u g o!llav flag tly- ine no m.rb yo Thoy woX's 

contootod by OO ZI G' nf'.tlvE}.a, aild bofol"c lens the oon tagion had 

I/lproad ~Ith pnrt1 en~ of 'both ' si doo baotanlng t o join th e tray. 

In t ho onDuing Bun fie ht a fQ ~ man woro killed O~ ~o un dQd, but no 

15 7 

Amerlenn ne.tlonalo nero in volv0dv Tklts riot t'l"lghtonet'l. and ang El l"a4 

Italisn Qu thoritlGD. Admil,"c l Millo le6uG(\ a dcoroQ mioh he o au0ad 

to be posted In tho Itnlit:1n zone allonS o th(.n~ thi ngs clGvnting br oaoh 

of poaGe to B orl~Q , and tlBbta~lnG up on pasnport ~egulat1onBo 

Doportatiolls i OL'W dintoly 1noroas Qd 111 701UIilOo Dwe lling tho J\,soslav 

.lSf 

p opulation in thG .A.aor 10 t'l.ll :"".c nO e 

157 Admi rnl An tl::-3't'O ·to Ih178 1 Oporat ion f3. Spal a to to ao hi11gto n ~ , 

luly IC, 1920 . Nave l ArohivOD , rl1e G471-2S0IG~ 

I $ .{ Adu lrsl An(1r.3...,O to Naval Opcu "st 10!l El , 3 pal at o to Wa shington, 

luly 19~ 1920 t Il nvnl Ar oh1ToB, FIle 6471-8301 6. 

\ A 
89 

Thot'e 16 no e 'tid on oa to ahoi1 t ha t the fJtlEH'!ea D n aval 

patrol concernod 1t ~e f with pa c ifying th l ~ cl~sh, but Admiral 

An dr ewD d id UDd~ ta ke to investigate the lncldGot , an d biB flndIn~ 8 la1d thi3 bl ame upon ths "Ita.lians. Admi ral Millo d o ap a. t.ohed 

Rear Admi ra l Renio to Spa lato fOl" a consult a tioll with An dr0't7~o 

Ca ptain 1.! en in1 of the .f.;.!.~11et and Rosi o ando much of a :p erv~rt0d. 

halt- t ru th that Itali an naval perBonuo l could not go aBhoro vlthOl1t molestation by hoatilo J'ugo"la va . Andreu 9 mainta1nGd 't ho.t if 

Italy ttl. thdr 0W her l:Jarshlps from Spalato p£laoe vlOuld b e restorod 

in his zono~ This th$ It a l lQua refna e d to do, to~ It aould "look 

' 159 ltkG being dr~vo n away. M Admira l A~ar~~s had no power to ardor 

Ital ian warship s from Spalato sino e th2 oooupation wae unde r int.or... 

allied au s pioes. b ut it lay nlth1n h is prov i!lo'e to d(l)ny Italian 

,liberty part169 tho prlvlloBO of go ing aahora 01noo be waa, ohargo4 

with t he prosorvation of ordo r in the zone . Be nOVGr did taka 

thi s s'top , pre eumobly to avoid a t urtbsr d e terior ation in It a lo... 

Amerioan rol e. tiona on t~e Da l matian 11 ttoral, llnd cona e Q..u ently 

paid tho ~en lty 1n boing foraed to 40al with Inter~1ttant disturb4 

anoaS. 

Another illcIdent h a d Gn;rl1or ooourrod I». tho Amorioan 

zone wht ch mu st be sk e tohl':ld i n b oro boo<lu OO it illustrate e hOtl 

tho naval gov~rno r by a. Dho \'1 ot foro>:} d'301 t with an I to.ll o.n sortie. 

d Ga~rlGl t a: Aununz$,o. po~ta.' ter and !rroflponB1bls oha v.v l11iat., bnndal1 

to gether a motlGY rabbl~ ot tl11bu8tore. an d on $ op tbmbor 12 , 19 19~ 

c elaed F 1u!!Io. tho rogu, l ar Xt al11ln dlyieioilD in oooupat1on thcrs 

aonvan1on t l y l'0 treatlng bofore b1s fow riffea . Usine; c. a1milal" 

159 Nn lOn'ratlon' AdJ:1il"sl Andr ewf) to" ::sp al b.\. 0 to W'o..<1h1ogton, luly 213, 19.'aO. 


Naval :Arohtv ee: ~ Fi le 6471-23016.. 

---

....... -;~-. ,~ ..----~ -- ----

~ 

-'~-......-.- -_._,...... 


90 

t oohniquQ, h is :p&~tiGeJ1'" att0lD.Dtod to captUI'0 othe~~ to O'ma dO:Jirod 

by Itelie.u im:perla11&t a . Se¥orQ. l tl"uck loads of 1I'x'ogulal'(,) 

off1oerod by 6 captuin cm~~eGa tEam thG Italian zon~ in Daln etla 

on S eptomber 23~ and d08oendod upon Trau ~ho:t'G, after a bri e f 

I;; 0 

skirmish, they d i s a rmod tho small Jugoalav sar~iGon. Tbe 

Bel gra de g overnmont bolioved this ua3 th~ beginning of a ooncert04 

attaok o n Dalmatia, and aOGordlngly prote s tod vlsorouBly to t~e 

Pesoo ContarDtleO~ but befor~ tho ponderQuS wheola ot dlplo~a oy 

oould turn the affair had llube1dod.. BG(lOU8@ Trau nae £I1tuatad 

in the A1l!.el"icHl.fi zono p tho Gortie baceme a p roblem tor tho naval 

governor~ Appealed to by tho p rovisi onal govarurn~nt of Dalmatia 

an~ by the SGl'biEU.\ gonora l in command of Jugosla.v troops, t.he 

neval governor gent Ceptsln Boyd togethor with lauding parti~a 

trom tho Ol YBol0 and Cowell ~to gi ve notioe that they [ItBll~~ ~- !lIj 

filibuBter8] would not be allowed to takG tho oity of Trau." 

floyd presented. tho Itolione 'I',lt b a. two .. hour ultlma tun, and th0Y 

wlthdre ...·• So great was the Dxoral influence of tho Americans that 

a show ot tore~ 6uft 1osd to end thG illegal occupatiou. 

Afraid that DIAnnunzio'a followera aould not re3t content, 

partioularly after he had bomb a3t iooll~ deolarod war on Jugoslavia. 

(6 epte~bor 29, 1919), the Belgrad0 governmant In October 1nvoked 

tho On~Led stutes to ordor more warships to the Adriati c tor tha 

purpos e of protecting Jugoslav intere6ts and stabilizing oondit1onSe 

I~ ~ Secretary of the linvy Daniela to President Wiluo n, October 

7, 191 9. Woodro" i ilaon Collsction, File VIII, Box 6 • 

• I Admirnl Niblack, Memorandum on th3 Adriat ic. 

) ~ 
91 

Tb1s request was don.iot'l., and Admil~al AnuX"t)II51 r03o~i.,ea. no r(3au.foroo'" 


J' "­

menta. lfl'ith x'egurd to the Tre.~ eOl'tie it iu a OlU·!01.\~ taat 

that Admix-a1 llillo !Hlked the Amol' io nD navo.l gOvernor· to turD. the 

raid01~fI baok, u ncl whon it h sd boon aocomplished, OQ.llvay €t d hiCl 

thanks. It 1 B oux-laus bocause in 60 do ins Hillo did not follon 

the polioy of bis govsrrrmontG Ostensibly to put press ure on 

D'Annunz l0 Italy d0clared a blockade around FiuMe, but it weB 

rllms1e3t pe.per. a. f a roe . and 1 nt€lnded dO su e h t D' Annunz1o' G 

·1rregul~rG were evon permit·too. to garr1son the urm:1.stioe line 

alongoidEl batt alions of the;) I tali an army. In othor uords the 

Italian go vornIll ont tole r oted, 11'· it did not oonni\"o at tho Fiuoe 

gut '! . Now I taly did not yield her claims on De..li:1at1a until 

J. ::. 


Deo $mbsr, J.919 , hen oe it is difficult wi thout un~erranted 

spoculatio n to' acoount f o I' Millo' fl aotion in this inatauee, 


The proceding pnllOS hovo dODOribGd the nature of AmOl'iO&ll 

admin.i e tra t ion in c,ntra.l DaIrne- tin, and omph aalzed tho typo of 

probl al'\ enoountered by tb~· naval gOV O l'DOl' in c.arrying to r ws?cl the 

poH.tioel f'€ay-uros 0·1' his miarli.on. Wo mua"t noVJ turn to on oxar::in!).a. 

tieD of tho conclud1~g phas~a ot tho Am0rioaD occupation. 

----------------------------------~.~

I' -<-Admix-sl H. Knapp to Naval Opo r ations, London to W8sh!ngtoil i 

undated, but OotQbor~1919. Naval Arohives, F11e 2?844- 1126 . 

, ,,::R. ·'re:np orlo7 (cd . ) , petlee Con1'~! ~. IV, 311 ff . 

) ., 
----------

92 

"~_"~_ _"~"__o _ _ _ 

CONCLUSION 0]' THE OCCUPATXON • 

At P aris during 1919 the PQ80e Conference i ntormittently 


discussed the disposal o t all eurroodorad e~y wa r shlpo h eld 


9

- und er a llio d a urvG111ance. and t1. 1od to work out a gui d ing princl:ple. Tile b udding Angle-Allierl oBn nava l r'.valry, and toa sou t t ling 

o~ GGrman ~en·or~war ~t Scaps Flow in Ju nG~ lnJe otou Q nota ot 


bitterness into the conve r sat 1on s. I t wa o all DeOe:mb o l' 9, 1 919> 


0 " 

lf~ at the COP.teronoe of Ara baSB9.dora !inoll,. dcoi dGd that tho 

interned German and Auat an naval uuits oho uld bo ~~st ib ut ed 

among the a11168 aooording to a ton nage ratio which . incidentally, 

Bearc e ly took into acoount tho Goonomio oa er1fiO G ma de by the 

' I " 

Ull1te d States in tho lata ~r: ~ 'I'heGG vessels '\-lore to be bro kon 

UJI or cnDlr, oxc a p!- tor a taw un1ta th e. t FranQo· an d Italy 'Wore 

p ermitted to inooryo ~atG into their floats. The Con lor eooo 

e otabliehGd ~~ Interalliod Com2 ittoo t or the De ot nQtion of Ensoy 

9'arehlps to make al1oc at1oD3 o t spooifi0 shi ps Oll d gue.ra t~H'l th6ir 

di amautl1ns by tho rooipiont powo::.. To France thG IntGreJ.11ed. 

Committeo 611ott0d th8 ox-Auatri&n rc- ro a~ ou ht s Z~r1nt au 4 

Radatzkl. and t o I taly the to rp edo boste. lA and £a.. It u tll b o 

romomber ~d t bat th000 ah i~ e wer e in Amer10an ou to dy et Spalato. 

Sho rtly aftal~ t ho .s11oostlons hua 'co su tforkoa out on 

p ap er tho Fronoh pp ro ~ohea t he It a l ians th Q proposition to 

~·f plq\,\o d b y th:\'~, an d huv1nB llO \\!'G.o:o.'G s1re tor t h e rrare h 1ps 

an yway. the Unlta d st e t eo lt l~ tol J refuse d it o a l lottaO 

ahe?G. ThG t on itG~ notably thG Ontfri o s l e nd, whioh norD 

oo nvcyOd to t ho Unitod Sta '\:,os for ii iP;-;t-{on ~ -tectin13, 8I).d 

bo mbing wors ~oqu1r0d un do r Qnothor ~6r $nt. 

~ " 
-------------------

93 

, 


exonango their ships. ~~r1.n7l. and p0.d~~zU. for tho ?J'~n.:t_E\lG0E.' 

an $,,-Au.&t r ian ureadnought gralltod to Italy. Afte r S0 1ll6 d 01uy 

o aused by !t311~n reluctanoe , an agr30mG ~ nae affected in luly 

19 20 appro ving the transfer on tha b asic of a French ro~la0 to 

.nog otl ate with tho United Sta~ea for e qulok dolivary of the 

" . 

~,..~ '- ¥..~ an d H£" 4.?~~ t .') Italy. Th01' eforo, GTCn ~h 19 tho It alo~ 

P':renO"h opn ve raa'Gions t.e rs in progr es 8, Italy (i.'1apl.ayed a ke en 

int(lreat in th e two p re - droadn oughtll ancho r od in Cas"tol11 Bay. 

tIo late:r than Fobrual'y .1920.• Italian nuthor1t1eo 'rl:'quoo t e d Admiral 

Andrews to dc11vor t h@ ships. buit roferring the matt~r to the 

fo roo oom.m. and cI' 1 n Lon don ubo got ill t ouoh \11th the Ame:r1 o nn 

an basaador tn Fnria, Andr0 ~D found ~ lta1 1an apPGel don1od on tbo 

gl'oundo that Hit nas an attompt to remov o ou r l'sa :;:on fol:' baing in 

1.., 

the Adrt ~t1o~ end t hUD g0t thv American nhipa out." Having 

l1ttlc faith in It a lyGB eo od 'oo hav:lol" i n th0 Ad~?!c. tio thG AEer1ot!.n a 

t urnod down the app11c et1ou. 

In M&r ch.~92 0~ nbon AdNil:'al Androwo uaD in Rome . the 

ItQliM rtl. 1n!a °t:.Gl' of tle ln~ :&"o opsnoo. the Q.\.l,ost1ont On this oc oasion 

AndrcuB ~mpo :r! ze d by replyins tha t tho .S1l.1 P 3 would pl'obab ly be 

dolivo :rod 'flnen t.he Treaty ot St~ Gerl:1a1no ha d bo~m. :ratified. by the 

th roe ~a rv r Qqu1 01to ofo~e it onaD lnto foreGo Ag a in Andro~s 

tOl'warded Italyt B equcH t t o tbo force eo ll."lau d0l'", Admir ~l Knapp_ 

At the 8~~0 time i taly uah~d th~ rn~tt~ r th ~cugh ~e gular dlplooa t lD 

ob«nnoloJ the Am6 rloan ~~ba03Rdo~o to P~~1 B end Roao oab lod to tUG 

State :!Ipa:i'tnor.~ the wiahGGI of th3 It e.llan gOTCrnI-lGint . QD d tho , 

~S Neval Arcb! '1083 . F11q) 28983- 208t 1 0 

i'~ Naval roh1v~e t Fl 10 287060206,1 . 

) .--:. 
94 

..._....z,,-.• _ -' ____ ". __ __

Italio..n embsosndor to Wunhlngtoll pCll>"'i3ono.lly I!l.atlo similar rG pr~... 

960ta.tioIlV. B"lt the Steto Do purtme nt t'l'no reluotant. It dOllired 

prlmor11y to cond 1t ion traustcX' of tho TIut"ah1pe upon tho el:::ltll ... 

tan00 UD Qv8cllut10n of c~ntr~l Del~ilt1a by American and Italian 

navel foroco~ that i Sf to 11Q.u1dato tho Mo,r-ioan mia ei oll £U00086o 

fully by Elsnoeuv(;n.·1ng 0.11 Itel.1.o n a hlps out o f Spalatoo 

Admiral 1I.nCirC'.ls E'.l:rnphat1oally Gndorood this ett1t.uc..e it! 

" " 

lUIS' 1920~ nnd evon 'iJ€lnt boyond by reoo l'iLl!!end1ng thc.t A!II.erie t\D. \lotto 

be thdr~~n fro ~ Spaloto »1: tho Italian unval por oQunel Gm~1nGd 

there end continued th/3il' prO[,lagnn4n and provoca tivG t Got1 os ...•1 

uinos 1 t ml.ght appear tbat the Unite d St.ates waEl SUDP0 4'tins 

1'7 

Italian PQll~y. Authorization for unilatoral evaouation dla 

not oome throus1:q I t:ll o.".lU.1!'Jr! oon nogotillt1ona in Washington lagS; Ode 

ca.rrying out 'i:.hell' p s r t 0 t the t l'a.n sfor barga. in ro tol';\'OU to QbQV0, 

the Frenoh no,", 1 njoctod tb9r.!.::J91v68 1 nto the quoa t 1.on~ On 

instructions from Paris the FI>fJUob naval tlt~, aGh6 1n Romo askod tho 

Ar.tarieen att.e.oho to have t,ha W.!lt1, ;.~..f}Y.JlkJ"t, Qnd tho tl!tCt tor pOdo 

boats turned OV r to Italy. Perhap s un~~are that thio otep wa s 

linked to a luresl' politioal problom. the Am~r ~can naval a~taoh6 

on AUgU6t 6, 1920,... ai r.'l ply d i root ed 0. l!! EH!lOrandutn to Andl>e~'G advi"eius 

him to Bet in touch 111th bis 80 n101'2 an d tho):l a.c l 1\·~J:" tho msn-of .... 'Q9.r 

. l 

to Italy. 

- .- I Ad miral Andrews to Naval OpBra t lona, Spalato to Wanhlngton , July 25, 1920. l!aval ArchiveD, Fil e 29 231-8 0 

·:: Naval Arohives, Fi l G 2e7a5 20a:l~ 

,., 

f 

95 

, 


Obvioualy Admiral /Uldre'ilD could not take such action 

n i t hout notruot~onc tror1 the i'orcc commonder, 80 ho 1'61'01"re d the 

meIlloran6. Ul!1 to AdIllil'£l.l KnElPP.. Bo, in turu, cJl'Pl1.\?d. to Washington 

tii th tho X EH)U 1't. that tl'lo 1~ngu16 lilg diplomat,!o· n0got!ati oI!o 

revivad. On SeptCl.r:lbc:r 12, 19201 tho I t alia.n BOVarD.J:l€ll'\.~ dof1nl tlvely 

deolined to evaou.ate its 3h1}>s f :rom S;pal ato in l'0turn for ths 

ib; 

d011V81'Y of the O% "·AuBt l~ lau men-of-our. Having no o thor a lter­ .' . 

na'Hve , niJ;lco 1.t oo u ld not postpone the matter indofinitol y , the 

State DGpa~ tment aocopted the I talian pocltlon. So it h~pponGd 

that in laJGe Ootober Admiral AudrOfl3 l'o{l.s1ved an Qutbor1zatloD. to 

turn o vor the sh ips, all d0tal1~ of the op0ratlon boine l eft to 

h ie disc r atio:G. The Italiano foaX'Gd if they tllameelvoG remCtvod 

the vosBele 1 t wou). d be so dia"taa iotul to t he J'ugoalav0 th"t tho 

ep e ct ao la might .,. ell prerd.pitote C\ riot 6sho ro . Rcal"' Admirnl RE'JDio 

therefore euhmitt ed theso views to Admiral Androt13, Nl d asked t ha', 

American unlt ~ tou ths uarGh1pa outside the hQrbor. Upon hiB 

c onson t the Q,1;Y-TIlp 1.1i. and t wo deotroyera on Noveraber 7, 1920, toua4 

. the ax-AuatriBn bnttlaah,"pe out to 3ca in the dir.ectlon of S.'~ben ioo 

, , 

whero the_y woro or.lU~llY' mad.'3 over to the ItElio.l'. navy. This 

operation conoluded the ne.v!l.l eop!3 c ts of the American mission in thG: 

Adriatio bGgun t no years baforo almo st to a daY e 

--_._----­

,,' 	I I'calie.n Ambassador to Mr. Colb y, September 1 2 , 1 920. Naval 

Archivos, Fil e 28766 ..151125. 

Int611i gcncQ Raport, November 9, 1920; Nava l Records, Fils 

a-10-a. Also NaYBl Arch i ves , F il e 28785- 208 ; 3, " and 6. 

All v alu nble parts of the t wo torysdo bo ats nhich bad baen 

wrecked by B ator,:a elarllor i n tho youX' ~!9r6 6tOVl~d aboard tho 

battleships whQn tho ItQli~ D& roceivod then in Nove nb or, 1920. 

r 

1 A 
-------

--- ---

- ...........-.-.• .• '- ~~...........-.. __..;. _ _•...o.-___ _ _ ._____"'"__ _ _ _"'__ ____... .____ 
 .........~ 

96 

• 

If It a ly, as QP~ears likely , hoped to induoe the United 

states to uithdra';'t its v) or s hi p !l f:rom Spal~to imme d i atel y follow... 

ing t ho d isappearanc e' o f thQ ZXl. i.ni. end at'le tzl~y only disappointment 

IlT1s1te-d. because American units remai n e d f or a no t he r eleven months. 

Ita ly having r~rus~d to &~B¢ ata i ts men-or- TIer f rom Sp a l at o when 

tho e x -Austri a n pre~dl"oadnought9 \'fer'a deliYE>Tod to Italian 

representativos, the State Dep a~tment h~ d the navy ma l~t a1n American 

vessels on station. !t s a g s s tur e, but an important one. True 

enougb, It a ly had officiall y re linqu i sh ed cl a i ms to Dalmat i a in 

a memor a.n dum a d dreosed to tba tillieE!, (Decemba r 1919 ) . but 

v1e- ~~ v19 Jugoslavia aho p rossod tho olaims as a bergalnins p oint 

to o btain Flun a. Thin l'Ias no t raas Eluriufj;o On tho o t.her hand Ital1" 

l'8 oallod he r troops f;.:-om Ca tt e.!'o e nd Aut va~ i in Juna, 1920, whore 

t he y ba d boen stationed aD yart o.f an in tcr~l l i od force o f oec,-\pa.. 

. II 

tion since the early d8ya or tbs ermlstlc0. Eo~evo!.'. thl,3 Stat e 

. De partmont a:PPl1 xoilt,ly vr1sh'3d to Oti S ! t aly ':I l th4rau not only hoI' 

ship o tro ~ Spal Q~ but eleo h~r t ro ops from the Xta11an zona 

bofore oonclud i n. g tho Am@r:}.oan m'-o s 1.o n in t bo Adl.'iatl0 . 'l'he 

o b j ect ive, t h cretoro , ~a~ political in nRturG~ 

Se ve r al evente oecU1;'red about this Umo whi c h stro n gth(; oa u 

J"ug oe l e-.7i u , an('i. gav e o.o!)urenoe tha.t she l"!oul. d not f31 1 an eeny 

vi ct1m to I t ·ali an e.BB:r'{:t2. s io u . I n gu t ~ 1920$ tho C~SOh8 ol gnad 

/:1 Admira l Audrews to Naval Oparat1oD.s J Ootob~r l S, 1920. Nava l 

Ar6hiv~ ~ ) Fil~ 2S231 uCo e1. R. Tamperlsy, ~o~92_S2~!2lL~1 V~ 

309. Fr a uue h8 d~d oyer tba ~dmluistro lo n o f t bo C6ttaro 

region to th~ 3ug o~ lcve in O ober 13 2 0 , Bud ~vac atcd Catt srO 

finall;! on .{.::. ~;;' \::h ·t" 19:21. This liberated tho ea:rtorn Adria.tic 

l i ttor a l south of Sl~nc f2"cn a l l is {'l. '."lontrol . On ?l"{lf!oh <> V~ C \l. '" 

tlon s os 6M~r s~ um of C nfe~enc o of ATIb a h~c o to the 1ugoslov 

Dol n6 atloD, S eptembe r 15 : 1920. Nayal Arch! Q DJ F ile 

6471- £:)0 1:1" " 

.0 
97 

• 


8 convention of 8111aoo o with Jugo 81avla . This was fo llowed by 

the Troaty of Rapallo on Novembe r 12, in whi oh Ital y renounoed 

her olaims to Dalmatia, and consente d to sea Flume establisbed aa 

· an indep endent n ty~ :~h en) in June of t he n e;;:t year, Jueoslavl9, 

and RU~6nla initialed a n al l iance, the jugoslava were 10 a pOSition 

t o tak e oare of themse l vea. 

Equa lly reassuring to the state De partment was Italy's , 

announcement in the lat e tl inter of 1 920-21 that ahe ,",culd evacuat e 

the toll an ' ~one ot oocupatlon In four stages beginning April 1 

tr l t h the 6rl.Hl nerth of' Spalato. This first movement was carriod 

out on schedule, but subs equent wi thdrswQls V10re delay a d partl y 

oning to inertia, and part),y to tria di r.Uou l ty o f reconstruct ing 

the locnl governm6nts ublch Ad miral Millo had so thoroughly uprooted. 

I t ~as not unti l t he wint er of 1921 tha ~ Italian torces tinally 

loft Dalmatia. The import ant th ing trom the American standpOint 

wsa that It aly h ad committod. h orsel! to rotirG from the Dalmatian 

littora l. 

BotoX's this had be an ac oom:p li he~, Admiral Andrews was 

baek in the Unitod States. A final meeti ng of the Adri a t io Committee 

On January 31, 1 921J uouud up the buaiuoaa outstanding , eud on April 2 

Andrewe recei ved instructions to discontinue the Adriatl0 detaohment. 

That month. on t bo 26, he stoam~d out of Spo!ato aboar d the 01xmpi~, 

and after e xchang i ng a national salute with tho 9hore battery, 

-Navel A~c bive3, File 6869-731. 


ill!G, F ll.e 6471 - 230: 20 and 22. 


:'!omoran(\um , Office of NaTal Records and Library. 


to A.C.D. , lhrc h 22. 1943. 

f 

1 A 
---'--

98 

, 

ahlfteQ hie. flag outside: tho herber to the U.S.S. turtGv8.nt and 

proc 6ed ~d to Venluo. Two days later hs hauled down hiB fla g aD 

.' · 

commandor of t he Unitod States De.v3.1 dotaohment in t h e Adrl e tl0. 

That ho h3d undorstood and comvetontly ~4ecutGd the American 

political mission in the Adriat10 10 testified by a letter nbich 

he re oeived wh ile preparing his departure. It was sent by the" 

l~ goslav may~r at SebGnico, a oity in the It al ian zo ne, Bud thanked 

'. 

him s a a representati v e of the United StateR for hav i ng protocted 

" ' the Dalmatians from the I ta lians for the pa st two years. 

American d9stroYElrs reme.ino d at Sp aluto , however, after 

ADdra~8 lett th e station. Command of tho temp orary naval b aBo 

devolvea automatically upon th o senior offi~er prosent , but thero 

~a8 littl e to do . Italo... .ruf,oslav friction h ed n ot ent irely dlesp... 

poarad, but Italy was in the pro co os of liquidating her Dalmati an 

enterp~lso. Orders eventu~lly arrivod to close up the bane, and 

stranBe fate indo ed ~ it was accomplished by tho U.S.S. Reuben Jams! . .-~--

under the oommond of R.F. ?oghauID, Bonior of i'i col' in the Ad r iatic. 

Leaving a.mong other 1tema two propellers, a tug, and sevEn'a.l tone of 

oil to the Ju goalnvs J tbe dostroyer sailed for hO~B, thereby b eooming 

the warship th~t concluded A.>:!orican World War naval oporatlona in 

the Adr iatic th ea t er. It was September 29, 1921 ~han the ~Ub9Jl, 

~~ stood out of Sps1 eto . 

Helllor;:mdu::l, Office of Np,.val :tecor'ds and L1br'3.r;V, to A.C.D., M&rch 2~. 1943. 

Adm11'Ill An<tr611o'S to Admir a l .A,f'. Niblack, no dato but end of 

April 1921. Naval Ar chives, F1lo 29231~ll. 

~ " 
99 

As an lnd1oatlon of wha t thi r ty...flv e montbs of A1iLorlcan 

n aval control in c entral Dallll.nt1a meant to the J u goal a·ve one 

need only re tGl' to the parting conur,ant me.de to Zogbaum by 1,)r. 

ge~11clCt ' Sovernor of Da l matia . "ilhat." e.n:xiously Q.uoried the 

governor, "Dh'all we do noV! that we have no one to keep the 

17 

. Ital i ans from around our nacko?" 

'" 

• 

R.F. Zogbau~ t o Naval Oper ation s. October 7, 1921. Naval 

Archives, 28856- 67 1. 

~