Evening star., 1945-06-17
Mihail0uich Gains Favor Ouer Tito
Trieste Chen
Chief May Be Beneficiary
b. ellen Lombard

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precipitated an Allied crisis over Trieste,
has now so lost favor with the British
government that the former Yugoslav
hero, Gen. Draja Mihailovich, may
| once more emerge as a British backed
Balkan leader.
The story of the fall from favor of
| the Chetnik leader and the rise to pow
er of the Communist chieftain Broz
Tito, is one of the most dramatic mill
| tary-diplomatic episodes of this war.
In 1941, after the coup detat which
overthrew Prince Pauls pro-Nazi re-
| gency, the boy King Peter was rushed
out of Yugoslavia by airplane to put
him beyond the reach of Hitler's ad-
| vancing armies. Settled in London and
surrounded by cabinet of resistance to
the Aaxis, it looked as if Peter needed
only to wait for an Allied victory in
order to return to Dedinye Palace, the
Royal Palace situated on the outskirts
of Belgrade and dominating the juno
ton of the Sava and the Danube Rivers.
With the entrance of the United
States into the war, an Allied victory
became certainty, only the date re-
manned unknown. The mouths went
by and young Peter soon became en-
crossed in love affair with the Princess
Alexandra of Greece.
Mihailovich Unprepared.
While Peter was courting his future
bride, history was moving on. Two
events Of major Importance in Yugoslav
affairs marked the year of 1912. Prime
Minister Churchill, through the British
Military Mission stationed with Gen.
Mihailovich, demanded that the Chet-
mix leader order an uprising in Yugo-
slavia. At that time the Nazi Afrika
andria and was within 20 miles OF the
city Churchill deamed Yugoslav di-
version necessary. but Mihailovich an
swered that he was in no position to
create it.
Mihailovich had in all these years
received only enough equipment for one
battalion from Great Britain and he
told the British Military Mission that
he would need 10 divisions, plus arms
and equipment for many more. in order
to make an uprising effective and to
prevent the useless slaughter OF inno-
cent people. This was the first serious
rift between the Prime Minister of
Britain and the Chetnik leader who
was also Yugoslav minister of war.
Churchill is reported to have said at
the time that Mihailovich's inactivity
borders on treason while Mihailovich
answered that he was not a maharajah
who could be ordered about by the
British government.
Shortly after this incident, the Rus
sian-sponsored Partisan movement was
given sudden wide publicity and new
Balkan personality, Broz Tito, was pro-
jected on worldwide screen. The
first attacks on the former Yugoslav
hero, Draja Mihailovich, began to ap-
pear in the American press while the
boy King Peter was on an onncial visit
to the United States.
In q few months the Moscow
launched Tito boom was in full swing.
In England and in the United States
the Communists got behind Moscow's
All uSOoldN lCuOCl oIlAP d1id
the Tito legend had soon reached
gigantic proportions
British Show Interest.
The propaganda for Tito grew in Allied
countries and the British decided to
send an unofficial military mission to
the headquarters of the new Balkan
star. Capt. Fitzroy MacLean, now brig
adler, former member of Parliament
and warm personal friend of Randolph
Churchill, son of the British Prime
Minister, was dispatched to Tito's head
quarters. Young Randolph followed him
shortly afterward, entrusted with an
opportunity to display his craftsmanship
by handling" Greek and Yugoslav
affairs
Mr.. Churchill's envoy to Tito reported
that the Partisan leader was friendly to
British interests, and the pressure on
the young King to dismiss his pro-Mi-
hailovich cabinet began. Peter was in
vited by the British to return to London.
1t was intimated to Peter than the trip
would further his romance with Princess
Alexandra. Life in Cairo had been far
from interesting. The 2O-year-old King
had few companions his own age, and no
feminine associations His British hosts
in Egypt had kept him in semiseclusion.
He was all the more anxious, therefore,
to return to London to see his princess
again.
Not romance alone awaited Peter in
London, however. From his arrival on
March 18 until June l, 1914, when he
dismissed his Serbian Prime Minister,
Mr.. Puritch, he was under constant po-
itical pressure. Peter had neither the
age nor the experience to cope with
British diplomacy Moreover, the royal
pull was strong. His godfather was King
George of Britain, and it was normal for
Peter to believe that royal families hang
together. The British Prime Minister
had many personal interviews with the
young monarch, refusing to deal with
any of the older members of his govern
ment. 1t would have taken an older,
bolder and more skilful hand than
Peters to resist one of the master dip
lomatists of our era.
Opposed to Changes.
There is no question that Peter was
averse to dismissing his original cabinet.
It's strongest member, Drazha Mihailo-
vich tho ohcont v,oiy,isfar of NOR I,od