Commanding Officer of the American Intelligence Mission ALUM on Slovenia 1943-1944

Abstract

The American Lieutenant later Captain George S. Wuchinicb was the first officer of the American military secret service on the territory under Tito's control. Between 27 November and 25 July 1944 he commanded the independent American intelligence Service (ALUM) of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Slovenia. Among the fourteen member in the mission, there were three American officers and four sergeants, while the second half was composed of Slovene volunteers who had been captured in Africa as members of the Italian and German armies. The mission sent over 1,600 dispatches and received more than 300. After his return from Slovenia, Lieutenant, later Captain Wuchinich wrote a series of interesting reports on the economic, political and military situation in Slovenia in 1943 and 1944. He did not try to conceal his enthusiasm for the Slovene Partisans. His reports were considered interesting, instructive and definitive. The paper deals with his views and assessments of the Slovene liberation movement, as well as some less known details.