British, Yugoslavs and Austria (1943 — May 1945)

Abstract

In his report, Sir William Deakin describes British opinions of the Slovene territorial demands in connection vvith Austria, and the activity of the S. O. E. "Clowder" mission, which tried to spread from Slovenia to Austria. After Tito's spcech at Vis, in Sept. 12th, 1944, the British no longer supported Slovene operations in Carinthia, and they moved back their missions, as they had met vvith no Austrian resistance group. Marshal Tito mentioned to Fieldmarshal Alexander a possibility of 200.000 Yugosiav soldiers taking part in fighting, together with the allies, last German holdings in Austrian mountains. The circumstances of the advance of the Yugoslav troops to Austria, and their retreat, at the demand of the allies, are given in details.