Hot Curve

Post Five, in the rocky heights north of Trieste, was in the string of outposts along the new boundary between Yugoslavia and Italy. Early in the morning of R-day (when the new boundary was to become effective), Lieut. William Van Dyke Ochs Jr. and twelve other U.S. soldiers had hastily moved back to Post Five. The Yugoslavs had suddenly given notice that they were moving up to the new line nine hours ahead of the agreed time. About 3 a.m., Ochs saw 34 Yugoslav Army vehicles drive up on the other side of the boundary. A Yugoslav lieutenant colonel came up to him. "We have 2,000 troops behind us and we are coming through. We will give you five minutes."

"I am sorry," replied Ochs, "but my understanding is that you are not to go through." The Yugoslav soldiers deployed in the rocks as if to attack. Ochs deployed his twelve men. "If one of them had let go with his rifle," said Ochs later, "it would have caused a hell of a lot of shooting." The U.S. outpost held their ground until a U.S. battalion with two tanks was sent up to support them.

In other places also, Yugoslavs tried to push U.S. and British troops beyond the agreed boundary between Yugoslavia and Italy. The Yugoslav objectives: commanding heights and strategic roads.

Meanwhile, Slovenes and Communists battled with Italians inside Trieste. Five were killed, hundreds wounded during the week. Communist unions organized strikes in an effort to paralyze the city. Major General Bryant E. Moore, commanding the U.S. 88th Division, called the Yugoslav maneuvers "a hot curve, apparently meant to confuse us." Tito's army and his Communist agents were feeling out the strength (10,000 U.S. and British troops) of the world's newest political entity--the Free Territory of Trieste.

Under U.N. agreement, 5,000 Yugoslav soldiers occupy more than half the Territory of Trieste, 10,000 U.S. and British troops occupy the remainder, including the city itself. The three nations' soldiers will be an occupation force for the United Nations until the governor (to be appointed by unanimous agreement, of the U.S., Russia, Britain and France) decides he does not need them. But in nine months the Big Four have not been able to agree on a governor.

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