The Fiume Question 1918-1920

László Gulyás - Loránt Bali: The Fiume Question 1918-1920
areas including Fiume, and the larger part of Dalmatia, meaning that the same
areas had been promised both to Italy and Serbia. 13 Wilson, U.S. president thought
that the way out of the awkward situation was to theoretically denounce and
nullify all secret treaties. Wilson could come up with this proposal because he had
not been among the signatories of the London treaty.
It is also important to note that in general Wilson led a pro-Serbia policy (or,
rather a Southern Slav policy) and he believed that southern Slav interests should
seriously be taken into consideration in order to achieve stability in the Balkans.
These considerations made the American president disregard Italy’s claims during
the peace talks. 14 In addition, neither the French, nor the British delegation stood
by Italy.
As a result, the Italian delegation faced a very serious dilemma and they had
two alternatives. One of these options was to insist on the resolutions of the
secret treaty of London. In this case they would have to give up Fiume, since its
possession had not been mentioned in the London treaty. Or, as a second
alternative, they would give up the London Treaty, or, some parts of it, and they
could claim certain territories on ethnic basis, including Fiume.
At the same time a third plan was emerging. It was Orlando Vittorio Emanuele,
Italy’s prime minister of that time, and Sidney Sonnino (foreign minister in
Orlando’s government), who elaborated a third scenario, by which they would
claim areas based on the Treaty of London, as well as the annexation of Fiume.
This third version was absolutely unacceptable for the Allied Forces. Thus the
Italian territorial claims were in danger. When it became clear for the Italians in
the course of the peace negotiations, Orlando left for Italy in March 1919. But
since the process of drawing the borders continued in his absence as well, several
weeks later he decided to return and resume the talks.
The question of Fiume was discussed after Orlando’s return. On April 3, 1919
Orlando had a significant speech in a meeting of the Council of Four, explaining his
view of the Fiume question. 15 In his explanation the question of Fiume had not yet
been mentioned in the treaty of London, because at that time the total dissolution
of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy had not yet been seen. But, he argued, now
Fiume was to be handed over to Italy both for economic and ethnic reasons. One
of his arguments was that the Croatians and the Slovenians, both nations having
been parts of the Habsburg Empire, were hostile towards each other, so, meeting
Italy’s territorial claims was both acceptable and reasonable in this situation.
Neither Wilson nor Clemenceau accepted the Italian arguments. But since the
peace conference concentrated on the elaboration of the German peace treaty,
they temporarily put off the solution of the Fiume question.
13
PÁNDI Lajos, Köztes-Európa 1763-1993. Térképgyűjtemény, Osiris-Századvég, Budapest
1995, 266.
14
ORMOS Mária-MAJOROS István, Európa a nemzetközi küzdőtéren, Osiris Kiadó, Budapest,
1998. 255.
15
KIS Aladár, Olaszország története 1748-1968, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1975, 140.
146