Post-War Silence
The foibe have been a neglected subject in mainstream political debate in Italy, Yugoslavia and former-Yugoslav nations, only recently garnering attention with the publication of several books and historical studies. It is thought that after World War II, while Yugoslav politicians rejected any alleged crime, Italian politicians wanted to direct the country's attention toward the future and away from the idea that Italy was, in fact, a defeated nation.
Another reason for the neglect of the foibe can be found in the high degree of ideology historically present in the public debate in Italy. Many Istrians concealed their origins for fear of being identified by other communist Italians, who tended to believe that Italian Istrians who left after the war likely co-operated with the Fascists, since they were abandoning a "Socialist heaven".
Moreover, when the Cold War broke out, in order to maintain good relations with Tito, the foibe were a dangerous topic to broach.
So, the Italian government tacitly "exchanged" the impunity of the Italians accused by Yugoslavia for the renunciation to investigate the foibe killings. Italy never extradited or prosecuted some 1,200 Italian Army officers, government officials or former Fascist Party members accused of war crimes by Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, Greece and other occupied countries and remitted to the United Nations War Crimes Commission. On the other side, Belgrade didn't insist too much in requesting the prosecution of alleged Italian war criminals in order to avoid investigations on the foibe and responsibility on their part.
Thus, both Italian war crimes and Yugoslav war and post-war mass killings were forgotten in order to maintain a "good neighbour" policy.
Read more about this topic: Foibe Killings
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