740.00119 Potsdam/7–2445: Telegram
No. 813
The Representation on the Allied
Control Commission for Bulgaria to the Joint
Chiefs of Staff
urgent
From U. S. Delegation, Sofia, Bulgaria to War Department for JCS info CG U. S. Army Forces Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Caserta, Italy. Reference number 1951.
Following quoted communication has been received from the Chairmanship of the Allied Control Commission. No comment.
“Sofia 19 July 1945. Ministère Des Affaires Étrangères Et Des Cuites of Bulgaria. Reference nr. 6275–3.
To Colonel General S. S. Buriusoff Deputy President of the Allied Control Commission City.
My Dear General. I have the honor to request the Allied Control Commission to bring to the knowledge of the Allied …1 Governments of the USSR the United States of America and the United Kingdom, and more particularly to the knowledge of their supreme representations at Potsdam, the contents of the following note:
Since the signing of the Armistice2 the Bulgarian Government has had the task of fulfilling the engagements of the armistice agreement [Page 712] most loyally and so far the Allied Control Commission has had no occasion to observe the fulfillment of any of the obligations of this treaty with failure. The Bulgarian Government prompted by its own initiative, before taking obligations by virtue of this treaty, declared war on Germany and took a most active part in the war operations against the German forces. Its Armies at the price of thousands of sacrifices, participated in the liberation of Macedonia and Serbia from the German forces in Yugoslavia, entered Hungary and, fighting their way through, reached Austria from where they returned these days. The Bulgarian Government accomplished this without the demand of advance conditions from the Allies as a compensation for its collaboration.
This war effort of Bulgaria cost her 40,000 in killed and wounded. The Bulgarian Government, however, had the satisfaction to realize that, after the faults and the crimes of the former rulers of the country who were rejected and condemned by the nation, it was able to offer a modest but sincere contribution to the just cause of the Allies to which the Bulgarian nation has always been attached.
While as German forces were still in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian nation and the underground movement operation against the Germans and their agents gave also for this same cause thousands of sacrifices and sustained most frightful sufferings in the final achievement to put down the power of the German agents who governed the country and to expel the German forces from Bulgarian territory. To our great regret, this self denying endeavor of the Bulgarian underground movement and these war effort[s] of Bulgaria were not properly appreciated and the Bulgarian soldier, who fought and died together with the Allied soldiers during the subsequent war operations, was not recognized in his capacity as cobelligerent.
In spite of that, the Bulgarian Government continued to stand firmly on the positions it had taken when, through a national uprisal [sic], it overturned the pro-German Governments of the past and went with Allied forces to the side of the Allies. Lately, however, a wave of false and tendentious reports tend to ascribe to Bulgaria intentions which she does not possess and to set her on a background which has no relation whatsoever to the actual state of affairs in the country.
Not only irresponsible news and radio broadcasting agencies but even some responsible factors in the foreign countries have directed public accusations against Bulgaria which have not [nothing?] in common with the truth. They state, for instance, that Bulgaria has started military manoeuvres in the frontier districts with the purpose of exercising pressure on her neighbors and that she is concentrating armed forces on the borders in order to invade neighboring territories, even to the extent of having despatched armed formations in these frontier zones.
The Bulgarian Government is duty bound to state that all these [this] is an absolute and willful misrepresentation and to appeal to the Allied Control Commission which is in a position to check and confirm the truth. The Bulgarian Government sites [sic] for peace in the Balkans and seeks all possible ways of collaboration for the attainment [Page 713] of a peaceful solution of all questions affecting the vital interests of the Balkan nations and for a friendly life and relationship with the neighboring countries. Even at the time when, for considerations relating to the internal condition of neighboring Greece, several thousand slave Macedonians took refuge in our country, the Bulgarian Government did not waver from its present line of attitude and action and the Bulgarian press did not give vent to foul attacks against our neighbors.
Bulgaria is taken up with the process of healing up her wounds from the criminal policy of the past pro-German Governments and from the consequences of the war. She has devoted herself completely to her political and economic reconstruction. Because of the defeatism established in the spirit and the body of the country by the former governments and because of the position occupied by the pro-German factors and the administrative acts promulgated by them, the Bulgarian nation, which had to force them down and out of the government, is still preoccupied with the difficult task of reconstructing the whole life and machinery of the administration on new democratic principles. It follows and will continue to follow this road, in spite of the economic and other hardships which inevitably surge in similar turns of politics, like the one which Bulgaria had just made and in a war time situation like the present. It is hoped that the efforts of the Bulgarian nation and the initiatives of the Bulgarian Government to overcome these handicaps might be understood and appreciated properly by the Allies. The Bulgarian Government wishes to believe that the Allied Governments would take pains in acquainting themselves adequately with the situation in the country, with the attitude of the Bulgarian people and the sincere endeavors of the Bulgarian Government and that, in the name of justice, good understanding and peace in the Balkans, they would accord a treatment to Bulgaria which would enable her to continue with greater success her work for economic reconstruction and rehabilitation, for democratic regeneration and for a Balkan peaceful collaboration.
The Bulgarian Government hopes that the Allied powers will not put off any longer the establishment of regular diplomatic intercourse with Bulgaria which will bring about her closer and more efficient contact with the great Allied powers and would facilitate further the continuation of the course which started with the war participation of the Bulgarian forces, on the side of the Allies. The Bulgarian Government is of the opinion that the war efforts of its nation and its government to the cause of peace and Balkan understanding are sufficient ground for the crossing over into a new phase of Bulgaria’s relations to the Allies, actually toward the conclusion of a peace treaty which will direct regenerated Bulgaria, definitely and once for all, on the road which she chose on the side of the Allies.
I have the honor, sir, to reiterate to you the assurance of my highest consideration.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cults, Commissar for the Fulfillment of the Armistice Agreement.
Signed Prof. P. Stainoff.”