762.74/63: Telegram
The Minister in Bulgaria (Earle) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 22—12:25 a.m.]
165. The Foreign Minister who accompanied the King to Berchtesgaden on his visit to Hitler45 has just told me the following: [Page 530] That the King went on Hitler’s invitation; that Hitler assured the King that he agreed with him and wanted peace in the Balkans so as to insure Germany’s food supply from this region; that Hitler offered a 10-year contract for all exportable Bulgarian foodstuffs, payment to be made by Germany by the barter system; that Hitler has invited all the nations of Continental Europe, big and small including France and Russia to join the so-called tripartite bloc; that Hitler, from a lowly position himself had great sympathy for the common people and desired this bloc of European states to ensure peace for a hundred years to come; that Bulgaria was studying the invitation but that Popoff could not foretell Bulgaria’s decision; that Popoff’s impression was that Germany contemplated no military action against Yugoslavia and Turkey, if Hitler felt certain of the strict neutrality of these nations. The Foreign Minister added that Bulgaria was as determined as ever to preserve peace and under no condition would attack Turkey or Greece, and he felt certain no German troops would pass through this country or Yugoslavia. He felt Italy, for the time being at least, would ask for no help from Germany against the Greeks as it would be too humiliating.
I had one disturbing impression from this interview which if correct may reflect this country’s future course. For the first time since I have been here Popoff, probably expressing the feelings of the King, seemed to believe in ultimate German victory.
- November 17.↩