740.0011 European War 1939/17921: Telegram
The Minister in Bulgaria (Earle) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 27—4 p.m.]
Foreign Minister informed me December 25 that should Russia attack Japan, Bulgaria will be forced by the Tripartite Pact to declare war against and join in the attack on Russia. Bulgaria’s action is not yet determined. He said that the reason for the strained relations between Bulgaria and Russia was due to the fact that on Soboleff’s visit5 that not only did Russia ask for sea and naval bases in Bulgaria (reported in my previous telegrams) but that they also proposed that Bulgaria join in an alliance with Russia to attack Turkey and take the Dardanelles. He added that upon Bulgaria’s refusal, Russia’s attitude has from that time been cold and hostile.
Popoff said again and again how deeply the Bulgarian Government regretted that declaration of war on America was forced upon them, and that it was compulsory and entirely against their will.
Though so far well treated, all Americans are forbidden to leave Bulgaria. This is unquestionably at the order of the German Minister who has an idea that these Americans may be held as hostages for certain Germans, or possibly Bulgarians, in America. I wanted to stay until I had secured the release of all Americans, but the Bulgarian Government would not let me. We had given these Americans four warnings to get out.
On the train to the border, Stanchieff, a close personal friend of the King accompanying us, told me that Boris was above all a humanitarian and his every action had been directed to keeping Bulgaria out of actual fighting and that should war break out between [Page 337] Bulgaria and Russia, the King and his family would [leave?] Bulgaria.
Exemplifying the strong pro-Russian sentiment in Bulgaria, the policemen who guarded our Legation were all pro-Russian as well as the three employees on the King’s own car on which I went to the border.
We left the Bulgarian people, King and Government deeply depressed and pessimistic due to three simultaneous shocks. First, Bulgaria’s forced declaration of war against America, her traditionally old and unselfish friend. Second, the stoning of the American Legation simultaneous with that of the Russian Legation. This action against us was a cause of great shame to all Bulgarians. I have interviewed some of the boys who did it. They were each supplied with 3 cobblestones and 200 levas. Third, the one Bulgarian element that was sincerely pro-German was the army officers. This group is shocked beyond words at Hitler, a politician, taking direct command of the army.
Other points are: I am informed by an excellent Bulgarian source that there are numerous desertions from the Bulgarian Army in Serbia to the forces of the Serbian patriots. The wife of the Swedish Chargé d’Affaires, just returned from Athens, says conditions there are horrible and that hundreds are dying daily from starvation and that the dead are left lying in the streets.
I shall return home as best I can.
- For reports on the visit of Arkady Alexandrovich Sobolev to Bulgaria on November 25, 1940, see telegrams No. 188 and No. 189 of December 18, 1940, from the Minister in Bulgaria, Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. i, p. 537; also telegram No. 1720 of December 13, 1940, from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, ibid., p. 535.↩