740.0011 European War 1939/8392: Telegram
The Minister in Greece ( MacVeagh ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 15—6:45 a.m.]
74. The Bulgarian Minister21a told my Brazilian colleague yesterday that if Germany insists on the entry or passage of troops Bulgaria cannot refuse. He also said he is informed that the Turks have given categorical assurances to Von Papen that they will not fight unless attacked. The Bulgarian press is again agitating the question of an Aegean exit. During the past few days numerous planes identified as German have repeatedly reconnoitered Greek territory east of Salonika.
The Polish Minister tells me he has received information from what he regards as reliable sources in Central Europe in regard to Germany’s plans for the spring campaign. According to this information Bulgaria is to be occupied militarily in the same manner as Rumania, and Yugoslavia reduced diplomatically to the present status of Hungary, the general aim being to close Germany’s back entrance against the British completely and definitively. Operations which may eventually extend to the seizure of Salonika and the Straits will begin this month with the entrance of German troops into Bulgaria on a scale calculated to crush all possible opposition. The attack on Great Britain is scheduled for May. So far as Greece is concerned she may be offered a chance to survive if she will abandon the British Alliance, make peace with Italy and adopt a new government favorable to the Axis.
- Constantin Watchoff.↩