740.00119 European War, 1939/2678: Telegram
The Consul General at Istanbul (Berry) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:15 p.m.]
354R78. Several recent telegrams in this office’s Bulgarian series contained suggestions that the time may be ripe for the United Nations [Page 338] to capitalize upon the Bagryanov Cabinet’s shift to a new direction of national policy. This telegram contains suggestions based upon information from Bulgaria that offer a means toward that end.
First, it is recommended that the United Nations change the directive of their propaganda directed to Bulgaria. It is commonly agreed by persons familiar with Bulgarian public opinion that Anglo-American propaganda generally misses its mark because it is destructive rather than constructive, attacking Bulgarian policies and threatening without showing a practicable way by which Bulgaria could change her policies or alter her course to the advantage of the country as Bulgarians themselves understand it. This approach may have been useful during the period when the Filov and Boshilov Governments were in power but seems a mistake at present.
Secondly, it is suggested that a statement be made by the Secretary or some other highly regarded American official, indicating Anglo-American postwar policy concerning Bulgaria. If a statement is made it is important that it be made by an American as deep rooted suspicion of British political intentions would indicate the effect in Bulgaria of a statement from a British personality. If such a statement could say that Anglo-American policy does not envisage any change in Bulgaria’s frontiers as of March 1941, or any interference in the structure of the Bulgarian Government or social system and that the independence of Bulgaria will be fully recognized provided of course that Bulgaria gives up the occupied Yugoslav and Greek territory which Bulgarians know as Macedonia and Belomoriye it would do much to convince the great majority of Bulgarians who live within the confines of the old Kingdom that it would be to the advantage of the nation to surrender claims to Macedonia and Belomoriye in order to preserve national independence and to avoid the military and social disaster which would result from an attempt to hold these lands.
The present moment is propitious for such a statement, for the new Cabinet, [it] is generally assumed, has at least changed the direction of national policy and is trying to develop a policy in conformity with demands of the new world, as Bagryanov intimated in his speech of June 3rd and at the same time Allied military successes in Italy and Normandy have eliminated any belief among Bulgarians that Germany can wage a successful defensive war.
Repeated to American representative Algiers for Murphy as my No. 28 and true reading to MacVeagh, Cairo.