Office of the Historian

740.00119 EAC/9–2044: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, September 20, 1944—midnight.
[Received September 21—3:25 a.m.]

7816. Comea 92. At today’s meeting of the European Advisory Commission the Soviet delegates presented a revised draft of Bulgarian armistice terms. Text follows:

“The Bulgarian Government accept the armistice conditions presented by the Governments of the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States of America, acting in the interests of all the United Nations. Accordingly, the representative of the Allied (Soviet) High Command, General . . . . . duly authorized thereto by the Governments of the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States of America, acting in the interests of all the United Nations, on the one hand, and the representatives of the Bulgarian Government, furnished with due powers, on the other hand, have signed the following terms:

1.
As from blank date 1944 Bulgaria has completely ceased hostilities and withdrawn from the war against the United Nations, severed relations with Germany and her satellites, entered the war on the side of the Allied Powers against Germany and her satellites for the purpose of restoring her independence and sovereignty, for which purpose she provides not less than 10 divisions with corps troops. Military operations against Germany by the Bulgarian Armed Forces, including the Navy and Air Force, will be conducted under the general orders of the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
2.
Bulgarian Armed Forces, officials and nationals will withdraw forthwith from the territory of Greece and Yugoslavia occupied at present by Bulgaria. The Bulgarian authorities will immediately take steps to repeal all legislative and administrative provisions relating to the annexation or incorporation in Bulgaria of Greek and Yugoslav territory.
3.
The Bulgarian Government will arrange to furnish the Soviet and other Allied troops with free traffic facilities over Bulgarian territory in any direction, if in the opinion of the Allied (Soviet) High Command the military situation so requires, the Bulgarian Government giving such traffic every possible assistance with their own means of communication and at their own expense by land, water and in the air.
4.
The Bulgarian Government will immediately release all Allied prisoners of war and internees. Pending further instructions, the Bulgarian Government will provide at their own expense all Allied prisoners of war and internees and displaced persons and refugees, including nationals of Greece and Yugoslavia, with adequate food, clothing, medical services and hygienic requirements as well as with means of transport for the return of any such persons to their own country.
5.
The Bulgarian Government will immediately release, irrespective of citizenship and nationality, all persons held in confinement in connection with their activities in favor of the United Nations or because [Page 430] of their sympathies with the United Nations cause or for racial reasons, and will repeal all discriminatory legislation and disabilities imposed thereunder.
6.
The Bulgarian Government undertake to place all German and Hungarian prisoners of war and Government employees immediately at the disposal of the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
7.
Bulgaria will cooperate in the apprehension and trial of persons accused of war crimes.
8.
The Bulgarian Government undertake to dissolve immediately all pro-Hitler (of a Fascist type) political, military and militarized and other organizations on Bulgarian territory conducting propaganda hostile to the United Nations and not to tolerate the existence of such organizations in future.
9.
The publication, introduction and distribution in Bulgaria of periodical or non-periodical literature, presentation of theatrical performances or exhibition of cinema films, the operation of wireless stations, post offices, telegraph and telephones will take place in agreement with the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
10.
The Bulgarian Government will restore all property of the United Nations, including Greek and Yugoslav property, and make restitution for the damages caused by the war to the United Nations, including Greece and Yugoslavia.
11.
The Bulgarian Government will restore all the rights and interests of the United Nations and their nationals in Bulgaria.
12.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake to return to the Soviet Union and to Greece and Yugoslavia by the dates specified by the Allied (Soviet) High Command and in a good state of preservation all valuables and materials belonging to state, public or cooperative organizations, enterprises, institutions or individual citizens removed by Germany and Bulgaria from their territories during the war, such as: factory and works equipment, locomotives, railway wagons, tractors, motor vehicles, historic monuments, museum treasures and any other property.
13.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake to place at the disposal of the Allied (Soviet) High Command as booty all war material of Germany and her satellites located on Bulgarian territory, including vessels in the fleets of Germany and her satellites located in Bulgarian waters.
14.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake not to permit the removal or expropriation of any property (including valuables and currency), belonging to Germany and Hungary or their nationals or to persons resident on their territory or on territory occupied by them, without the authorization of the Allied (Soviet) High Command. They will safeguard such property in the manner specified by the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
15.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake to hand over to the Allied (Soviet) High Command all vessels belonging to the United Nations which are in Bulgarian ports, [no?] matter at whose disposal they are held, for the use of the Allied (Soviet) High Command during the war against Germany and Hungary in the common interest of the Allies, the vessels to be restored subsequently to their owners. The Bulgarian Government will bear full material responsibility for any damage to or destruction of the aforesaid property up to the moment of its transfer to the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
16.
Bulgaria shall make regular money payments in Bulgarian currency and supply goods (fuel, food products, et cetera), facilities and services such as the Allied (Soviet) High Command may require for the discharge of its functions.
17.
In case of need the Bulgarian Government will arrange for the utilization in Bulgarian territory of industrial and transport enterprises and facilities and of means of communication, power stations, public utility enterprises and facilities, stocks of fuel and other materials in accordance with instructions issued during the armistice by the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
18.
An Allied Control Commission will be set up which will undertake the regulation of and supervision over the execution of the present terms under the general direction and the orders of the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
19.
The present terms will come into force on their signature.

Done at Moscow in quadruplicate, in Russian, English and Bulgarian, the Russian and English texts being authentic. Date blank 1944. By authority of the Governments of the United Kingdom, USSR, USA, Greece and Yugoslavia blank. By authority of the Bulgarian Government blank.”

A cursory examination suggests that the revised draft takes account of the relatively minor suggestions presented by the British and ourselves on September 15 (my 7630, September 15, midnight), but not of the more basic points presented by the United Kingdom delegation yesterday (my 7775, September 19, midnight) and so far reserved by us. The new draft was not discussed today. At the close of the meeting Gousev announced that the United Kingdom precondition for signature of an armistice, namely the verified withdrawal of Bulgarian forces and officials from Allied territories, (my 7680, September 17, midnight) had been accepted by his Government.

Winant