Office of the Historian

740.0011 E.W./9–2544: Telegram

The Consul General at Istanbul (Berry) to the Secretary of State

Istanbul, September 25, 1944—9 a.m.
[Received 4:29 p.m.]

561R123. A reliable person in Sofia informed me yesterday:

1.
Situation is completely quiet. Order has been entirely restored and a normal state of affairs has been resumed.
2.
Russians are maintaining a hands-off policy. Sound trucks manned by Russians go through the town and proclaim that (a) the Russians have no intention of enforcing their type of government on [Page 436] Bulgaria; (b) the Russian Army is in Bulgaria as liberator not occupier; (c) the Russians want to cooperate with Bulgarians and permit Bulgarians to develop whatever type and form of democratic government they wish to have; (d) private property will be respected and the Russians have no intention of enforcing any form of communistic ownership of land and property.
3.
All Germans in Bulgaria have been disarmed. There is no German force in the area of pre-war Bulgaria. Germans have been arming themselves for a final stand in Salonica region where 116 divisions have been massed.
4.
General mobilization in Bulgaria has been ordered and the nation is in an active state of war against Germany. Main line of movement is toward Salonica concentration of Germans.
5.
Yesterday my informant had had long conversation with the Prime Minister. Principal worry of present Government is delay on part of Allies in revealing armistice terms. Prime Minister believes that the terms will be arranged Ankara despite objections of British and that they will be signed within next 8 to 10 days. He indicated his hope that the American Government could in some way expedite granting of final armistice terms in order that the final step may be quickly taken in restoring order in Bulgaria.

Berry