740.00119 Control (Bulgaria)/6–645: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 6—4:05 p.m.]
301. On June 1 the first units of the First Bulgarian Army which numbers some 100,000 men returned to Sofia from the front. It is understood two divisions will remain abroad as a token occupation force in the Russian zone.
In this connection I have learned from sources of sufficient reliability to justify repetition that a new Bulgarian Army of 15 divisions is now in process of being organized under Soviet supervision. This new force is to constitute the standing army and will be equipped with Russian material to be supplied under the Bulgaro–Soviet mutual supply agreement of March 10, 1945.
While it is true that the bulk of Bulgarian officers and men are not Communists and are opposed to exclusive Soviet domination of [Page 250] Bulgaria, the Russians apparently believe the conventions of military discipline and the presence of Soviet-trained Bulgarian Military leaders in key posts will assure a people’s army that may be used as an instrument of Soviet policy. The names of the leading Soviet trained commanders now active in the Bulgarian Army are being transmitted by airgram.87
In appraising the loyalty of the new army to Soviet policy it should also be recalled that such non-Communist Bulgarian genls as Lt Gen Krum Lekarski, Deputy Min of War; Lt Gen Ivan Marinov, commander-in-chief; and Lt Gen Vladimir Stoichev, Commander of the First Army, doubtless for reasons of expediency have adopted an attitude of full cooperation with current Russian plans.
Rptd to Moscow as No. 153 and to AmPolAd as 155.
- A–13, June 8, not printed.↩