Bulgaria

Country

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly along the Danube), Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the country to the east. With a territory of 110,994 square kilometers ...

Read more at Wikipedia

Documents about Bulgaria

Thursday 8th February 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax to ministers: “hope of peace without a blood bath”, Stafford Cripps reports Soviets “uneasy” with Nazi alliance
person Stafford Cripps
person Adolf Hitler
person Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Halifax Peninsula
place Moscow
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Iran
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Labour Party (UK)
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Finns forced to abandon some front-line positions. UK Ambassador Rome reports “no prospect” of economic deal with Italy
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Franklin D. Roosevelt
person Kingsley Wood
person Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
person John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
place Finland
place Bulgaria
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation United States Navy
 

Tuesday 5th March 1940

Propaganda: Appreciation of Action taken and its Effect. Sixth report submitted by the Minister of Information covering the period January and February 1940.

extract Minister of Information Sir John Reith delivers a report on Britain's propaganda work in the year so far
person John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
place Great Britain
place Portugal
place Greece
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Hungary
place Paris
place Europe
place Kenya
place Bulgaria
place Denmark
place West Germany
 

The Grand Strategy of the Allies.

extract Easter break continues. Lord Hankey circulates his notes on the direction of Allied strategy: “continue static warfare”
person Sumner Welles
place Greece
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Hungary
place Turkey
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Marines
 

South-Eastern Europe.

extract Lord Halifax also warns against action in South-Eastern Europe that does not involve “overwhelming force”.
place Greece
place Russian Empire
place Halifax Peninsula
place Hungary
place Turkey
place Paris
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
 

Certain Aspects of the Present Situation.

extract Defence Chiefs sum up current situation, warn against military "projects that offer little prospect of decisive success"
person Robert German
person Sydney Brenner
place Russian Empire
place Eyre Peninsula
place Turkey
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Tuesday 21st May 1940

The Question of an Alliance with Greece.

extract Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax proposes secret alliance with Greece as UK “likely at any moment to be at war with Italy”
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Portugal
place Greece
place Turkey
place Beirut
place Bulgaria
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Tuesday 29th October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: "Pessimistic" over Greek resistance. "Not particularly sanguine" about USSR. Spain "another source of anxiety"
extract Halifax meets junior ministers. M. Petain wants "to be friendly with us" but UK has made "many mistakes of psychology"
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
person Francisco Franco
person Maxime Weygand
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Washington
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Republic of China
place Rome
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Friday 1st November 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Halifax: A fortnight since our last communication with Vichy. "Still no reply" on the status of their talks with Germany
extract UK Miltary Attaché in Athens reports "weak advances" made by Italy are being held by Greek forces
extract Air Chief: Enemy air activity over this country "on a reduced scale both by day and night." Several towns machine-gunned
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person John Dill
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
person Farouk of Egypt
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place South America
place Bulgaria
organisation Home Office
organisation KEF
 

Meeting minutes

extract UK Naval Attaché Washington has seen "hypothetical" US Navy plans for entering war. Far East "second place" to Europe
extract Cabinet told Roosevelt likely to be re-elected "by a large majority". Election may turn out to be "democratic landslide"
extract General Dill: Indications Italian advance in Western Desert may be resumed. We might expect an attack about 9th November
extract Halifax to press Bulgaria for assurance she will not attack Greece, in order to release Greek troops for Albanian front
extract General Dill: Greek army now mobilised, Italian morale low. UK reinforcing Crete so Greek Division can fight on mainland
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Duff Cooper
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person John Dill
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Europe
place Dakar
place Bulgaria
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation House of Lords
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves package of loans and credit for China. Ministers to examine possibility of supplying "obsolete" aircraft
extract UK Diplomats report Italy did not expect Greece to resist attack. Italians "still retreating in disorder from Konitza"
extract PM: This "naval occasion" brings home importance of hitting Italy as hard as we can. "We should press this advantage"
extract Admiralty: Fleet Air Arm has carried out "very successful attack" with torpedoes and bombs on Italian fleet at Taranto
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
place Lancaster, Lancashire
place Greece
place Halifax Peninsula
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Valona, California
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place Burma
place Libya
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Morrison: Information on Birmingham attack "rather scanty" but though bad, seemingly not so serious as that on Coventry
extract PM Churchill: We are not in a position to increase our air reinforcements
extract General Dill: Greeks holding position. Advance into Albania "hardly practicable" until enemy air attacks countered
extract PM to make further appeal to Roosevelt to ask whether USA could spare more destroyers to counter this "additional strain"
extract Admiralty: U-Boat activity has extended to West Africa coast, a "new and important area". 4 vessels sunk in last few days
extract Air Chief: 400 enemy aircraft over UK overnight. Attacks on London, Birmingham ("considerable damage") Midlands, E.Anglia
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Charles de Gaulle
person Herbert Morrison
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Freetown
place Greece
place East Anglia
place Berlin
place Albania
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Libya
organisation Home Office
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Home Fleet
 

Meeting minutes

extract Lord Halifax concerned Bulgaria may join Axis. King Boris "thought to have been pressed by Herr Hitler and Ribbentrop"
extract India Secretary: If arrest required Viceroy already told "he would have full support in allowing Gandhi to fast to death"
extract Viceroy warns of worsening political situation in India. Cabinet refuses request to outlaw Congress party, arrest Gandhi
extract PM: America must appreciate we are "fighting for our lives". Certain secret information we cannot possibly divulge
extract Cabinet agrees release of limited secret data to US. UK Scientists say US has "less to tell us than we have to tell them"
extract PM de Valera "in a very agitated and bitter mood" over use of Irish ports. PM Churchill refuses to rule out seizing them
extract General Dill: Italians have "retired in disorder" from Epirus sector. Greeks to do utmost to maintain momentum of advance
extract Air Chief: Duisberg main target for RAF overnight. Enemy attacks focused on Midlands including Birmingham and Coventry
person Alexander Cadogan
person John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
place Kassala
place Greece
place Egypt
place Birmingham
place North America
place Sicily
place Sudan
place Malta
place Valona, California
place Bulgaria
organisation Home Office
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation Congress Working Committee
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves cancelling Boxing Day Bank Holiday "for workers engaged on essential production" after talks with unions
extract Britain to urge Turkey and Yugoslavia to announce they would declare war if German troops were allowed to enter Bulgaria
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Stafford Cripps
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Birmingham
place Turkey
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Albania
place Bulgaria
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Attorney General to consider legal action against Daily Worker newspaper for libellous cartoon of Labour Minister Bevin
extract PM: Utmost importance to build reserve of gas weapons. If enemy uses gas "we must be in a position to retaliate at once"
extract Greenwood: Damage in Birmingham "probably more serious" than Coventry but recovery in both cities "going ahead well"
extract Cabinet told an explosion has sunk the SS Patria carrying "illegal immigrants" to Palestine. 385 people unaccounted for
extract Halifax: Upshot of various reports that "probably not very much" settled at Berlin talks between Hitler and Molotov
extract General Dill: Italians landing at Durazzo, Valona to retrieve situation by extensive reinforcement. Vital to impede this
extract Admiralty reports "good progress" made in devising means for dealing with acoustic mines
person Anthony Eden
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Hugh Dalton
person Herbert Morrison
person Adolf Hitler
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
person Andrew Duncan
place Wellington, Nevada
place Cranborne
place Halifax Peninsula
place Birmingham
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Malta
place Gibraltar
place Berlin
place Valona, California
place Bristol
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation RAF Fighter Command
 

Monday 16th December 1940

Reports on the effectiveness of Royal Air Force Bombing Operations.

extract Air Secretary: But US sources in Berlin call UK attacks "far too light", "negligible". Others suggest many bombs "duds"
extract Air Secretary: "Conflicting" testimony of effectiveness of UK bombing. "All secret reports" from Hamburg confirm accuracy
place Hamburg
place Madrid
place Geneva
place Malta
place Europe
place Bulgaria
place Vienna
place Iran
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Meeting minutes

extract Morrison: 18,500 people successfully rehoused in Sheffield. Homeless there reduced to about 1,500
extract Talks proceeding on new finance deal with US. President Roosevelt hopes to put matter before Congress in "a few days"
extract General Dill: Some Sikh troops in Hong Kong apparently object "to wearing steel helmets". A number have been arrested
extract General Dill: Unconfirmed reports of German troops moving through Hungary, either to Roumania, Yugoslavia or Bulgaria
extract General Dill: Preparations for attack on Bardia continuing. Garrison believed to be 13,400. 40,000 prisoners now taken
person Walter Hines Page
person Herbert Morrison
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Hungary
place Hong Kong
place Manchester, New Hampshire
place Bulgaria
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Monday 6th January 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: News from Bulgaria "disquieting". A number of indications government coming "under strong pressure from Germany"
extract PM: Attack "brilliantly executed", casualties "extraordinarily small". No need to emphasise there was not "much fighting"
extract General Dill: 25,000 prisoners taken at capture of Bardia "including 2 Corps Commanders and 4 Senior Generals"
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Andrew Greenwood
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
person John Dill
place Gibraltar
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: For the Greeks "to be the judges of the German reactions". All evidence points to "German move south"
extract Eden: Prince Paul of Yugoslavia alarmed at UK military assistance to Greece. Fears may provoke German attack on Salonika
place Athens
place Greece
place Belgrade
place Bulgaria
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden urges Yugoslavia and Turkey to make clear they would regard any German infiltration of Bulgaria as an open invasion
extract Weather on Continent makes invasion unlikely in next few weeks. War Secretary to consider extended leave for Home Forces
extract Information Minister to publicise an Italian cavalry charge on Sudan Front. Cavalry charged our gun position, losing 25
extract General Dill: Italian retreat continuing on Kassala front but Italians fighting better than in Libya
extract PM to send "private congratulatory telegram to General Wavell" on Tobruk capture. Number of prisoners taken not yet known
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Clement Attlee
place Kassala
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Sudan
place Ethiopia
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: Japan has sent an "unpleasant memorandum" over Dutch East Indies. Netherlands government will "play for time"
extract Eden: Balkans situation "disquieting", German divisions in Roumania rising to 20. Greece "frightened" to provoke Germany
extract Eden: Resistance in Eritrea less than expected. Possible we will be able to advance as far as Agordat and threaten Asmara
extract Eden meeting junior ministers. Says German morale remains good but "deteriorating" among troops in occupied territory
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
place Greece
place Russian Empire
place Turkey
place Malta
place Ethiopia
place Eritrea
place Tripoli, Greece
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Eden: Vichy's new economic proposals have "little relation to reality". UK will refuse to "make large concessions"
extract PM: Position "an anxious one and must be carefully watched". Defence Committee reviewing Eastern Mediterranean area
extract Cabinet discuss Balkans. Death of General Metaxas "a serious loss". Clear some German infiltration of Bulgaria occurring
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Samuel Hoare
person Kingsley Wood
person Clement Attlee
place Cranborne
place Ethiopia
place Morocco
place Africa
place Bulgaria
 

Monday 3rd February 1941

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Bulgarian government "conniving" at German infiltration of their country. UK has offered 10 RAF squadrons to Turkey
place Turkey
place Istanbul
place Bulgaria
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Weekly Resume (No. 76) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation from 12 noon February 6th, to 12 noon February 13th, 1941.

extract Chiefs of Staff: "Waterless and inhospitable" Sirte desert now a very good defence for remaining Italian forces in Libya
place Somaliland
place Iceland
place Liverpool
place Malta
place Kismayo
place Gibraltar
place Stockholm
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Denmark
place Libya
place Tripoli
organisation RAF Coastal Command
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cadogan: President Roosevelt had "frank talk" with Japanese Ambassador. Tension in the Far East seems to have lessened
extract General Dill: Greeks again taking offensive in Albania, apparently with success, but so far only 400 prisoners confirmed
extract General Dill: "Not yet known what success, if any" achieved in Operation Colossus before our parachutists taken prisoner
extract Air Chief: 3 lost enemy aircraft have landed or tried to land at UK aerodromes. One captured intact with crew
person Alexander Cadogan
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Herbert Morrison
person Francisco Franco
place Greece
place Cranborne
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Europe
place Kismayo
place Albania
place Thailand
place Africa
place Bulgaria
place Libya
organisation Home Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: "We could not very well blame them." Hopes "we should not have to put any large part of our army into Greece"
extract Churchill warns Cabinet Germans could "offer the Greeks such attractive terms that they would feel bound to make peace"
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Tripoli, Greece
place Bulgaria
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: In my opinion the enterprise is a risk we must undertake. At worst bulk of force could be got back to Egypt
extract PM Menzies: If enterprise "only a forlorn hope it had better not be undertaken." Is there substantial chance of success?
extract PM Churchill: "Difficulties...must not be under-rated". If colleagues have misgivings "they should express them now"
extract PM Churchill: Cabinet must now "reach a most important decision, namely, whether to open a new theatre of war in Greece"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Joseph Stalin
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Bulgaria
organisation Luftwaffe
 

Policy in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

extract Eden calls on PM to "do everything in our power to bring fullest measure of help to Greeks at earliest possible moment"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Republic of Macedonia
place Greece
place Turkey
place Kenya
place Bulgaria
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill "deeply moved" by assent of Dominion Governments. They have "responded magnificently" to severe proposals
extract PM Menzies: Australian government concurs in the proposed use of two Australian divisions in Greece
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Harold Wilson
place South Africa
place Republic of Macedonia
place Greece
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place Libya
 

Monday 3rd March 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves public statement on gas weapons. Bevin calls for regular gas mask drill in workshops, offices, schools
extract UK Ambassador in Sofia authorised to break off diplomatic relations and leave Bulgaria as soon as position "impossible"
place Ankara
place Cranborne
place Turkey
place Malta
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM: Movement of Allied troops due to start today but no troops to arrive in Greece "for another four days"
extract PM: Prospects in the Balkans "not promising". Bulgaria now under German control. Greece will "have to fight for her life"
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Greece
place Egypt
place Albania
place Bulgaria
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet again discusses deployment to Greece. Agree position has changed for the worse. Might be necessary to reconsider
place Republic of Macedonia
place Athens
place Greece
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
organisation Air Force F.C.
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Menzies concerned over Greece operation. All new factors add to difficulties, no reason offered why it should succeed
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
place Republic of Macedonia
place Greece
place Egypt
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Albania
place Bulgaria
place West Germany
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract PM Churchill: Nobody could represent us forcing hopeless resistance on Greeks. "We should go forward with a good heart"
extract Eden: Key Service Chiefs "unanimously agreed" that, despite "grave risks" involved, action in Greece the "right decision"
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
place Greece
place Ankara
place Egypt
place Turkey
place Bulgaria
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Evacuation of Yugoslav Naval Forces from Adriatic.

extract First Lord of the Admiralty calls for plan to evacuate Yugoslav Navy from Adriatic in light of German advance
person Robert German
place Bulgaria
organisation United States Navy
 

Weekly Resume (No. 82) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation from 12 noon March 20th, to 12 noon March 27th, 1941.

extract Chiefs of Staff: Reports that Germany intends to attack USSR this summer continue to be received but are not convincing
person Richard Kiel
place Plymouth
place Aruba
place Greece
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Manchester
place Berlin, New York
place Liverpool
place Malta
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Addis Ababa
place Bulgaria
place Libya
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Monday 7th April 1941

Meeting minutes

extract Cadogan: Looks as though a "show of force" might be necessary before the position in Iraq can be redressed
extract Cadogan: Our Ambassador at Budapest "told to leave as soon as possible". Yugoslav government has left Belgrade
extract General Haining: Germans moving into Yugoslavia advanced towards Skoplje and Stip yesterday against slight resistance
person Alexander Cadogan
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person George Cadogan, 3rd Earl Cadogan
person Stafford Cripps
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
place Athens
place Cranborne
place Iraq
place Belgrade
place Hungary
place Moscow
place Turkey
place Basra
place Eritrea
place Addis Ababa
place Bulgaria
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
place Libya
 

Meeting minutes

extract General Dill: Now clear the Germans had assembled "a considerably stronger force in Libya than we had reckoned on"
extract Attlee: "Somewhat surprised at the rapidity and force" of Libya attack in face of telegrams received from Desert Front
extract Eden: Hitler's plans "retarded and thrown out of gear" by Greek resistance and Yugoslav coup - both with our support
extract Foreign Secretary Eden and the Chief of the Imperial General Staff outline discussions held in Balkans and Middle East
person Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
person Stafford Cripps
person Adolf Hitler
place Republic of Macedonia
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Belgrade
place Turkey
place Sicily
place Malta
place Tobruk
place Cyprus
place Alexandria
place Bulgaria
place Libya
place Tripoli
organisation United States Navy
 

Policy towards Turkey.

extract Eden: "Most we can hope for" from Turks "benevolent neutrality". In our interest to supply and support their armed forces
person Anthony Eden
place Great Britain
place Greece
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Turkey
place Basra
place Europe
place Istanbul
place Cyprus
place Alexandria
place Syria
place Bulgaria