740.0011 European War 1939/14053: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 17—1:50 a.m.]
1518. My 1294, July 5, 4 p.m., 1416, July 29, 10 a.m. and 1484 [1487] August 13, 2 p.m.97 An announcement by the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs published in today’s newspapers states that on August 12 the Secretary General of the Bulgarian Foreign Office informed the Soviet Legation in Sofia that Soviet airplanes had dropped several bombs on Bulgarian territory the night of August 11–12, adding, however, that probably the bombs had been dropped by Serbs [Page 325] or Greeks flying in Soviet airplanes. He stated that the Bulgarian Government protested against this occurrence and requested the Soviet Government to take measures against its repetition.
In reply the Soviet Minister informed the Bulgarian Foreign Office that the Soviet Government categorically denied the report and pointed out that such flights and bombardments could only have been effected by German agents for provocative purposes. He rejected the protest of the Bulgarian Government as being without foundation and added that the Soviet Government also rejected the suggestion that Serbs or Greeks flying in Soviet planes had dropped the bombs as neither Serbs nor Greeks possess Soviet airplanes.
Inasmuch as the repeated publication of announcements regarding disagreeable incidents between the Soviet Union and other countries has usually portended direct or indirect hostilities with the country concerned, I am inclined to believe that the references to Bulgaria which have appeared in the Soviet press since the outbreak of the Soviet-German war may be viewed in this light. The Bulgarian Minister, however, is still in Moscow and insofar as I am aware there is no evidence of an immediate rupture of relations between the two countries.
- None printed.↩