740.0011 European War 1939/8544: Telegram

The Minister in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State

84. The Government-controlled Greek press has been noticeably silent on the question of the Turkish-Bulgarian Declaration and the public is inclined to regard this as confirmation of uncomfortable and growing suspicions of the Turkish attitude.

The Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs said to me last night that while he has told the German Minister that the declaration is a praiseworthy step in the cause of Balkan peace he really regards it as a public notice that the Germans may enter Bulgaria without risk of complications and thus as a defeat for British diplomacy probably engineered at least in part by the Germans themselves (see my telegram number 74, February 14, 2 p.m.). On the other hand he thinks it does not essentially alter the actual situation since he believes Turkey never intended going beyond her existing obligations in any case despite the bellicose pronouncement of a portion of her press. He is still of the opinion that she can be counted on to fulfill these obligations but clings to the idea (see my telegram No. 63, February 8, 5 p.m.) that Germany will refrain from making this necessary and will rest content with the occupation of Bulgaria as a checkmate to British hopes of entering Europe by the back door. Once established in Bulgaria he said Germany may bring pressure on Greece to make peace with Italy but to attack Greece directly would bring Turkey in and give the British just the chance they are looking for to create an Eastern front. Rumors recently disseminated by radio that the Germans have already begun to press the Greeks to compose their difficulties with the Italians are without foundation.

MacVeagh