History 10/03/20 Why the Bulgarians fought against the Russians in the Great Patriotic
During the Second world war, as in the First, the Kingdom of Bulgaria was an ally of Germany. So often the assertion that Bulgarians and Russians in the twentieth century never fought among themselves, completely untrue.
During the First world war, 1916-1917, Russian and Bulgarian have had clashes in Romanian and Salonika fronts, sometimes very fierce. For example, the city of Monastir in Macedonia in November 1916, the 2nd special Russian brigade lost about one third of staff in the battle with the Bulgarian troops. In Russia to end of 1917 there were about 2 000 (according to other sources – 5 000) prisoners of war of the Bulgarian army.
In March 1941 Bulgaria joined the Tripartite Pact and Germany, provided its territory for the deployment of troops preparing for the invasion of Greece. In April 1941 the German military operations spread to Yugoslavia. Bulgaria not officially declared war on Greece and Yugoslavia, and took part in the occupation, to Annex large areas (after the war they were all returned).
Bulgaria has also refrained from declaring war to the Soviet Union after 22 June 1941. Traditionally this is explained by the fear of the ruling circles of Bulgaria and its army will fight against the Russian, which the country owes its liberation from the Turkish yoke. However, in the First world war this circumstance did not prevent the Bulgarians to fight against the Russian Empire. Now in Russia ruled by the Bolsheviks, to which the Bulgarians could not experience any appreciation. The real reason, apparently, was the fear of sending troops at all anywhere. The fact that the monarchy in Bulgaria have experienced a permanent political crisis. However, on 13 December 1941, under pressure from Hitler BulgariansIya still declared war is far from her Western allies, the USSR, the USA and the UK.
Incorrect and the statement that during the Second world war was not military clashes between the Soviet and Bulgarian armed forces. Formally fighting against the Soviet Union, the Bulgarian military was part of the convoys of German and Romanian transports in the Black sea. For its part, the submarines of the Soviet black sea fleet was active near the coast of Bulgaria. They put minefields in the Bulgarian ports of Varna and Burgas, intelligence, in the case of the attacked convoys. In 1941 there were a number of clashes, which took the participation of the Bulgarian Navy and air force.
So, until the end of the year the Bulgarian aircraft of the coast guard five times attacked they discovered Soviet submarines, but only once hit the target, and the fact of the sinking is in question. It is known that in the Bulgarian territorial waters in the mines blew up two Soviet submarines. And on 6 December 1941 in the district of Burgas, the Bulgarian gunboat knocked out the Soviet submarine Shch-204. Soviet mines blown transport of Bulgarian “SHIPKA”. On 9 September 1941 by the Soviet submarine L-4 on the surface, shelled and sank the Bulgarian ship “Success”. Clashes arise in the future, but rarely, as, while Crimea was under the control of the “axis” (July 1942-may 1944), the Soviet submarines was difficult to reach the coast.
Another incorrect statement about Bulgaria during the Second world war – that it was occupied by Germany. Twice by German troops in 1941-1944 entered the territory of Bulgaria. The first time it was made for military operations against Greece and Yugoslavia and with the consent of the Bulgarian government. At its completion, the German troops left Bulgaria. During the war with the USSR, German, Romanian and Italian court used the repair capabilities of the Bulgarian naval bases at Varna and Burgas. However, in early 1944 year at the request of the Soviet Union, the Bulgarian government shut down their access to Bulgarian ports.
Under the influence of victories of the coalition intensified the political crisis in Bulgaria. Spread underground struggle waged against the government by the Communists in Alliance with other left parties. At the end of August 1944, the German front collapsed under the Iasi and from the war with the Soviet Union came Romania. German troops used Bulgaria for the retreat, and Bulgarian troops did not interfere with their movement. This was the second invasion of the Germans on the Bulgarian land has already been enforced, but aims do not occupation and the withdrawal of the territory of Yugoslavia. On 26 August, the Bulgarian government officially announced the disarmament and internment in the country for German compounds, but in fact sought to avoid military confrontation with the retreating Germans and the red army.
the Soviet leadership regarded this as a manifestation of disloyalty and 5 September declared war on Bulgaria. According to the Soviet command, at the moment in Bulgaria there were about 30 thousand German soldiers. September 2, a plan of capture of the Bulgarian ports. On the night of 7 to 8 September, the ships and aircraft of the black sea fleet started landing. At this time there was no longer any German ships or German troops: 26-30 August, the Germans sank in the Harbor of Varna and Burgas 74 units of the fleet. On the morning of 8 September, Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian front under the command of General of the army F. I. Tolbukhin crossed the border into Bulgaria from Romania.
on the night of 5 September, the Bulgarian government decided to declare war on Germany, but on the insistence of war Minister I. K. Marinova postponed it for three days. During these three days was followed by a Declaration of war on Bulgaria by the Soviet Union, and optimized the organization of anti-government uprising in Sofia. As it turned out, Marina had already been negotiating with the Communists, which allowed him to maintain his post at butthe PTO mode.
When the evening of 7 September it became known that Bulgaria Germany are at war, the first was in a unique position of being formally warring at the same time with both coalitions! But it did not last long. In the night of 9 September in the capital of the coup, and the power passed to the government of the Fatherland front in which the leading role played by the Communists.
In September 1944 on the territory of Bulgaria by Soviet troops lost 977 soldiers, among them were both lost in battle and died of wounds and disease.
Yaroslav Butakov
Source:
© Russian Seven
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