Greek-Bulgarian Border War 1925

Discussions on other historical eras.
RanHist
New member
Posts: 1
Joined: 14 Jul 2006, 22:43
Location: Blagoevgrad

#16

Post by RanHist » 14 Jul 2006, 22:47

Did the local VMRO paramilitary units become involved in '25? I'd always assumed one of the reasons why the Greeks invade was to punish VMRO (the soldier and his dog being a convenient excuse). But I've never heard if VMRO "stood and fought" when the Greeks arrived, or pulled back rather than tackle regular army units in offensive mode.

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#17

Post by BIGpanzer » 15 Jul 2006, 02:23

Quote from Waffen-Grenadier letter (in my thread about Bulgarian army of interwar period here)
By the time of Kjustendil and Nevrokop in 1922 incedents the army remained neutral.

The accident between Bulgarian border guard post ¹1 and Greek border guard post ¹26 happened on the 19h October 1925 near Demyr kapia. On the 22nd October 6th Greek division crossed the border and the front was 40 km. The Greeks occupied 10 without any Bulgarian resistance villages: Kulata, Tchutchuligovo, Marino pole, Novo Hodozhovo, Dolno Spantchevo, Piperitza, Lehovo, Topolnitza, Marinokostino, Kartetchno. On the 21st and 22nd at the accident region were sent 6 infantry and 3 MG companies with 4 mountain and 8 field cannons under Colonel Bankovsky, commander of the 7th Rilski (Rilski is a "male" adjective from Rila - the highest mountain in Bulgaria) Infantry Regiment. The Bulgarian government alerted the UN in Geneva. On the 25th October Greek units tried to take Petritch but they failed due to resistance by the army, local population and VMRO (or IMRO in English) bands (tcheti is Bulgarian for bands) . The UN sent an ultimatum to Greece to stop the invasion and the British, French and Italian attaches in Belgrade were ordered to visit the frontline. Om the 30th October Greek units left the occupied territories. On the 29th October the UN council launched a survey comission which finshed work on the 28th November. On the 7th December its decions were put on a vote and it was confirmed that the Greek side has comitted an invasion in Bulgarian territory and it was fined to pay 25 000 000 leva, which were transacted in 1926.
I think that Bulgarian VMRO terrorists were much more dangerous for Yugoslavia than for Greece........................On the other hand - Greek troops tried to capture Petrich which was the "capital" of VMRO.


User avatar
Evzonas
Member
Posts: 664
Joined: 01 Jul 2004, 11:25
Location: Athens, Greece

#18

Post by Evzonas » 07 Oct 2006, 10:30

Sepp Dietrich wrote:Please give me a few days, I have found something on this conflict. It is in Greek so it will need translating (a couple of paragraphs). I have not yet read the text itself, but pored through a voluminous History of Greece collection and found something on this incident. (I know that you don't want to see an update post so apologies, but I thought it wise to let you all know!)
Sepp what happened to the new info? If you are having trouble in translation, perhas you can forward to me to translate...

User avatar
Mr Holmes
Member
Posts: 1009
Joined: 30 Jun 2005, 13:14
Location: Australia
Contact:

#19

Post by Mr Holmes » 10 Oct 2006, 15:20

At long last, I finally got round to completing the translation. My sincerest apologies for the extra long delay, especially to Mr PeterH. Note, I do not purport to have made the best translation; I will be keeping the photocopy on hand and can scan the relevant chapter and send via email to anyone wanting to make a more accurate translation. The text itself is made in polytonic Greek, but I fear that rough and smooth breathings as well as circumflexes do not show up on the forums so I have typed the Greek text in a monotonic variation. I could always alter this if need be. (I just hope the Greek shows up as is... otherwise I don't know what I'll do!)

It seems as though the dispute took on much wider implications than most of us might have imagined. What sort of impact this conflict would have had on formulation of future international law is anyone’s guess, especially within the fledgling League of Nations body. Had it not been for the international body and the influence exerted by (especially) Britain, the conflict may have ended up as another war within the Balkans.

Τον Αύγουστο του 1925 η επανασύνδεση των σχέσεων της Τουρκίας με τη Γιουγκοσλαβία και τη Βουλγαρία έθεσαν την Ελλάδα σε κατάσταση επικίνδυνης απομονώσεως. Επιδεινώνοντας την κατάσταση αυτή, ο Πάγκαλος κατάφερε με άστοχους χειρισμούς να εμπλακεί τον Οκτώβριο του 1925 σε μια περιπέτεια με τη Βουλγαρία, που κόστισε στην Ελλάδα την καταβολή νέων επανορθώσεων και την επιδείνωση των σχέσεών της με τη γειτωνική χώρα.

Το ελληνο-βουλγαρικό επεισόδιο

Οι ελληνο-βουλγαρικές σχέσεις, οι οποίες μετά το Β΄ Βαλκανικό πόλεμο γνώρισαν ελάχιστα διαλείμματα βελτιώσεως, είχαν ενταθεί το 1925 λόγω της δράσεως κομιτατζήδων σε ελληνικά εδάφη με την ενθάρρυνση της κυβερνήσεως Τσαγκώφ και απώτερο στόχο την αυτονόμηση της ελληνικής Μακεδονίας. Στις 18 Οκτωβρίου 1925, στη θέση Δεμίρ Καπού, κοντά στο Μπέλες, βουλγαρικές δυνάμεις άνοιξαν πύρ εναντίον του 69ου ελληνικού φυλακίου, με αποτέλεσμα να σκοτωθούν δύο στρατιώτες και ο διοικητής του συνοριακού τμήματος λοχαγός Χαρ. Βασιλειάδης, ο οποίος προσπάθησε να διαπραγματευθεί με τους Βουλγάρους, υψώνοντας λευκή σημαία. Ακολολυθησε η κατάληψη του ελληνικού φυλακίου.

Ο Πάγκαλος πίστεψε ότι το συνοριακό επεισόδιο αποτελούσε μέρος ενός ευρύτερου σχεδίου εισβολής, άν και το καθεστώς της συνθήκης του Νεϊγύ είχε μειώσει τη στρατιωτική ετοιμότητα της Βουλγαρίας στο ελάχιστο. Παρά τίς συμβουλές Ελλήνων και ξένων διπλοματών, καθώς και τίς βουλγαρικές προτάσεις για τη συγκρότηση μικτής ελληνο-βουλγαρικής ανακριτικής επιτροπής για τη διερεύνηση των αιτίων του επεισοδίου, ο Πάγκαλος έδωσε διαταγή στο Γ΄ Σώμα Στρατού να εισβάλει στο βουλαγρικό έδαφος και να καταλάβει το Πετρίτσι, κέντρο δράσεως των κομιτατζήδων. Παράλληλα επιδόθηκε στη βουλγαρική κυβέρνηση ελληνική διαμαρτυρία με την απαίτηση: 1) να ζητηθεί από την Ελλάδα συγνώμη, 2) να τιμωρηθούν οι ένοχοι, 3) να καταβληθεί στην Ελλάδα αποζημίωση 2,000,000 γαλλικών φράγκων. Άν το επεισόδιο παρέμενε υπόθεση μεταξύ των δύο κρατών, η βουλγαρική αποδοχή των ελληνικών απαιτήσεων θα ήταν σχεδόν βέβαιη. Η Βουλγαρία όμως προσέφυγε στην Κ.Τ.Ε. και κατάφερε ώστε το Συμβούλιο να ζητήσει την άμεση διακοπή των εχθροπραξιών και την αποχώρηση των ελληνικών δυνάμεων από τα βουλγαρικά εδάφη. Το Συμβούλιο επίσης συγκρότησε διεθνή ανακριτική επιτροπή υπό τον Horace Rumbold για να εξετάσει τίς ευθύνες των δύο κρατών και να αποφασίσει ποιές επανορθώσεις έπρεπε να καταβληθούν. Η επιτροπή υπέβαλε τα πορίσματα των ερευνών της στίς 28 Νοεμβρίου, που υιοθετήθηκαν από το Συμβούλιο. Σύμφωνα με την έκθεση της επιτροπής η ευθύνη βάρυνε τελικά την Ελλάδα, η οποία όφειλε να καταβάλει στη Βουλγαρία 45.000 λίρες στερλίνες γιά τίς «υλικές και ηθικές» ζημιές που προκάλεσε η εισβολή, ενώ η Βουλγαρία υποχρεώθηκε να αποζημειώσει την οικογένεια του Έλληνα λοχαγού που είχε φονευθεί. Σημαντικό ρόλο για τη διευθέτηση της κρίεως έπαιξε και η Αγγλία, αναλαμβάνοντας στην περίπτωση αυτή το ρόλο του προστάτη της Βουλγαρίας. Μάλιστα ο Άγγλος πρεσβευτής στη Σόφια δήλωσε στον Αμερικανό συνάδελφό του ότι, άν οι Έλληνες δεν αποδέχονταν την απόφαση της Κ.Τ.Ε., τότε η Αγγλία δέ θα δίσταζε να χρησιμοποιήσει το στόλο της για «να τους επαναφέρει στα λογικά τους». Αποφασιστικός παράγοντας για την επιβολή του διακανονισμού της ελληνο-βουλγαρικής διαφοράς υπήρξε τελικά η ομοφωνία των Μεγάλων Δυνάμεων (Αγγλίας, Γαλλίας, Ιταλίας) ότι οι κανόνες της συλλογικής ασφάλειας, όπως ερμηνεύονταν από την Κ.Τ.Ε., έπρεπε να λειτουργήσουν απρόσκοπτα. Η πρόσφατη υπογραφή της συνθήκης του Λοκάρνου έθετε σε νέες βάσεις τίς σχέσεις των Ευρωπαϊκών Δυνάμεων, με κύριοστόχο τη διατήρηση της ειρήνης και της ασφάλειας στον ευρωπαϊκό χώρο. Έτσι η εξάρτηση της Κ.Τ.Ε. από τίς συγκυριακές σχέσεις των Μεγάλων και η καθοριστική επίδραση των συμφερόντων τους στη λειτουργία του διεθνούς οργανισμού επιβεβαιώθηκε για μιάν ακόμη φορά.

Η ευθύνη του Παγκάλου για τη μή κατανόηση των διεθνών εξελίξεων αλλά και των μεθόδων της διπλοματίας ήταν απόλυτη. Η περιφρόνησή του πρός τίς συμβουλές των διπλοματών και οι σπασμωδικές προσωπικές του παρεμβάσεις αποτέλεσαν εγγύηση αποτυχίας. Από το προηγούμενο του επιεσοδίου της Κέρξυρας ο Πάγκαλος είχε σχηματίσει την εντύπωση ότι η Κ.Τ.Ε. γενικά απέφευγε τίς ευθύνες του διακανονισμού διαφορών μεταξύ κρατών. Του διέφυγε ολότελα το βαθύτερο νόημα της απροθυμίας εκείνης του διεθνούς οργανισμού. Αντίθετα από το επεισόδιο της Κέρκυρας, το ελληνο-βουλγαρικό ζήτημα αφορούσε δύο μικρές δυνάμεις, έτσι ώστε η Κ.Τ.Ε. μπορούσε να απονείμει κατά την κρίση της διακαιοσύνη χωρίς να προκαλέσει τη μήνη κάποιου ισχυρού.
In August of 1925, the restoration of Turkey’s relations with Yugoslavia and Bulgaria placed Greece in a state of dangerous isolation. Exacerbating this situation, Pangalos(*) managed, via unsuccessful handling, to embroil [Greece] in October of 1925 in an adventure with Bulgaria, which was to cost Greece the founding of new restorations and a worsening of its relations with the neighbouring nation.

The Greco-Bulgarian Episode

Greco-Bulgarian relations which after the Second Balkans War saw little improvement, flared in 1925 because of the actions of guerillas* in Greek territory with the encouragement of the Chegov*** government with the ulterior motive of autonomising Greek Macedonia. On 18 October, 1925, in the place of Demir Kapou, near Beles, Bulgarian forces opened fire upon the 69th Greek guardhouse with the result that two soldiers were killed along with the administrator of the border detachment; captain Haralambos Basiliadis, who tried to negotiate with the Bulgarians, waving a white flag. The occupation of the Greek guardhouse followed.

Pangalos believed that the border incident was part of a wider invasion plan, even though the Neigi Agreement regime had downgraded the Bulgarian forces’ readiness to a low level. Notwithstanding the advice of Greek and foreign diplomats, as well as Bulgarians statements for a convening of a mixed Greco-Bulgarian inquest into the causes of the incident, Pangalos ordered the Third Army to invade Bulgarian territory and to occupy Petrici, the centre of guerilla* activity. Parallel to this, a Greek protest was delivered to the Bulgarian government with the demand: 1) to ask of Greece forgiveness, 2) that the guilty be punished, 3) that Greece be paid 2,000,000 in French francs. If the incident remained an issue only amongst the two nations, the Bulgarian reception of the Greek demands and of their approval would have been a certainty. Bulgaria, however, had recourse to the League of Nations and was able to have the Council press for a cessation of hostilities and the departure of Greek forces from Bulgarian territory. The Council also convened an international justice commission under Horace Rumbold to examine the culpability of both nations and to decide on what correctives needed to be imposed. The commission submitted its findings on 28 November, which were adopted by the Council. In accordance with the findings of the commission the final responsibility lay with Greece, who was made to pay Bulgaria 45,000 pounds for both “material and ethical” damages stemming from the invasion, although Bulgaria was compelled to compensate the family of the Greek captain who had been murdered. England, who in this instance was that of Bulgaria’s protector, played a major role in the resolution of the crisis. Indeed, the English ambassador to Sofia declared to his American counterpart that, if the Greeks were to not accept the decision of the League of Nations, then England would not have hesitated to using her fleet “to bring them back to their senses”. The deciding factor in the imposition of the settlement of the Greco-Bulgarian conflict existed finally in the unanimity of the Great Powers (England, France, Italy) that the rules of collective security, as it was interpreted by the league of Nations, had to work without stumbling. The recent signing of the Treaty of Lucerne** laid new foundations for the relations of European Powers, with the chief aim of maintaining the peace and the security of the European arena. So the dependence of the League of Nations upon the relations of the Great Powers and the decisive impact of their interests in the workings of the international organisation was confirmed once more.

Pangalos’ responsibility in failing to comprehend the international repercussions, as well as his diplomatic methodologies was absolute. His contempt for diplomatic counsel and his spasmodic personal interventions resulted in guaranteed failure. From the precedent of the Corfu episode, Pangalos had planned that the League of Nations generally shied from taking responsibilities in settling differences between nations. He utterly misjudged the deeper meaning of this reluctance of the international body. In contrast to the Corfu episode, the Greco-Bulgarian question concerned two small powers, in which the League of Nations could issue, according to its own judgement, justice without raising the ire of someone mighty.




(*) Theodoros Pangalos (1878-1952), dictator.
*komitadji – not sure if this is referencing VMRO guerillas or otherwise
** Not sure if this Treaty of Lucerne is the same as that of Lausanne
***I hope I have the right spelling there

Source: «Ιστορία του Ελληνικού Έθνους: Νεώτερος Ελληνισμός Από 1913 ώς 1941», Αθήναι, «Εκδοτική Αθηνών» Α.Ε. 1978, p. 294.

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

#20

Post by Peter H » 13 Oct 2006, 15:39

Sepp,

Thanks for the time and effort in presenting this excellent addition to our understanding of the clash.

Regards
Peter

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#21

Post by BIGpanzer » 13 Oct 2006, 19:56

Thanks, Sepp, for the excellent info about than almost unknown border conflict! It is true that Bulgaria and Greece (as we know Bulgaria lost the access to Aegean Sea in favor of Greece) was in serious diplomatic confrontation in 1925 (also in 1931) and only interference of the League of Nations prevented the new Balkan war.
On 18 October, 1925, in the place of Demir Kapou, near Beles, Bulgarian forces opened fire upon the 69th Greek guardhouse with the result that two soldiers were killed along with the administrator of the border detachment; captain Haralambos Basiliadis, who tried to negotiate with the Bulgarians, waving a white flag. The occupation of the Greek guardhouse followed.
This is new info! All sources I know mention that the border conflict began when Bulgarian frontier guards killed Greek soldier after he crossed border line trying to catch his dog. Greek infantry division invaded Bulgarian territory soon and captured several Bulgarian villages even (see above for details), so Bulgaria officially protested on the League of Nations level. Bulgarian units with artillery were sent to the border conflict area, where they together with VMRO members (Petrich was the capital of their virtually independent state) pressed the Greeks back.
Bulgaria had quite small army according to the Neuilly Treaty 1919 (20.000 soldiers + 10.000 gendarmes + 3.000 border guards), no Air Forces (prohibited since 1919) and microscopic navy (4 old torpedo boats without torpedo tubes was the main Bulgarian vessels on the Black Sea), but many historians supposed that Bulgarian army could resist to Greek invasion for a long time taking into consideration mountainous region along long Bulgarian-Greek border.
Greco-Bulgarian relations which after the Second Balkans War saw little improvement, flared in 1925 because of the actions of guerillas* in Greek territory with the encouragement of the Chegov*** government
AFAIK Bulgarian prime-minister was Alexander Tsankov (1923-1926). Bulgarian VMRO terrorists caused many local border accidents along Greek and Yugoslavian borders and Tsankov's government made almost nothing to stop this, paid much more attention to political terror against communists and agrarians.

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#22

Post by BIGpanzer » 14 Oct 2006, 19:58

It will be very interesting to find some info about Bulgarian-Greek border conflict in 1931.

AFAIK Bulgaria had no accidents with Romania and Turkey during the inter-war period, but Bulgarian VMRO members organized provocations on Yugoslavian territory as well as Yugoslavian airplanes made flights over Bulgarian territory including Sofia. Bulgaria had no Air Force officially till the middle of 1930s (according to Neuilly Treaty 1919), but Bulgarian airplanes always took off to pursue Yugoslavian aircraft, nevertheless they didn't open fire to avoid international protests and their MGs were always hidden after landing.

User avatar
Mr Holmes
Member
Posts: 1009
Joined: 30 Jun 2005, 13:14
Location: Australia
Contact:

#23

Post by Mr Holmes » 15 Oct 2006, 01:28

Hey it's no problem at all. If anything, it was a pleasure translating it :-)


Bigpanzer,

I did not know the restriction of placed on the Bulgarian military, especially the prohibition of an air force. The region (I have never been up that far north) I imagine would be as mountainous as the more southern areas, and so any invasion and battle would, I would think, cause appalling losses for both sides. Thanks for the information on Tsankov.

re Your second post about the 1931 incident. Back when I found the information on the 1925 incident, I had only one night to look for information on both the 1925 and 1931 incidents, but I did not find any info on the 1931 flare-up. I will see if I can pester my boss again to obtain the book once more, but I am sure that there was no reference to it.

User avatar
Mr Holmes
Member
Posts: 1009
Joined: 30 Jun 2005, 13:14
Location: Australia
Contact:

#24

Post by Mr Holmes » 15 Oct 2006, 02:13

One question if I may; Were the VMRO units which joined the Bulgarian army's counterattack of the Greek units, classical guerilla "hit and runners" or did they take on a more convetional role, supplementing the Bulgarian detachments?

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#25

Post by BIGpanzer » 17 Oct 2006, 15:55

Hi, Sepp!
Here are a lot of info about Bulgarian Army during 1920s-1930s -
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=66767

As for Bulgarian Air Forces in 1920s - as Bulgaria fought on German's side during WWI, it was prohibited for Bulgaria to have any military aircraft during 20 years according to Neuilly Treaty 1919. All Bulgarian aircraft should be destroyed (70 planes were destroyed on Bojurishte airfield), the planes in the future civil aviation could be bought only from the countries that won the war, the capacity of the engine (or the summary capacity of all engines for one plane) could not exceed more than 180 hp.
Despite those orders Bulgarian pilots could hide 7 planes, a lot of engines and a lot of plane machine guns (MG 08/15 Spandau). Bulgaria established civil aviation, a school for pilots was founded, kingdom bought a lot of models from Avro, Potez, Bristol and Caudron in 1920s, an aircraft factory DAR in Bojurishte began to produce native aircraft since 1926 (training aircraft which could be converted to reconnaissance and light bombers), also a second Bulgarian aircraft workshop AERO (since 1930 - Kaproni Bulgarski) appeared in 1926. Two fighters Fokker D.VII were assembled from the destroyed planes in 1920 and they were used as intercept fighters with hidden MGs from Bojurishte airfield against Yugoslavian recon planes (at least one interception took place in 1926 over Sofia - Yugoslavian plane run away immediately).
The region (I have never been up that far north)
:D I have never been up that far south, except my stay in Japan :lol:
Well, Bulgaria had 459 km border with Greece in 1925 and this region is represented by Pirin and Rhodope mountains (800-2000 m) mainly which made it the good defense position for Bulgarians. AFAIK Bulgaria had no strong fortifications along Greek border but small units of border guard, strengthened with machine guns, mortars and light mountain artillery could theoretically defend mountain passes for a long time.

As for Bulgarian-Greek border incident in 1931 - I found only the mentions that it took place but nothing more, very unfortunately :roll:

As for VMRO members which helped Bulgarian army units to counter-attack Greek division during border incident in 1925, I have no more info. VMRO terrorists had quite good military organization on small units level, so several VMRO "companies" or "battalions" could support Bulgarian army and border units with rifle and MG fire.......

PS. Bulgarian Army in 1925 consisted of 8 infantry regiments (~1065 men each), 3 cavalry regiments (~750 men each), 8 artillery groups (5 of which were field artillery groups, ~420 men each), 3 battalions of engineers (~514 men each), 2 railway battalions (~458 men each), 1 communication section (~341 men), 16 intendance depot and companies, 3 medical depots.
Also Bulgaria had 17 battalions, 75 companies, 8 mounted detachments and 32 squadrons of gendarmerie + 1 battalion, 3 companies and 8 sectors of frontier guard.
Total - 34.857 soldiers and officers (just for the info, Bulgaria had population 4.940.000 men in 1925).

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#26

Post by BIGpanzer » 24 Oct 2006, 18:26

Interesting info about Bulgarian sea aviation in 1925 -
http://vicmart.com/ext/en/exrw/item=183 ... rd-RR.html
This is probably, Bulgarian-built two-seat reconnaissance biplane hydroplane Grigorov-1 with Mercedes D-III engine 150 hp, designed and built by Atanas Grigorov in 1924. The first Bulgarian-designed floatplane. Basic layout based on the Friedrichshafen FF-33 seaplane. Named "Leitenant Liapchev". Evaluated by Bulgarian Navy with favourable results, better than the English Avro-522, but series production cancelled when prototype was destroyed in a violent storm in 1925.

:lol:
The image is from http://www.johndclare.net/images/tweedle.jpg
Image
"A British cartoon of 1925 shows Greece and Bulgaria fighting – like Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee in the story Alice in Wonderland. The League, like a dove of peace, stops the fight."

User avatar
freefrench
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: 07 Jan 2006, 12:23
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Contact:

#27

Post by freefrench » 27 Oct 2006, 08:29

But really, if it is the Bulgarian border guard who shot at the dog, then he must really have been quite stupid. He should have communicated, but once again, they spoke two different languages. So who's to blame?

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#28

Post by BIGpanzer » 27 Oct 2006, 13:33

According to the most well-known version - Bulgarian border guards shot not at the dog but at the Greek soldier, who tried to catch his dog and crossed the Bulgarian-Greek border (mountain region with pass). There are also several another versions - see above. As Bulgarian-Greek political relations was quite bad that time (after Balkan wars and WWI) Bulgarian soldiers opened fire without notice (and de jure they were right). Following Greek offensive was much more illegal, and League of Nations was on Bulgarian side.

If the real event took place as Sepp described - that Bulgarian border guard unit opened fire upon Greek guardhouse and killed two Greek soldiers and commander, who tried to negotiate with Bulgarians - this make things very differ from official version, as you can understand.

User avatar
BIGpanzer
Member
Posts: 2812
Joined: 12 Dec 2004, 23:51
Location: Central Europe

#29

Post by BIGpanzer » 24 Feb 2007, 17:28

Just found a small chronology of the Greek-Bulgarian border conflicts during the inter-war period.

09 August 1920 - Bulgaria: peace treaty of Neuilly [signed 27.11.1919] with the Entente came into effect. In fact, Bulgaria became the colony of states-WWI winners and was run into difficulties, pregnant with the permanent conflicts with neighboring countries [Bulgaria lost the access to the Aegean Sea in favour of Greece, Adrianople district was given to Turkey, Southern Dobruja was nationalized by Romania again, the parts of native Bulgarian territory (Timoka, Tzaribrod, Bosilovgrad, Strumitza) were given to Yugoslavia even].
Bulgarian Government of Stambolisky tried to get assistance of France for establishments of friendly relations with neighboring countries [especially with Yugoslavia] and access to the Aegean Sea under the auspices of Turkey. The agreement between Belgrade and Sofia was made in Nish [March 1923] as the result. Bulgariuan Government acknowledged the rights of Yugoslavia to Macedonia. Also the relations with USSR were improved to some degree [Soviet Red Cross began the work in Bulgaria]. But Britain and Italy discovered the danger for their interests in Balkans and Adriatic in those cases and started the measures against the Stambolisky's Government of Agrarian Union.
The conflicts between Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece because of Macedonia didn't stop in 1920s.

21 October 1925 - Bulgaria: the armed conflicts on the Bulgarian-Greek border, which began after murder of Greek soldier, were stopped through intermediary of League of Nations [Britain played the major role in the prevention of new war on Balkans as Greek troops occupied Bulgarian town Petrich 13 km of the border].

04 December 1925 - Greece: new border conflict occured on the border with Bulgaria.

15 December 1925 - Greece, Athens: Greek Government agreed to pay fine, imposed by League of Nations, for the military incident with Bulgaria.

January-February 1931 - Bulgaria: new armed conflicts on the border with Greece.

31 July 1938 - Bulgaria, Sofia: the program of rearmament of Bulgarian army was adopted. The non-aggression pact with Greece was signed.

Regards, BP

User avatar
''X''
Member
Posts: 263
Joined: 21 Oct 2006, 23:55
Location: Hellas/West Macedonia

#30

Post by ''X'' » 18 Mar 2007, 10:43

Sepp Dietrich wrote:In all fairness, Greek soldiers on the border may have done the same.
It wasn't only the soldier murdered but Bulgarians threatened the officer who tried to retrieve the body of the Greek soldier,even though the Greek officer waved white flagAfter that the 3rd Army Corps ( Γ ΣΣ ) was ordered from General Pagalos to enter Bulgarian territory.

Post Reply

Return to “Other eras”