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  Selected Secret Documents from Soviet Foreign Policy Documents Archives - 1919 to 1941

Concentrated on 1st and  2nd WW Correspondence and Meetings related to Turkey, Balkans and Iran, with some additions from Afghanistan and India.

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Telegram of the plenipotentiary representative of the USSR in Turkish republic ca. Vinogradova in the NKID USSR

November 21, 1940

Immediately top secret

In connection with the last visit to Germany, in particular of tsar Boris *, and especially in connection with Phalen’s statement to German journalists, the concern among Turkish government circles increased even more. The Turks believe that after Hungary signed the berlin pact206, Germany will move its troops to Greece through Hungary and Yugoslavia to help the Italians. For the time being, the Turks have ruled out the transfer of German troops to Greece through Bulgaria, since they believe that this action would have caused the inevitable entry into the war of Bulgaria, and thus Turkey; the Germans, according to the Turks, do not want now Turkey to side with the Greeks. The Turks are anxiously awaiting the return of Phalen to Ankara, as they believe that he will take all measures to put pressure on the Turkish government in order to cool the Anglo‐Turkish friendship and reorient Turkey towards the axis countries. The Turks are especially worried about the unknown position of the USSR in relation to the Balkans and Turkey after the berlin talks. Some believe that the USSR gave Germanyʹs consent to freedom of action in the Balkans and Turkey. The anxiety of the government circles also spread to the population, among whom there is already a somewhat panicky mood, this affects at least the fact that more or less well‐to‐do circles are beginning to stock up on food. The recently passed law to black out all cities in Turkey has further exacerbated this mood. Along with this, the English influence is not weakening here. All the British, expelled by the Germans from Romania, settled in Turkey. A large number of British military and civilian specialists are now in Istanbul. Izmir has over one hundred British military pilots and one English general. Martial law has almost been introduced in this city, after 11 pm it is forbidden to walk along the street, the part of the city adjacent to the Aegean Sea has been declared a prohibited area, the police are checking documents in the streets and in public places. Our military officials claim that all this information is reliable. In a conversation with me, Kirov also told me that the Turks are very anxious and are strenuously preparing for any surprise. In recent days, daily government meetings have been taking place. In addition, Kirov suggested that Bulgaria, in his opinion, would soon enter the berlin pact.

Despite the fact that the war is really approaching Turkey, I still believe that the Turkish government will take all measures in its power to avoid entering the war now.

Vinogradov

Avp rf, f. 059, on. 1, p. 314, d. 2163, l. 126‐128.