A New Attempt at Change
On September 2, 1944, Konstantin Moraviev became prime minister of Bulgaria, replacing the government of Ivan Bagrianov. Moraviev tried to distance Bulgaria from Nazi Germany and hoped to repair relations with the Allies. However, time was against him. The Red Army was already moving quickly through Romania toward the Bulgarian frontier.
On the morning of September 5, the Soviet representative met with Moraviev to discuss Bulgaria’s position. The Soviet Union, however, had already decided its course of action. Moscow believed that the Balkans, and especially the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, were of vital strategic interest. The Soviet diplomat reported back to Moscow that Moraviev’s government seemed no different from earlier pro-German administrations. This provided a convenient excuse for the Soviets to act The 1945 Elections and Communist Manipulation.
The Soviet Declaration of War
On the same day, September 5, 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria. Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin, commander of the invading Red Army, was given strict orders to crush the “treacherous enemy.” Four days later, on September 9, Soviet forces entered Bulgaria and forced its surrender. The Red Army occupied the country with the full rights of a conqueror, leaving Bulgaria with little control over its own fate.
The Intervention of the Red Army
Bulgaria Declares War on Germany Too Late
Ironically, the Moraviev government had already planned to declare war on Germany, hoping this would prove Bulgaria’s loyalty to the Allied cause. On September 8, 1944, Bulgaria officially declared war on Germany. But this decision came too late. The Soviets had already declared war on Bulgaria three days earlier. Their goal was clear: to justify occupying Bulgaria while it was still technically aligned with Germany.
The Coup of September 9
Immediately after the Red Army’s entry, Bulgarian armed forces carried out a coup d’état on September 9, 1944. A new coalition government was formed, which included Communists, members of the Bulgarian National Agrarian Union, Social Democrats, and representatives of minority groups. On the surface, this looked like a broad, democratic alliance. In reality, the Communists—backed by Soviet power—quickly became the dominant force.
The Armistice Agreement
To make peace with the Allies, Bulgaria had to accept Soviet occupation. Non-Communist members of the new government were pressured into agreeing, as they had little choice with Soviet troops already in control of the country. On October 28, 1944, Bulgaria signed an armistice agreement in Moscow with the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. This agreement legalized the Soviet presence and ensured that Bulgaria would remain under Soviet influence for the remainder of the war Customized Guided Turkey Tours.
The events of September 1944 marked the end of Bulgaria’s independence in foreign policy. Moraviev’s attempt to change course came too late, as the Soviet Union was determined to control the Balkans. The Red Army’s intervention, followed by the September 9 coup, transformed Bulgaria into a Soviet-occupied state. Though the new government included multiple parties, the Communists quickly gained the upper hand, setting the stage for Bulgaria’s transformation into a People’s Republic under Moscow’s shadow.
