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IX. Projects for an Italian-led Balkan Bloc of Neutrals, September–December 1939

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Frank Marzari
Frank Marzari
Affiliation:
University of British Columbia
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Extract

The countries of south-eastern Europe at the beginning of the last war were caught, as they themselves put it with as much self-deprecation as fear, between the Axis hammer and the Russian anvil. There was almost a touch of defiance in their description, as if the extraordinarily high odds against their survival confirmed in their eyes their claim to national independence and to world attention. In fact over the 20 years of their existence they had made a virtue of the politics of Kleinstaaterei, of the fact that their destiny was determined not by themselves but by the Great Powers surrounding them. The Balkan states were creatures of Great Power politics and, with an unerring appreciation of their dependence on powerful neighbours, they looked to London or Paris or Rome or Berlin or Moscow for sustenance and direction. And yet—and this is the crucial paradox—they continued to harbour, side by side with their acknowledged dependence on the Great Powers, a deeply felt longing for collective independence and for political self-sufficiency. This paper is concerned with the desperate attempts of the Balkan countries in the autumn of 1939 to harmonize these conflicting requirements by promoting collective independence in the form of a bloc of neutrals under the leadership of a Great Power.

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Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , December 1970 , pp. 767 - 788
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1970

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References

1 Badoglio to Mussolini and Mussolini to Badoglio, 23 August 1939, I Documenti Diplomatici Italiani, 8th series, XIII, nos. 162 and 186, hereafter cited as D.D.I., followed by the series, volume and number of the document.

2 Ciano, Galeazzo, Ciano's Diary, 1939–1943, tr. by Gibson, Hugh (London, 1947), entries 4 and 20 September 1939.Google Scholar

3 Attolico to Ciano, 6 September, D.D.I., 9th series, 1, 58.

4 Ciano to Attolico, 8 September, bid p. 89.

5 Embassy in Italy to the foreign ministry, 9 September, Documents on German Foreign Policy, Series D, VIII no. 38, hereafter cited as D.Ger.F.P. followed by the volume and number of the document.

6 Magistrati to Ciano, 12 September, D.D.I. 9, 1, 170; Attolico to Ciano, 16 September, ibid. p. 258; Magistrati to Ciano, 17 September, ibid. p. 285.

7 Diary, 15 September.

7 Talamo to Ciano, 22 September, D.D.I. 9, 1, 392; Bova Scoppa to Ciano, 22 September, ibid. p. 388; Ghigi to Ciano, 21 September, ibid. p. 370. Similar statements were made also by the Rumanian minister in Lisbon to his Italian colleague (Mameli to Ciano, 25 September, ibid. p. 433) and again through Ghigi on 25 September (ibid. p. 430).

9 Ciano to Attolico, 23 September, ibid. p. 394.

10 Diary, 24 September.

11 Memorandum by Weizsäcker, 23 September, D.Ger.F.P., VIII, 128.

12 Attolico to Ciano, 23 September, D.D.I. 1, 407.

13 Memorandum by Weizsäcker, 27 September, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 145.

14 Ciano to Auriti, 29 September, D.D.I. 1, 505. Auriti replied it was unlikely that Japan would join because the bloc appeared anti-British and anti-American. (Auriti to Ciano, 4 October, ibid. p. 599.) Further soundings confirmed this view. (Auriti to Ciano, 6 and 9 October, ibid. pp. 627 and 661.) No evidence of a similar approach to Spain is found in the Italian documents but mention is made of it in Ciano's diary on 29 September.

15 Diary, 29 September.

16 Ciano to Mussolini, 1 October, D.D.I. 1, 552, Diplomatic Papers, pp. 309–16; Diary, 1 October; record of a conversation between Ciano and Hitler in the presence of Ribbentrop, 2 October, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 176.

17 Hungarian minister in Rome to Czaky, 6 October, Diplomaciai Iratok Magyarorszag Küpolitakjahosz, 1936—1945, IV, no. 425, hereafter cited as Hung. Doc. followed by the document number.

18 Mackensen to Foreign Ministry, 17 October, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 266.

19 See the attitude of the Yugoslav minister in Paris in Guariglia to Ciano, 26 August, D.D.I. 8, XIII, 321 and that of the Rumanian minister in Rome in Note by the directorgeneral of European and Mediterranean affairs, 31 August, ibid. p. 490. After the declaration of non-belligerence see Grazzi to Ciano, 2 September, ibid. p. 593; Indelli to Ciano, ibid., p. 596; Ghigi to Ciano, 3 September, ibid. pp. 597 to 614; Talamo to Ciano, 4 September, ibid. 9, I, 15; Grazzi to Ciano, 6 September, ibid. p. 60; Ghigi to Ciano, 7 September, ibid., p. 76; Vinci to Ciano, 7 September, ibid. p. 82; Bova Scoppa to Ciano, n September, ibid., p. 149; Vinci to Ciano, 12 September, ibid. p. 175.

20 The president of the Rumanian council of ministers, Calinescu, put the question to his diary on 21 August in precisely their terms. Gafencu claimed he spent the worst night of his life while Ribbentrop was flying to Moscow. (Gafencu, , Prelude to the Russian Campaign, tr. by Allen, F. (London, 1945), p. 275.Google Scholar)

21 Fabricius to foreign ministry, 27 August, D.Ger.F.P. VII, 361; Ghigi to Ciano, 25 September, D.D.I. 8, XIII.

22 Ghigi to Ciano, 2 September, ibid. p. 569.

23 Gafencu, Prelude, p. 260, quoting from the original record of the meeting.

24 ibid. p. 263.

25 Comnene, N.P., I Responsabili (Milan, 1949), p. 455,Google Scholar ambassador to the Holy See (Pignatti) to Ciano, 7 October, D.D.I. 1, 650. No mention of these approaches is found in the diplomatic documents published so far by the Vatican.

26 Pignatti to Ciano, 19 October, ibid. p. 810.

27 Talamo to Ciano, 26 September, ibid. p. 446. The same approach was made to Hungary. (Hungarian minister in Ankara to Czaky, 25 September, Hung. Doc. 413 and De Peppo to Ciano, 2 October, D.D.I. I, 559.)

28 Weizsacker memorandum, 27 September, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 145 n. 2.

29 Ciano to Talamo, 30 September, D.D.I. 1, 535.

30 The Bulgarian ambassador in Ankara, Christov, told his Italian counterpart that he ascribed ‘no importance’ to the Turkish démarche. (De Peppo to Ciano, 2 October, ibid. p. 559–) Kiossevanov confirmed to the Italian minister his intention not to entertain the proposal. (Talamo to Ciano, 4 and 9 October, ibid. pp. 605 and 672.)

31 Indelli to Ciano, 21 September, ibid. p. 393, Ghigi to Ciano, 25 September, ibid. p. 430; Mameli to Ciano, 25 September, ibid. p. 433.

32 On the negotiations see: Indelli to Ciano, 6 September, ibid. p. 61; Ghigi to Ciano, 7, 15, 16 September, ibid. pp. 75, 221, 254; Vinci to Ciano, 19 September, ibid. p. 322; Indelli to Ciano, 24 September, ibid. p. 420; Vinci to Ciano, 26 September, ibid. p. 448; Ghigi to Ciano, 28 September, ibid. p. 490; Vinci to Ciano, 6 October, ibid. p. 634; Indelli to Ciano, 8 October, ibid. p. 657; Ghigi to Ciano, 12 October, ibid.. p. 72s; Hungarian minister in Bucharest to Czaky, 14 September, Hung. Doc. 390; Hungarian minister in London to Czaky, 16 September, ibid. p. 399.

33 Ghigi to Ciano, 13 October, D.D.I. 1, 736.

34 Ghigi to Ciano, 14 October, D.D.I. 1, 751.

35 As Argentoianu, the new Rumanian minister president, put it to Ghigi (Ghigi to Ciano, 19 October, ibid. p. 808).

36 Loc. cit. and Ghigi to Ciano, 22 October, ibid. p. 852; on 24 October the Rumanian minister in Berlin, Crutzescuo, told Woermann that Rumania's policy remained unchanged while Turkey, by siding with one of the belligerents, had placed herself beyond the scope of the projected bloc. (D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 296.)

37 The text and the explanatory note are those sent to Moscow by Ankara and then transmitted to Berlin. (Schulenburg to foreign ministry, 14 November, ibid. p. 358 and enclosure.) The terms are also found in Eliza Campus, ‘Der Balkanblock der Neutralen (September 1939- Marz 1940)’, translated by Hegemann, M., Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift der Karl-Marx- Universitdt, Leipzig, Jahrgang 6 (1956–1957), pp. 15–22,Google Scholar which is based on unpublished Rumanian documents. Hereafter cited as Rumanian Doc. followed by the number and a cross-reference to Campus.

38 Conversation between the Italian and Rumanian ministers in Belgrade. Indelli to Ciano, 8 November, D.D.I, II, 142.

39 Campus, p. 15. Massigli, René, La Turquie devant la guerre (Paris, 1964), p. 322.Google Scholar

40 On 5 November Saracioglu told the Hungarian minister in Ankara that an exchange of views on the creation of a Balkan bloc was in process. On 10 November he added that Hungary's and Bulgaria's participation were envisaged and that the participants would pledge not to attack one another. (Hungarian minister in Ankara to Czaky, 5 and 10 November, Hung Doc. 452, 455, 456.) T h e Rumanian minister in London, Tilea, gave the Italian ambassador Bastianini a good idea of what the project entailed. (Bastianini to Ciano, 6 November, D.D.L. 11, 121.) There was some indirect confirmation that Bulgaria had also been kept informed.(Talamo to Ciano, 8 November, ibid. p. 139.)

41 Talamo to Ciano, 9 November, ibid. p. 164; De Peppo to Ciano, 13 November, ibid. p. 193.

42 Bastianini to Ciano, 6 November, ibid. p. 121. Bastianini's despatch also gave a résumé ofthe several approaches made to him by all the Balkan representatives in London on the subject of Italy's leadership of the projected bloc.

43 Stoica to the foreign ministry, 6 November, Rumanian Doc. Akte 299, 2,100 (Campus, 17).

44 Stoica to foreign ministry, 6 November, ibid. p. 2,099 (Campus, p. 17); Massigli, pp. 322 –3. Massigli's attitude was shared by the French ambassador in Athens but not by the one in Bucharest. (Rumanian ambassador in Athens to foreign ministry, 7 November, Rumanian Doc. Akte 299, 2,228; Gafencu's circular telegram to the ministers in Athens, Belgrade, Sofia, Budapest, Moscow, 6 November, no number given, Campus, 17.) Yugoslav sources later confirmed that Rumania's initiative had been supported by Britain but opposed by France, loath, it was alleged, to see Italy gain a position of privilege in the Balkans. (De Peppo to Ciano, 6 December, D.D.I. 11, 493.)

45 Gafencu to the Rumanian minister in Paris, 9 November, Rumanian Doc. Akte 258 (1939), S. 20, 70,159 (Campus, p. 18).

46 Stoica to Gafencu, 21 November, Rumanian Doc. Akte 289 (1939), S. 134–5, 2,185 (Campus, p. 18).

47 Rumanian ambassador in Athens to foreign ministry, 2 and 3 November, Akte 158 (1939), 2,188 and 2,189 (Campus, p. 18). Note however that Mavrudis told the Italian and Hungarian ministers he was rather sceptical of the project's chances of success. (Grazzi to Ciano, 7 November, D.D.I. 11, 127 and Hungarian minister in Athens to Czaky, 15 November, Hung. Doc. 465.)

48 Rumanian minister in Belgrade to foreign ministry, 7 November, Rumanian Doc. Akte 158, 4,686 (Campus, p. 19).

49 Rumanian minister in Belgrade to Gafencu, 18 November, ibid. p. 4,785 (Campus, p. 19); for another statement of Yugoslavia's reservations see Indelli to Ciano, 8 November, D.D.I. 11, 142 and De Peppo to Ciano, 10 November, ibid. p. 172.

50 Vinci to Ciano, 23 and 24 October, ibid. pp. 638 and 871; National Archives, Hungarian ministry of foreign affairs, pol. 1939–12/10–8045, Julhasz, G., ‘La politique extérieure de la Hongrie à l'époque de la drôle de guerre’, Ada Historica, IX (1963),Google Scholar based on the unpublished Hungarian archives, p. 431.

51 National Archives, Hungarian ministry of foreign affairs, pol. 1939–63/7–7498, ibid. p. 427.

52 National Archives, Hungarian ministry of foreign affairs, pol. 1939–63/7–7800, loc. cit.

53 Text in Relazioni Internationali (1939), p. 1,006.

54 Hungarian minister in Sofia to Czaky, 1 December, Hung. Doc. 484.

55 Hungarian minister in Sofia to Czaky, 13 November, ibid. p. 460; Talamo to Ciano, 15 November, D.D.I. 11, 226.

56 Rosso to Ciano, 27 and 29 November, ibid. pp. 344, 378 and 381, Talamo to Ciano, 9 November, ibid. p. 164.

57 Leaflets distributed by t h e Bulgarian Communist party during October advanced this view. Talamo to Ciano, 23 October, ibid. I, 865.

58 Schulenburg to foreign ministry, 14 November, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 358 and enclosure.

59 Memorandum by Woermann, 24 October, ibid. p. 296; Fabricius to foreign ministry, 6 November, ibid. p. 329.

60 Loc. cit. With the Italians, too, Gafencu had been purposefully vague. (Ohigi to Uiano, 1 November, D.D.I. II, 69.)

61 Ribbentrop to embassy in Italy, 14 November, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 354. Berlin also asked Attolico to ascertain Rome's attitude. (Attolico to Ciano, 15 November, D.D.I, II, 225.)

62 Woermann to the embassy in Italy, 15 November, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 359.

63 Budapest was told on 10 November that the bloc was not actuel. Hungarian minister in Rome to Czaky, 10 November, Hung. Doc. 454.

64 Mackensen to foreign ministry, 16 November, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 362; Ciano to Attolico, 17 November, D.D.I. II, 248.

65 Ribbentrop to Moscow, 18 November, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 372. On 21 November the text of this communication was repeated to Rome and Ankara, ibid. p. 372 n. 4.

66 Capace to Ciano, 16 November, D.D.I, II, 234; De Peppo to Ciano, 21 November, ibid. p. 279.

67 Stoica confirmed to De Peppo on the same day that he had just received Ankara's assent. (De Peppo to Ciano, 21 November, ibid. p. 288.)

68 See the conversation between the counsellor of the British embassy in Ankara and a member of the Italian embassy in De Peppo to Ciano, 22 November, p. 294, and a personal letter from the Italian ambassador in London. (Bastianini to Ciano, 21 November, ibid. p. 282.)

69 69 Capece to Ciano, 25 November, ibid. p. 321; the decision, of which Berlin already had an inkling (Attolico to Ciano, 25 November, ibid. p. 328) was communicated officially on 28 November. (Fabricius to foreign ministry, D.Ger.F.P. VIII, 393.) The same information reached Budapest. (Hungarian minister in Ankara to Czaky, 25 November, Hung. Doc. 480.)

70 Capece to Ciano, 4 December, D.D.I, II, 447.

71 Gafencu, Prelude, pp. 273–4 the Hungarian minister in Bucharest, confirming that the project was going to be taken up again, speculated that Gafencu was trying to win over Italy by giving the bloc a blatantly anti-Russian tone. (Hungarian minister in Bucharest to Czaky, 7 December, Hung. Doc. 491.)

72 Ciano to Capece, 7 December, D.D.I, II, 510.

73 Capece to Ciano, 9 December, ibid. p. 530.

74 Text in Relazioni Internazionali (1939), p. 1,065. The speech and Ciano's views on the bloc were wholeheartedly approved in Athens and Belgrade. (Grazzi to Ciano, 17 December, D.D.I, II, 630 and Indelli to Ciano, 20 December, ibid. p. 667.) The ambassador in Turkey also reported that the bloc project was now considered superseded in Ankara. (De Peppo to Ciano, 26 December, ibid. p. 719.)