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1, 1941. Britain responded by threatening to declare war on Bulgaria two days later.
Bulgaria was reticent to actively fight but did take part in the occupation of Yugosla-
via, and its navy had several skirmishes with Soviet vessels in the Black Sea during
the summer of 1941. Germany then led Bulgaria to declare war on both the United
States and Britain on December 13, placing this dispute within the broader World War
II conflict.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from March 1941.
MID#3869
Dispute Number: 3869
Date(s): September 14, 1941 to September 19, 1941
Participants: 365 Russia/355 Bulgaria
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: A group of Russian parachutists dropped into southern Dobruja, Bulgaria,
and were captured after a fight with soldiers and police. Two Bulgarians were killed.
There were reports of other groups being dropped in other parts of Bulgaria as well.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from September 19, 1941. End Date changed
from October 7, 1941. Fatalities changed from None.
MID#262
Dispute Number: 262
Date(s): September 5, 1944 to September 8, 1944
Participants: 365 Russia/355 Bulgaria
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: On August 26, 1944, Bulgaria extracted itself from World War II and
pursued a separate peace with Britain and the United States. Meanwhile, the Soviet
Union was threatening an offensive in next-door Romania, and an anti-Axis opposi-
tion group, the Fatherland Front, plotted a coup. On September 2, Ivan Ivanov Bagry-
anov was replaced by Konstanin Muraviev as prime minister of Bulgaria, largely to
appeal to the Allies.
Bagryanov had been reluctant to commit Bulgaria to war against Germany after
declaring neutrality and withdrawing troops in the ongoing war. Three days later
the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria. Unrest and uprisings began immediately
among the security-threatened population. Bulgaria was then coerced back to World
War II with a declaration of war against Germany by Konstantin Muraviev on Sep-
tember 8. The following day a bloodless coup was carried out “in the early hours”
that replaced Muraviev’s week-old regime with Kimon Goergiev of the anti-Axis
Fatherland Front.
Coding changes: End Date changed from September 5, 1944. Outcome changed from
Victory for side A. Settlement changed from Negotiated.