|
Bulgarian Fighter Aces |
|
|
|
During World War II Nazi Germany allowed Bulgaria to occupy parts of Greece and
Yugoslavia, although control over their population and territories remained in German hands. Bulgaria became one of only three countries (along with Finland and Denmark) that saved its entire Jewish population (around 50,000 people) from the Nazi camps through different rationales and the continued postponement of compliance with German
demands. However, the Nazis deported almost the entire Jewish population of the Bulgarian-occupied Yugoslav and Greek territories to the Treblinka death camp in occupied Poland.
In the summer of 1943, Boris III (Bulgaria's King) died suddenly, and the country fell into political turmoil as the war turned against Nazi Germany and the communist movement gained more
power. In early September 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria and invaded it, meeting no resistance. This enabled the Communists (the Bulgarian Workers' Party) to seize power and establish a communist state. The new
regime turned Bulgaria's forces against Germany. |