Under the Shadow of Stalin and Hitler (World War II and the Fate of the European Nations, 1939—1941). Volume IV: Stalin and the Three-Power Pact
Под сянката на Сталин и Хитлер. Том IV. Сталин и Тристранният пакт
Language: Bulgarian with a summary in English
Category: World War II

     The fourth volume of the series analyzes the creation of the Tripartite Pact after the outbreak of World War II, signed in Berlin on September 27, 1940 by the foreign ministers of Germany — Ribbentrop, Italy — Ciano, and Japan — Kurusu, and the conditions of Stalin for participating in it. The First and Second Enlargements of the Pact, Bulgaria's accession to it, as well as the situation in the Balkans are discussed.

Table of contents

Chapter One. The Three-Power Pact

1. The Signing of the Three-Power Pact and First International Reactions

2. Hitler and Stalin on the Watch for Each Other

3. The German “Military Mission” in Romania

4. Mussolini’s Plan for the Invasion of Greece and Boris III’s Refusal to Take Part in the Action

5. Hitler’s Meetings with Franco and with Pétain

Chapter Two. The Greek Challenge

1. The Italian Invasion of Greece

2. Europe under the Shadow of the Forthcoming Visit of Molotov to Berlin

3. Stalin and Hitler’s Plans about the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Iberian Peninsula

4. The Greek Counteroffensive, Stalin’s Instructions to Molotov, and the German Four-Power Pact Project

Chapter Three. Molotov in Berlin

1. Molotov’s Talks with von Ribbentrop and Hitler

2. The Effect of Molotov’s Visit to Berlin on the Balkans and Western Europe

3. The Visits of Boris III, Ciano, Serrano Súñer and Leopold III to Hitler, and the Soviet Pressure on Finland and Bulgaria

Chapter Four. The First Enlargement of the Three-Power Pact

1. The Accession of Hungary and Romania to the Three-Power Pact

2. The Entrance of Slovakia into the Three-Power Pact and Sobolev’s Mission in Sofia

3. Stalin’s Terms for Joining the Three-Power Pact

4. The Preparation of the British Counteroffensive, Scandinavia and the Negotiations with Turkey and Bulgaria

Chapter Five. The Barbarossa Plan

1. Hitler and Stalin against Each Other, and the Beginning of the British Counteroffensive in Northern Africa

2. The Hungarian-Yugoslav “Eternal Friendship” Pact, the Blows to Italy, and the Dismissal of Laval

3. Roosevelt’s “Hose”, the Barbarossa Plan, the Vote for President of Finland, and the Consequences of Laval’s Dismissal

4. The Rehearsal of the War on Germany by the Soviet Command

5. The New Visit of Bogdan Filov to Hitler, the British Offensive in Libya, and the Deception Contest between Berlin and Moscow

Chapter Six. The Legionnaires’ Mutiny in Romania

1. The New Economic Treaty between Russia and Germany

2. Another Visit of Antonescu to Hitler and another Routine Meeting between Hitler and Mussolini at Brenner

3. The Legionnaires’ Revolution and Its Suppression

4. Germany, Spain, the Romanian Legionnaires, and the Soviet Military and Diplomatic Pressure

5. The Contest between Germany, Russia and Britain for Europe

Chapter Seven. The Balkans and Europe Between Hitler and Stalin

1. Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Finland and Spain under the Crossfire of Germany, Britain and Russia

2. Rommel’s African Corps, the Meeting of Mussolini with Franco, and the Visit of Cvetković and Cincar-Marković to Hitler

3. The Bulgarian-Turkish Nonaggression Declaration

4. The British-Greek Military Agreement and the Penetration of the Wehrmacht from Romania into Bulgaria

Chapter Eight. The Second Enlargement of the Three-Power Pact

1. The Accession of Bulgaria to the Three-Power Pact

2. The Fight between Germany and Britain for Europe and Stalin’s New Measures for the Assault on Hitler

3. Belgrade between German Pressure and Serbian Russophilia

4. The Accession of Yugoslavia to the Three-Power Pact

Conslusions and lessons

Index of geographic and ethnic names

Index of personal names

Primary and secondary sources

English summary

Contents by volumes

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