BULGARIAN REACTION TO THE WAR IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: NORTH KOREA
• Keywords: PARIS
• Keywords: SOUTH KOREA
• Keywords: Vietnam
• Keywords: WAR
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00950970
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 25, 1968

Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 C00950970
LEN.Ran
Wardridavy, 21Q a\;� CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
omacIntelligence Inforrn.atiOn Cable
IN
PAGE 1 OF 3 PAGES
STATE/.INR DIA NMCC/MC (SECDEF JCS ARMY NAVY AIR) ' CIA/NMCC NIC NSA SDO ONE CRS .
.11) xtxxmxxxw*xxxxxkxxmRxxmmx
This material contains information affectinir the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title N. UAW-
Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
1WW
elloclassikeie,
Owlemnic
ROW 1 �
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
COUNTRY
COUNTRY 'BULGARIA/VIETNAM,
DOI LATE MARCH 1968 .
SUBJECT
ACQ
SOURCE
BULGARIAN REACTION TO THE WAR IN VIETNAM
DIST 25 MARCH 1968 35(c)'
FIELD NO.
3.3(h)(2)
� IN BULGARIA TODAY THERE IS MUCH TALK ABOUT THE WAR IN VIETNAM
BY THE "MAN ON THE STREET.". THE CONFLICT IS ALSO A FREQUENT '
TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AMONG A LARGE NUMBER OF WRITERS AND
. INTELLECTUALS SUCH AS PAVEL VEZHNOV AND PETUR NEZNAKOMOV
OF STURSHEL,..LUDMiL STOYANOV, THE POET LAMAR, EMIL MANOV
AND ORLIN VASILEV.
THERE ISA STRONG GENERAL FEELING AGAINST THE VIETCONG TET
OFFENSIVE AS STUPID BLOOD-LETTING WHICH KILLED MANY PEOPLE
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4 AND ACHIEVED NO CONCRETE RESULTS FOR NORTH VIETNAM.
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SECRET
(classifica(ion) ' (dissent controls)
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(classification) (dissem controls)
ALTHOUGH IN FACT THE BULGARIAN MATERIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE NORTH
VIETNAM WAR EFFORT IS NOT LARGE, MANY BULGARIANS THINK IT IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR: THE RECENT SEVERE PRICE INCREASES. :THEY BELIEVE
THAT BULGARIA HAS NO BUSINESS BEING INVOLVED IN THIS WAR AND.THAT
THE AMERICANS ARE JUSTIFIED IN DEFENDING SOUTH VIETNAM AGAINST
AGGRESSION FROD.L.THE NORTH. THEY ACCEPT THE PREMISE THAT SOUTH
VIETNAM IS A CLIENT STATE OF'THE UNITED STATES AND THEY DO NOT
MORALIZE ABOUT IT. BULGARIA IS ESSENTIALLY A LAND OF PEASANTS' 'AND
MOST OF THESE PEOPLE TRANSLATE A STRONG SENSE OF VALUE OF LAND
INTO SIMPLE TERMS OF. "DEFENSE OF THE TERRITORY." THUS, THE
AMERICANS HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO FIGHT TO HOLD THE LAND AGAINST IN-
CURSIONS GROM THE NORTH.
BULGARIAN WRITERS DO NOT ACCEPT THE CONCEPT OF "WAR OF LIBERATION"
AND ONLY WISH FOR THE WAR IN VIETNAM TO BE FINISHED. THEY DO
NOT THINK NORTH VIETNAM WILL WIN AND THEY SEE A LONG FRUITLESS ,
STRUGGLE AHEAD. ALTHOUGH NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTED WITH THE
VIETNAMESE WAR, THE MORALE OF NEW ARMY CONSCRIPTS IS POOR AND IN
THE PAST THREE MONTHS NEW HARSH DISCIPLINARY MEASURES HAVE BEEN.
� �
PUT INTO EFFECT. TO QUELL THE RESTLESSNESS AND INCIPIENT HOOLI-
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GANISM IN THE BARRACKS.
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64EeRET
.4,...(.lm!ase_Woldt (dissent conto124)
.HOWEVER, THAT .3.3(h)(2)
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3.5(c)
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(c..0ma") Nsserm'OcIaNN DISSEM/CONTROLLED DISSEWNO DISC EM ADROAD
THE BULGARIAN., AUTHORITIES HAVE THE SITUATION WELL IN HAND AND
THAT THERE IS
LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF SERIOUS DISTURBANCES.
DISSEM: NONE
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SECRET NO rOREICN DISSEM/CONTROLLED DISSEM/NO DISSEM ABROAD
' (classification) (d(ssent controls)
3.5(c)
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