Bulgaria's armistice with the Allies in September 1918 ended its participation in World War I and preceded its final peace settlement at Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Key Facts
- Signed
- 29 September 1918 at 10:50 p.m.
- Came into force
- 30 September 1918 at noon
- Bulgaria entered WWI
- 14 October 1915
- Ceasefire requested by Bulgaria
- 24 September 1918
- Subsequent peace treaty
- Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine, November 1919
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Bulgaria had entered World War I on 14 October 1915 as a Central Powers member, invading and occupying parts of Serbia. By September 1918, the Allied Vardar offensive severely weakened Bulgarian forces, triggering a partial collapse of the army and an open mutiny at Radomir, where rebellious troops proclaimed a republic, forcing the Bulgarian government to seek a ceasefire.
At 10:50 p.m. on 29 September 1918, Bulgaria and the Allied Powers signed the Armistice of Salonica at the General Headquarters of the Allied Army of the Orient in Thessaloniki. The agreement took effect at noon on 30 September 1918 and required Bulgarian forces to withdraw from occupied territories and the bulk of Bulgaria's army to be demobilized.
The armistice ended Bulgaria's active role in World War I and remained in effect until the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine concluded in November 1919, which established the formal peace terms for Bulgaria. Bulgaria became the first Central Powers state to sign an armistice in the final weeks of the war.