Why Romania joined the Axis Forces

I would like to know your view about the fact that In June 1941 Romania joined the Axis, primarily in hopes of regaining Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina. Is it the principal reason? What are the other reason?

This post has been edited by Benoit Douville on December 16, 2004 04:00 am

From stupidity
In my opinion,because Antonescu,like all dictators ,was thinking he's invincible.
How anyone can be so stupid and attack the Soviet Union????
Couldn't they read maps????
The Romanian infantery,like the Germans,went to war on foot like Napoleon's "Grand Armee" .And they said the war will end by Christmas
I hope you undestand you created a "HOT" topic

This post has been edited by C-2 on December 15, 2004 09:06 pm

Benoit you should better read this older topic first to get an idea about pre-war Romanian diplomacy. Romania was set for Germany before Antonescu came to power.

Weather the Red Army was beatable or not, that is the subject for another topic. I personally think it was.

C-2,

In your view Antonescu really think he was invincible, can you elaborate more on this. I believe that in 1941 the Red Army was pretty bad and the Germans, Romanians and all of the other Axis Forces came really close to beat the Red Army but like Victor said that's a subject for another topic.

Victor,

That is some interesting stuff that Romania was set for Germany even before the War, so it is still true to say that the regaining of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina by Romania was an important reason?

Best Regards to both of you

This post has been edited by Benoit Douville on December 16, 2004 04:22 am

From curiosity!

How bad can be to wake up a hibernating bear? After that, we know well...

Who search it, find it!

Iama

The restauration of the borders prior summer 1940 was the most important reason.

http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=592

After conquering on 26th of June 1940 the portion between Nister and Prut, Stalin started to think to incorporate the rest of Moldavia, up to the Oriental Carpathian Mountains. Endless skirmishes and harassment started along the new border between Romania and U.S.S.R. - the Prut River, because of the provocative actions of the Red Army.

Germany was not too eager to see Soviet Union too close to the Ploesti area, by far the biggest source of natural petroleum for Wehrmacht. That's why Germany supported Romania politically in tempering Soviet Union at the Eastern Border. And that's why Romania became an Axis satellite.

However, this does not answer the question: Why did Romania attacked Soviet Union? As far as I know, we could obtain the lost territory just by offering to Germany our petroleum, wheat and whatever industrial support we could offer.

Why Romania joined the Axis Forces?
A quarter of the country was cowardly taken by the soviets and they were preparing to take the rest. What was Romania suppose to do? At least the germans never wanted Romanian soil.
If not for Barbarossa, the soviets would have invaded Romania in the summer of '41, documents about this have been found in the soviet's archives!

But not forget that the Germans were responsible for the loss of NW Transylvania by the Vienna Diktat.

But not forget that the Germans were responsible for the loss of NW Transylvania by the Vienna Diktat.

And, when we remembered that... we switch the side, at 23.08.1944... So, Romania is happy - we give some to russians, some to hungarians and some to germans. Hey, we forgot bulgarians!!!

Iama

The Romanian politicians are guilty for the diktat, *** offensive wording removed by administrator ***. Next, the Romanian politicians weren't able to negociate with the germans on the terms: we have oil - you don't, we can give it to you - you need it, we give oil to you - you leave us the whole Transilvania.
If not for the germans' diktat the hungarians would have invaded Romania and in this case guess what eastern contry would have interfered.

He's right, we tend to forget about the bulgarians! Let's write them down on our black list.

This post has been edited by dragos on January 18, 2005 10:05 pm

Le_Conducator, avoid offensive post. Read the Forum Guidelines

The Romanian politicians are guilty for the diktat, 'cause if we would have fought for Basarabia, the hungarians would had not had the courage to make any claims on Transilvania, military reasons of course. ("Istoria sincera a Romaniei")

Don't forget the Italians from your list.

Old habits die hard, don't they?

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on January 18, 2005 10:40 pm

Old habits die hard, don't they?

Last time I checked, it was a Diktat