Red Army in Romania - August 1944

[Geto-Dacul]

allanteo667 wrote :

QUOTE

Yes, but the only problem with the romanian soldier was that he wasn't as fanatical as the german! In the east, when the situatiopn turned bad, they tended to run away (so did the italians!), like for example when the frontline was penetrated by the soviets at the Don.

The Romanians are fanatical when defending their country & national honour... I wonder how could we be fanatical at Stalingrad when we had nothing to stop the Russian tanks. It was desperate situation ; the Romanians found themselves betrayed by the Germans.

[C-2]

Not only German soldiers did't took Romanian soldiers with them in their vehicals but I was told also by a vet that the same German Ju 87 that they used to protect in Stalingrad era one morning left for a "mission"unescorted and never came back....
A few hours later the airfield was storm by Russian soldiers.It seemd like the Germans got information about the closing Russians because little by little also the ground crews left .
Isn't that a sort of strange way to be camarads??!!
And I'm sure those weren't the only examples.

[Victor]

QUOTE

In terms of Allied bombing raids, I agree that it would not have been in their interest to invest so much effort in bombing Romanian infrastructrure. At least as far as Americans were concerned, I think they would have been happy to have finished the war with Germany and \"let the Russians deal with Romania\".

Actually the USAAF was already bombing RR stations and marshaling yards in Romania. Why would not they continue to do it, especially since there was little opposition left?

QUOTE

the only problem with the romanian soldier was that he wasn't as fanatical as the german! In the east, when the situatiopn turned bad, they tended to run away (so did the italians!), like for example when the frontline was penetrated by the soviets at the Don.

Generalizing is usually bad, especially in a long and vast conflict like the one on the Eastern Front. I can give you many examples of Germans fleeing the battlefield and Romanian troops staying and fighting against very difficult odds, but that does not entitle me to make a conclusion similar to yours.

[allanteo667]

QUOTE

I can give you many examples of Germans fleeing the battlefield and Romanian troops staying and fighting against very difficult odds

Yes, I would actually be quite interested.

Sorry for the generalization :oops: but I could only get my info from one vet who has a very high opinion about the germans as soldiers!

[C-2]

I agree!most vets talks about the german soldiers with respect but not always were the Romanian soldiers first to run.
And if we talk about Stalingrad for example ,the Germans had much better supplies and that does not include only armament but also food that has a major importance at-40C.
And not to forget that a lot of Romanian soldiers felt that thay are fighting for the German cause rather than for the Romanian cause and that an explanation for a lack of interest.

[Victor]

While the battle for Feodosiya was just beginning, the Chernomorskiy Flot made a second landing at Sudak in the night of 15/16 January. The first attempt was only 3 days before and was repulsed by a Romanian company, under the command of Cpt. Tomescu. But this time they were grossly outnumbered by a force made up of two Soviet mountain regiments and forced to evacuate the Taraktash village. However, with the arrival, later that day, of the Romanian 13th Mountain Battalion, of a battalion from the 4th Artillery Regiment as well as of a German battalion, AA company and an artillery battery, the situation stabilized. All the units were put under the command of the German Col. Rusker. On 17 January, the "Rusker" Group attacked and manage to take the eastern part of Taraktash. The next day the western part of the village was taken, only to be lost to a Soviet counterattack. The same day, the "Otusi" Detachment was created, with the mission to defend the Sudak-Otusi highway. It was made up of the 4th Mountain Pioneer Battalion, a squadron from the 3rd Motorized Roşiori Regiment, a machine-gun platoon, two German infantry companies and an AA company. The attack was renewed on 20 January, but only the "Otusi" Detachment made any progress. Because the Soviets received a strong support from partisan units in the area, it was decided to eliminate them. Between 21-23 January about 200 partisans were killed in the fights. On 24, with stronger air and artillery support, the group finally managed to take Taraktash. The 17th Mountain Battalion reinforced the Romanian-German formation and on 27 and 28 January the Soviets were pushed back towards Sudak. A company managed to take the city and cut their retreat. 880 prisoners were taken and 770 dead were found on the battlefield. In a report, Col. Rusker mentioned that "the audacious actions of the vânători de munte won the admiration of the German battalions from the 170th Division, who operated timidly and impressed by the amplified echo of the bombardments"

[CCJ]

I cannot offer a real opinion on the switch as I am not Romanian. My uneducated opinion is that the Romanians should not have switched sides in 1944. I would posibly feel different had I been born in Romania. :drunk:

[C-2]

Romanians were forced to join Germany.They were not an historical ally.
Many vets said that Germans soldiers often told them that "It's the Germans war".
The Romanian economics went very well before the war,there were no reasons to go to war.
While in all Europe,there were small engines cars been used,in Romania most cars were American V6 and V8 cars .
Romania was sort of a Dubai then.The national coin,the Leu,was one of the strongest curency.
Like I said,no resons going to war!

[Carol I]

QUOTE

The national coin,the Leu,was one of the strongest curency.

March 1937: 1 British Pound is about 667 Lei. I do not think that Romanian currency was that strong. Maybe stable?

[C-2]

My mother's uncle,Dr Dumitru Vasiliu,went in 1937 to a trip in the US and Argentina. Anywhere he used Lei and they were more than welkomed.
Any place he've been he was presented as a Romanian doctor and got a lot of respect.
The US costom didn't even serched his laugage(there were prohibition days)
Today everywhere ,when you say you are from Romania,people are watching their pokets....

[Carol I]

QUOTE

My mother's uncle,Dr Dumitru Vasiliu,went in 1937 to a trip in the US and Argentina. Anywhere he used Lei and they were more than welkomed.

This does not prove that the Romanian currency was strong. Only that it was accepted.

QUOTE

The US costom didn't even serched his laugage(there were prohibition days)

Prohibition ended 4 years earlier, on 5 December 1933.

[C-2]

I may be wrong about the year.
I red his book more than 20 years ago.
Anyway he didn't know about the prohibition and could go to jail for two bottles of coniac.
Try to change some Lei today.Not in US,but next door in Turkey or Bulgaria!
Your negation to the Romanian prosperity,in pre ww2 period ,sounds familiar to me... :?

[Carol I]

QUOTE

Your negation to the Romanian prosperity,in pre ww2 period ,sounds familiar to me... :?

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: What negation?

I only said that the Romanian currency was not strong in comparison to the British pound. A strong currency is not the same thing as a convertible currency. And the prosperity of the economy is not necessarily related to a strong currency. On the other hand I agree that the 1939 Romanian economy was quite prosperous and that it has not been equalled for many decades to come. But this does not have anything to do with the strength of the currency.

[CCJ]

Well,

What about the opinion that Romania should have continued their alliance with Germany instead of siding with :twisted:

[Carol I]

QUOTE

What about the opinion that Romania should have continued their alliance with Germany instead of siding with  :twisted:

It depends who's the :twisted: . I think Romania was then between the rock and a hard place, or as you put it between :evil: and :twisted: . And continuing the alliance with Germany would not have brought anything good.

As for the alliance with Russia, you know what the boy said to the father of his girlfriend when he asked for her hand. "I do not want to see you my father-in-law, but I cannot see any other way of marrying your daughter."