268 Chapter 3
MID#3825
Dispute Number: 3825
Date(s): August 28, 1940 to August 30, 1940
Participants: 255 Germany/360 Romania
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side B (Imposed)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This dispute describes Nazi German moves against Romania in the
summer of 1940. Tangentially related to the Soviet acquisitions of Bessarabia
and Bukovina, it coincides with what was a successful summer for the nonaggres-
sion pact countries. With France surrendering and Great Britain thought to be on
the verge of collapse, Hitler began Aufbau Ost to prepare for opening a second
war front against the Soviet Union. In the meantime, troop movements east with
a future invasion against the Soviet Union in mind had to be mindful of Stalin’s
suspicions.
Hungary and Bulgaria were already threatening action in Romania to aggrandize
themselves. Hitler was coerced into action. On August 28, Hitler ordered five panzer
and three motorized divisions, complemented with airborne and parachute divisions,
to seize Romania’s oil fields (the area surrounding Ploiesti, roughly 35 miles north
of Bucharest) by September 1. Hitler then dispatched Ribbentrop to Vienna to force
acquiescence from Hungary and Bulgaria regarding their claims against Romania.
This became the Second Vienna Award of August 30. The partition, and corollary
treaty at Craiova on September 7, came with German assurances that it would guar-
antee Romania’s new borders. These borders still included the oil fields that Hitler
desired and was better equipped to quickly acquire after the alterations to Romanian
territory.
These territorial transfers had profound effects on the Romanian state. It was reduced
to roughly a third of its post–World War I size and detached important sectors of the
economy and roughly 40 percent of its population from Bucharest’s jurisdiction. The lead-
ership in Romania fell into disarray, leading to the rise of fascist sentiments in Romania
notwithstanding Germany’s recent endeavors. The new Iron Guard leadership in Romania
courted the Nazis. Hitler ultimately made his move on the oil fields on October 7, fulfill-
ing what he had planned for September 1. By November, Romania had formally joined
the Axis.
Coding changes: End Date changed from June 22, 1941.
MID#3826
Dispute Number: 3826
Date(s): August 1944 to September 9, 1944
Participants: 360 Romania/255 Germany, 310 Hungary
Outcome (and Settlement): Joins ongoing war (None)
Fatalities: Missing
Narrative: Rumania declared war on Germany. Hungary then declared war on
Rumania.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from August 24, 1944.