Synopses & Reviews
Romania fielded the third-largest Axis army in the European war. A military contribution of such magnitude, coupled with the delivery of oil to the German war machine and the personal respect which Ion Antonescu enjoyed from Hitler, places Romania on a par with Italy as a principal ally of Germany. Antonescu's precise role and the policies of Romania under his direction - especially towards the Jews - has been impeded in English-speaking accounts by the lack of a complete biography - this volume aims to fill this gap.
Review
"The prime merit of the book lies in its systematic investigation into the tumultuous evolution
of the Antonescu regime and into his personal life. In addition, the combination of
historical details with societal factors brings new facets to this analysis. Thus, examination of
the Iron Guard leadership and of religious confessions in Romania helps to decipher the
atmosphere of those times. In addition, Deletants writing style makes the book a gripping
read, revealing the intimate connections between the personal life of the dictator and the
political evolution of his regime. These points, coupled with the fact that most probably
Antonescu remained the only leader who could publicly contradict the Führer, offer an
incisive image of ‘Hitlers forgotten ally." -- Lucian N. Leustean, European History Quarterly "Basing his work on an extensive use of printed and archival sources, Deletant provides a detailed examination of Antonescu's role as leader of Romania and the policies he supervised. The author paints a sympathetic picture of Antonescu, deftly describing the precarious situation facing Romania during these years, but not obscuring the negative aspects of his rule. This book will be indispensable reading for anyone interested in the policies and politics of WWII... Essential." —CHOICE
Synopsis
This book is the first complete study in English of Antonescu's part in the Second World War. Antonescu was a major ally of Hitler and Romania fielded the third largest Axis army, joined the Tripartite Pact in November 1940 as a sovereign state and participated in the attack on the Soviet Union of 22 June 1941 as an equal partner of Germany.