The European Crisis of March–April 1939: The Romanian Dimension

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In mid-march 1939 Romania, a country which had hitherto played only a secondary role in European politics, was thrown right into the centre of the international political arena. The news of a German ultimatum allegedly received by the government in Bucharest triggered the open and more militant policy of resistance pursued by the western powers in the last six months of peace. As important elements of the Anglo-French strategy against Nazi expansionism, the countries of eastern and southeastern Europe acquired special importance for the governments in London and Paris. In MarchApril 1939, within less than a month, the independence of three states in this region was publicly guaranteed by the western powers. British and French considerations in granting political guarantees to small states at the other end of Europe have been the subject of considerable research. Similar, but more limited investigations have also been carried out on the foreign policies of Poland and Greece during the same period. The foreign policy of Romania, the third recipient of the British and French guarantees and the catalyst for a new policy in eastern and south-eastern Europe, has received only marginal attention. The object of this study is to bring new elements to the understanding of the part played by Romania in the international crisis of March 1939 and its aftermath.