WAR TOPICS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 140, 29 March 1940, Page 8

WAR TOPICS

EYES ON RUMANIA POSSIBLE THEATRE OF OPERATIONS (By the BEACON Watchman} The announcement that a Rumanian trade delegation is to visit England makes interesting 'reading ant makes more interesting the trade figures for January, which have been released. These show that exports to Britain were to the value of £872,,000, and to Germany £920,000. Imports from Britain amounted to £123,000 and. from Germany £1,023,000. Thus Germany has maintained her favourable trade balance, Speculation naturally passes to the measures likely to be adopted by Germany should Britain conclude a more favourable trade agreement Avith Rumania, and it is possible, as mentioned previously in these columns, that something of the nature would furnish Hitler | with the excuse necessary to calm i Italy in the event of drastic steps being taken. Rumania is not in too good a position. There arc three countries with grievances against her. Russia mourns the loss of the rich province of Bessarabia: Bulgaria regrets the Treaty of Bucharest* whereby she lost 2969 square miles of territory; and Hungary is still smarting under the loss of prestige and territory occasioned by the Treaty of Trianon, under which Rumania was given: sovereignty over a large part of Bukovina, all Transylvania, and the north-eastern part of the Banat of Temesvar. Altogether quite enough to make uneasy the head that wears the crown.

Possible Aggression. How could Rumanih lie attacked, and by whom? It is possible that Russia, in anticipation of another Finland, will not press her claims —at any rate, at the present time; she may prefer to sit tight and allow Germany a free hand. But the Soviet is in a wonderful position, should she wish. Admittedly not all of the sevenhundred miles frontier could be attempted, but what an opportunity there would be for coast landings by overxvlielming numbers. It is unlikely that in the circumstances obtaining at present Bulgaria would move against Rumania. She would have little to gain and a considerable amount to lose in the event of Britain fulfilling her pledge to aid Rumania should that country be the victim of aggression. There are many possibilities connected with Hungary's intentions. Two days ago the Foreign Minister of Hungary, Count Tciarki, met Signor Mussolini for further discussions and they reaffirmed their deter*mination to keep peace in the Balkans. It may be that Hungarian Foreign policy will in the future be influenced by Italian wishes, and it may also be that a world-wide conflict will develop should Hungary make a false move and thus draw Italian support under tihe terms of the recently-concluded agreement. Germany's Position. Germany could attack on the northern front, but conditions for military operations in this quarter are not ideal. A natural barrier is formed by the Carpathians and. without a passage through Hungary the German General Staff "would not have the easiest of jobs. In this connection it is interesting to recall that some months ago Germany endeavoured to reach an agreement Avith Hungary Avhereby German troops A\ r ere permitted passage through on a rough line Kasenau, in Slovakia, to Debreczin, in Hungary. By this route a speedy advance would be possible. Hungary refused the request, but she is a small country, kin to Germany in many ways—and Hitler is an expert in the art of applying pressure. What, then, is the defence of Ruin nia? Ruling out the dozen possibilities and complications likely to be caused should Rumania be invoked in the Avar and concentrating on the three possible attacks named, i.e. by Russia, Hungary and Germain-, Ave come to the question of resistance. Should Russia be the aggressor, and the only aggressor, Rumania could possibly hold out. At one time that chance Avas not rated highly, but Finland's heroic defence Avill doubtless haA'c given more confidence.

Vital Question. Britain is pledged to assist Rumania and she could do ib in this instance by naval operations in the Black Sea. Far-sighted diplomacy ensured that Turkey Avoulcl be on the side of the Allies in the cA'ent of any threat in the Balkans and it would seem that there Avould be little opposition from that quarter to the passage of Allied. Avarships through the Dardanelles, In any case this Avould be the only manner in Avhich effcctiA'e assistance could be rendered, Avliethci" the attacks came from Russia or Germany. But the A'ital question, and one which may be answered shortly, is: "On Avhich side do the sympathies Rumania lie in the preseni struggle?" There is a story of double dealing in the Great War, and, to use a coloqualism. Rumania 'jumped Avitli he cat,.' The fact that a dog jumped it the cat must have proved some,vhat disconcerting to the Rumaniar eaders of that time. Similar tactics nay be employed iioaa t but there is 10 doubt that, failing active participation in the Allied cause, a neurality inclined benevolently toward; he Allies Avould do much to eas< lie lattcr's concern of a Germar :hrust South-East. a m « a

Rumania is situated in the Balkar Peninsular, and is bounded on th( North by the German occupied territory of Czechoslovakia and Poland and the U.S.S.R. (Russia); on tlVc east by the Black Sea: on the Soutl by Bulgaria, and on the West bj Yugoslavia and Hungary. The population is something It excess of 18,000,000 and the chic: items of export are petroleum pro ducts, cereal grains, wood products meats, live animals and seeds. Th< most important imports are textili materials, iron and steel, leathe: goods, machinery,, motor cars, non ferrous metals, etc. The chief minerals exploited an salt, lignite, iron, copper v petroleun and natural gas, but as has beei previously stated, petroleum is th main export and it is this, togetlie with surplus cereals, that German; is striving to obtain. Defence. Military service in Rumania i compulsory and universal bctwee: the ages of 21 and, 50 years. Th peace establishment of the arm; was 14,000 officers and 226,000 othe ranks but it has been stated as pos sible that the war footing avoul< approach the 1,200,000 mark. Tlv air service had upwards of 13,000 ii ail ranks, with a total of 700 planes some time ago, but this number ha doubtless been considerably increas ed, and a war standard would prob ably see the country equipped witl an Air Force of 1000 aircraft and i personnel of 20„000. There is a naval school at Galatz A naval base maintained at Sulin? on the Black Sea and a new base has recently been completed. Nava] forces are maintained on the Danube and in the Black Sea,. The Blacli Sea force has four destroyers, si> torpedo boats, four motor gunboats a submarine and a Depot ship; Sever monitors, seven vedettes and some small craft are maintained on th< Danube.

Great War History. When the World War broke ou in 1914, Rumania had a secret alii ance with the Central Powers. Ii spite of this the country remainet neutral for seme time. Allied sue cesses and diplomacy in 1916 brough about a secret agreement that ii return for Rumanian interventioi on behalf of the Allies she avoul< receive parts of Bukovina an( Transylvania and all of the Banat Accordingly, war was declared 01 Austria-Hungary on August 27, 191 (i On September 1, however, Bulgari; declared Avar on Rumania. The Rumanian troops were unabli to cope with the Austro-Hungarian under Falkenhayn or the Bulgarian under Mackenscn. Even the assist ance of Russian divisions was in effectual in stemming the tide Within one hundred days of the declaration of Avar, one half of Rumanian territory Avas in the hand: of the Central Powers. Further re sistance proA'ed impossible and ar armistice was accepted on Deccmbci (i. followed by a humiliating treat} of peace on May 7, 191 S. The success of the Allies in th< succeeding months led to a rem obilisation of the Rumanian forces anc an ultimatum to Von Mackensen or November 9. to get out of the country. The final collapse of the Central PoAvers tAvo days later, however, made further fighting unnecessary.