WW2 From the Romanian Perspective | Animated History

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Sources:
Cattaruzza, Marina, Stefan Dyroff, and Dieter Langewiesche, ed. Territorial Revisionism and the Allies of Germany in the Second World War. Vol. 15. New York: Berghahn Books, 2012.
Harward, Grant T. “First Among Un-Equals: Challenging German Stereotypes of the Romanian Army During the Second World War.” The Journal of Slavic Military Studies 24, no. 3 (2011): 439-480.
Harward, Grant T. Romania’s Holy War: Soldiers, Motivation, and the Holocaust. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2021.
Haynes, R. Romanian Policy Towards Germany, 1936-40. 1st ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2000.
Lampe, John R, and Ulf Brunnbauer, ed. The Routledge Handbook of Balkan and Southeast European History. London: Routledge, 2020.
Solomovici, Teşu. Mareşalul, Hitler şi evreii: ce s-a întâmplat în ziua de 13 octombrie 1942? : Felix Dies (Romania: Editura Teşu, 2019).
Stanciu, Cezar. “Communist Regimes and Historical Legitimacy: Polemics Regarding the Role of the Red Army in Romania at the End of the Second World War.” European Review of History 20, no. 3 (2013): 445-462.
Stefan Gheorghe. “Political and Legal Aspects Regarding Romania’s Participation in the Second World.” Journal of Danubian Studies and Research 12, no. 1 (2022): 321-336.
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[@TheArmchairHistorian]

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[@scyphen.]

hi

[@CatarigMaTt]

Hello

[@yeoengkiang3306]

What about the Soviet perspective of ww2 or the battle of Kursk from the tank perspective

[@Heokleis]

Hi

[@darkknightbatman8269]

Do ww2 perspective from Spain 🇪🇸

[@Player-re9mo]

Switzerland: I have no enemies! Romania: All I have is enemies!

[@jadeorbigoso5212]

Switzerland is like Thorfinn and Romania as Eren

[@0-Templar-0]

*Duşmanii!*

[@Pawsesxd]

fr bro

[@Player-re9mo]

@@jadeorbigoso5212 glad someone got that reference

[@julianmarco4185]

​@@jadeorbigoso5212 THAT is 100% True. Always enemies. A single small country between empires.

[@tibivaslo]

Half-Romanian half-Hungarian here, born and raised in Transylvania. The truth is that both HU and RO were cursed by their geographic position (in between Germany and the Soviets). If we were positioned like Portugal or Spain, we would have the luxury of being 'neutral' while still supporting the side we want to win the war. Instead, we had war fought on our own borders, and hundreds of thousands of our young men fight and die in foreign lands for foreign benefits. And then we got 45 years of communism as a 'reward'. Never again.

[@florinprisecaru4809]

Well said!

[@blabla-rg7ky]

as a Romanian, you're right :(

[@piatra1277]

adevarat

[@petergoge2072]

„Communism“

[@edddddddddddd]

@@petergoge2072 if this is an attempt to justify communism, in the name of millions in my people that suffered from communism and hundreds of thousands of innocents killed by this evil, a heartfelt “da-te-n mortii ma-ti de terminat” ❤

[@thunderbird7020]

Fun fact. Bulgaria did not take part in operation Barbarossa. This is most likely why it was allowed to keep the territory it took from Romania while Hungary did not.

[@CG-yq2xy]

Effectively making Bulgaria the only Axis power to end the war with a net territorial gain.

[@Blox117]

@@CG-yq2xy most allied powers did not have a territorial gain either. if anything, everyone lost territory sooner or later

[@dorneanudoru]

@@MehdiEpsilon the Soviets stolen Bessarabia and North Bucovina in 1940. Even now in Romania is a big hatred against Russia for this. Hungary did not just occupied the Transylvanian territory but also they committed atrocities against Romanian civilians.

[@Ho-Sung_Pak]

Well, it seems they did exactly nothing to contribute to the Axis, besides skirmishing with the Soviet Black Sea Fleet that attacked their commerce. They did send a train with medical personnel, and the train was used to evacuate wounded personnel away from the frontline, but that's about it.

[@RS-kt6is]

actually the Bulgarian High Command correctly predicted the outcome of Operation Barbarossa and let the Soviets know their thoughts. even the Soviets didnt believe in themselves back then

[@Ho-Sung_Pak]

Fun Fact: Romania was a more useful ally than Italy (Hungary and Vichy France likewise)

[@The_fog_man]

That was obvious

[@Michel411]

That’s like smelling nicer than poo.

[@xMahaDMAhx]

Both WW, tjey (ITALY) decided to join the "wrong party" and twice they tried to switch to the winning team, as soon there were better opportunities😂

[@dr.tamasypeter8597]

Only better than hungary because of having more people. Hungary had a larger armored force tbh. Switching sides isnt really useful

[@neilhannan5112]

German when entering Romania where's the Oil 😂

[@cgt3704]

I was hoping you would mention the Ploiesti Air Attack. For those who dont know, in 1943 allied troops attempted to decrease axis fuel capacity by bombarding the romanian oil fields. This was called "Operation: Tidal Wave" and it took palce on 1st of August 1943. Long story short: it failed as the allied aircraft engaged in a battle against the romanian airforce and the luftwaffe. Only around a hundred people died mostly prisoners after an american plane crashed into a complex. Romanian army may have been severly weakened but it was still capable of fighting

[@stoda01]

My grandfather was a fighter pilot and he fought in that battle. His plane was later shot down by the Russians. He survived and recovered in hospital. By the time he recovered the Germans had peaced out and Romania switched sides.

[@eongerbe]

ok Ștefane, dar ce știi tu de paseri de metal?

[@cgt3704]

​@@eongerbe stiu ca se prăbușeșc ca paserile noaste

[@alinalexandru2466]

Around half of those 100 people died from the prison crash. Others happened from delayed fuse bombs and ground strafe attacks. To continue, the Allied air campaign over Romania restarted in 1944 but still failed at its goal of reducing the oil production capacity by at least 60-70% (as I've read, it was only reduced by 40-50% before the campaign was called off in August 1944 due to Soviet demands). The campaign did achieve some things: disrupting of Romanian industry, damaging of infrastructure and demoralizing the population and airmen who engaged the US and British bombers and fighters. Also fun fact, the last US air raid over Romania happened on 26 August 1944 and it was called in by the Romanian leadership against the German troops occupying the Băneasa and Otopeni airports.

[@royale7620]

And King Michael visited the downed American pistols in the military hospital, as he said himself in a interview

[@haiduc32]

As a basarabian (current day Republic of Moldova), my grand-grandfather was enrolled in the Romanian army when they crossed the river Prut and pushed the soviets back. My parents village is not far from the border, so I assume it was early on when the Barbarosa operation started. He got captured by the soviets probably in Crimea (some details have been lost) and spent a number of months as a POW. After the Soviets occupied basarabia back or after Romanian surrender (again, details unclear), my grand-grandfather was told that he now is part of the soviet red army, and he's going to fight against germans now. How far he got with the soviet army, again, is lost.. But that was a common story for soldiers from basarabia. P.S. I now live in Transilvania :D

[@visiblechunk]

My younger brother has visited your country. Said it’s very beautiful. Got to see the Russian band Любэ on may 8th.

[@OGTK00]

My grandfather, also from Basserabia, was 18 when the soviets were pushing back and was taken straight into the war, by the Red Army. Lol. Like literally, "Congratulations Komrade, you are soviet now, welcome to the army". Fortunately he made it out alive and even got some decorations (for bravery, there is the story where he went to do reconnaissance or something and came back with a german for interrogation), although he was almost blown up in an air raid/attack (and was probably close to death on other occasions too). It's weird to think that if he would have died there, I wouldn't exist.

[@Daki.theUpper6]

Transnistria doesn’t exist ! It’s rightfully owned by Moldova 💋 and Moldova by Romania 💋

[@alexwallachian7720]

​@Daki.theUpper6 what does Transnistria have to do with anything?

[@onevhtc26]

@@Daki.theUpper6 Moldova is definitely not owned by Romania nor do we wish to "own" Moldova in any capacity. They are a friendly sovereign state that we share culture with and we agree and collaborate on many things. But there's no ownership in that relation.

[@crgraduu]

its crazy to think that the Joining of Romania caused so much damage to both sides during WW2 but its even crazier to think that Romania only took part to the wars because both the Allies and the Axis forced them into it by seizing romanian land

[@blabla-rg7ky]

why is this crazy, though? No normal country willingly participate in a war that they have no interest in until provoked. Look at Switzerland! They live just fine without siding with anyone in any war. And that's what we were about to do, too, but the geopolitical affairs have dragged us into the war. I genuinely see nothing crazy about deciding to stay neutral forever, do you mind explaining your logic behind calling this decision crazy?

[@seanmcgowan5743]

@@blabla-rg7kyregardless Romania still committed genocide against its own Jewish-Romanian citizens, without the influence of Nazi germany. You can claim geography as the reason for siding with potentially the most evil army in recent history, but the truth isn’t really bright for a Romanian looking to find comfort in WW2

[@a0flj0]

@@blabla-rg7ky Staying neutral forever is unrealistic. Whenever you stay neutral, you in fact take the side of the stronger party, regardless if that party fights for a just cause or not.

[@isg4]

​​@@blabla-rg7ky Switzerland remained neutral and didn't get invaded because it would have been a pain in the ass to invade Look at its geograpgy, full of mountains

[@cristibrad6742]

@@isg4 if it had some oilwells, you bet it would have been airdropped like Crete

[@neilhannan5112]

German Alliance to Romania in a nutshell If you have oil and I have oil and I have a straw and my straw reaches acccrrrooosss, the field starts to drink your oil I drink your oil. I drink it up

[@neilhannan5112]

Reference to the Movie: There Will Be Blood

[@rofl0rblades]

"Don't bully me, Germany!"

[@rofl0rblades]

Also funny: They called There will be blood a vampire movie in disguise

[@nursestoyland]

US: *DID YOU SAY OIL???*

[@eongerbe]

@@neilhannan5112good, I was fearing you may have carbon dioxide poisoning

[@2SSSR2]

Only nation that is bordering Serbia and never went to war against them of their own will. And giving that Serbia was at war with all other neighbors (except Macedonians and Montenegrins but they are sperate story) that is quite the achievement. As they say in Romania: 'we only have two friends on this world: Serbs and the sea.'

[@MaceY._.]

Romania always goes into war of it's own will. In the second balkan war, enemies of Bulgaria were already outnumbered, so Romanians know, that they could easily gain more territories if they join. Another example for my statement is the Great war. Romania lost the war, the united forces of the centeal powers marched into Bucharest and Romania signed a peace treaty. But, a day before the end of the war Romania rejoined and did absolutely nothing in that one day, just to became a winner and gain lands. WW2 weren't an exception, as we could see in the video. Romania joined to war, to get back it's gained and then lost lands...

[@2SSSR2]

@@MaceY._. That was my point, in WW2 they were forced to join. Even allowing German troops to attack Yugoslavia. Only time in history they went to war against Serbia.

[@MaceY._.]

@@2SSSR2 1396, Crusade of Nicopolis. Now you can also say, that "Serbia was forced to go into war", but they happily joined. Joined in the hope of rewards, not in the fear of consequences.

[@pintiliecatalin]

@@2SSSR2 I think on that occasion parts of Banat where on offering from Germany to Romania if it joined the attack. That is the catch people kind of forget.

[@InAeternumRomaMater]

​@MaceY._. The BOZGOR strikes again!😂😂😂

[@grey_apache]

Romania fought bravely, and they were stuck between a rock and a hard place for the whole war

[@bluegender2005]

So for you bravery means the killing of 300.000 Jews and 100.000 Romas by forced labor and by death marches?

[@Fanatik4Ever]

Romanian history in a nutshell going back to the Roman Empire then the Ottomans.

[@Thomas...191]

How about the poles, they were trapped between a dictator with bloodlust towards them and another dictator out who wanted to extinguish them.

[@boki1519]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@cezarcatalin1406]

“Fought bravely” shouldn’t really be used in context of being allied with Hitler 💀

[@goatman9998]

Thanks for this video. My grandfather fought in the 4th romanian army during ww2. His cousin who I'm named after died at stalingrad.

[@tihanyidani3862]

goatman9997?

[@jji7667]

Damn. Cousin slayed hard with name goatman9998

[@InAeternumRomaMater]

My grandfather's brother also was part of the 4th army and died or got captured at Stalingrad

[@Player-re9mo]

My great grandfather fought in the Romanian army in Odessa. 🇷🇴 His cousin was captured at the end of the war and released 9 years later. Everyone thought him dead.

[@user-eh9op4mq4s]

RIP goatman9998 at Stalingrad

[@ThatOliveMrT]

As a half Greek by blood I find Romanian origin history to be very interesting. The clay comes and goes but the spirit of the people lives on

[@korosuke1788]

What do you mean? Romanians ate not greek. They just took the land but kept their slavic culture.

[@NuSuntSerb]

​@@korosuke1788most popular theory is that romanians are dacians that were romanized by the Romans. Another theory is that romanians are actually illyrian. But the most proof one is the dacian one

[@CristianDudut]

​@@NuSuntSerbRomanians were something at some point before being latinised, maybe a mixture of what kind of populations were present north west of nowadays Greece, illyrian like you said, together with some thracian/dacian influences. What is clear is that there is some connection in between the Romanian and Albanian vocabulary. For sure there was a giant migration at some point towards the Carpathian mountains. @korosuke1788 man you should really learn more stuff about Romanian people 😂

[@porphyry17]

​@@CristianDudutthere was no migration anywhere. there was a non-interrupted language continuum between years 100 to 600, severed by the slavic migrations, those "belorussian" invaders... and dacian and illyrian shared already some words with each other that ended up being ultraconserved. others were adopted because Albanian merchants ended up in Bucharest selling either "varză" or "curechi"

[@CristianDudut]

@@porphyry17 Yea, I guess they weren't minding all the invaders for all those centuries. They were hosting the Goths and the Gepids and many others in their little wood cabins in the more touristic areas.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

Killing Codreanu was a huge mistake made by Carol II, because the Iron Guard became truly fanatical and firmly aligned itself with Germany's insane ideological program, in addition of Codreanu becoming a martyr and worshiped like a saint by the Guard.

[@StirbMensch]

Not like Codreanu was a saint, by any means...

[@batty4103]

The Iron Guard already assasinated the Prime Minister and Carol II wasn't far away from the same fate either, ticking time bomb.

[@zirkkon5391]

⁠@@batty4103did you even know why they have killed the Prime Minister?

[@Weirdgus]

@@batty4103the original poster does have a point though, unknown at the time, but Horia Sima was a far more cruel and bloody leader than Codreanu was.

[@arditi1940]

​@@batty4103The prime minister had ordered the murder of two legionnaires from the guard

[@jaydenchin8983]

this man and his team are a legend

[@ghost7344]

thx

[@charlesbird2897]

Was literally just thinking about how well done these videos are. Definitely a treat to watch for military history nerds like me.

[@PrimeMinister1Neuron]

Well, I hope his content is better researched for other videos. This one was a major letdown.

[@tdr7735]

I am romanian.Both of my great grandfathers died on the eastern front , fighting for Germany. One at Sevastopol and the other one in Stalingrad, my grandpa was only 2 years old when his father died.. RIP!

[@IgaTenzen]

RIP 🪦 ☠️ 🕯️

[@masterlee005]

I'm romanian. My great grandfather fought also in Stalingrad on a Vickers anti air gun, he survived! came home but died 2 years latter of PTSD.

[@CraShRO]

My grandfather fought at Stalingrad. He started the war on day one of the liberation of Bassarabia. From his unit at Stalingrad only him and 12 others managed to escape and returned back to Romania by foot in the winter. When the soviets reached the country he again joined the fight and was wonded near the city of Iasi. After the war the new comunist goverment put him in prison because he was a member of the Iron Guard back in the 30's when he was in highschool. He got out after 7 years and died in 1990. He was highly decorated in combat. RIP grandpa!

[@LittleDolfie]

Iron Guard is the most charming political movement to ever happen. Codreanu was an extremely charming idealist. May these men live on forever in our hearts

[@a0flj0]

@@LittleDolfie Codreanu may have been charming, and not completely without principles. Horia Sima, however, who took over the leadership of the Iron Guard, was nothing like Zelea Codreanu. That change of leadership completely changed the Iron Guard's nature. Under Sima's leadership, the Iron Guard was in no way better than the German nazis or the Italian fascists. Also, charismatic as he might have been, Codreaun preached authoritarianism, was fiercely racist and violent. That's not charming and not idealistic - unless your ideal is a society dominated by violence.

[@LittleDolfie]

@@a0flj0 You say Codreanu was not without principles. I'm glad you can appreciate him to that far. Also listen, the world does not function under ga4y democracy. Democracy means rule of money and low quality masses. Also what's wrong with violence? Violence game us Rome

[@a0flj0]

@@LittleDolfie Democracy functions exactly as good as the people that make up the nations. Democracy will be ruled by money and by low quality masses when the people making up that democracy will be greedy cowards. It isn't violence that built Rome. It's discipline and respect for hard work and strong legal institutions and technological innovation. It isn't so much military strategy or individual martial qualities that makes up Rome's heritage. It's Roman law, the aqueduct, baths, roads and the Collosseum. It's agriculture and Roman cement. It's sanitation and surgery. To this day, what keeps Europe, a community of rather small countries, relevant on the international stage, isn't military proves, it's its capability to generate innovation and to educate its people better than any other part of the world, despite its fragmentation. Violence brings nothing but destruction. There were long centuries, after Rome fell, during which Europe was ravaged by violence. Nothing good emerged from that time. Much of what Rome built was destroyed and forgotten. Countless invaders managed to run over Europe almost unopposed. The renaissance had to happen, which had nothing to do with violence, before Europe started to rebuild, after more than a thousand years of almost constant internal waring - and then immediately sparked Europe's colonial era, during which superior European culture and technology spread over all other continents. True, colonialism was associated with a ton of violence, but that was just the consequence of a thousand years of war not disappearing overnight. None of the European empires acted like the Ottomans or the Mongols, destroying and plundering and building nothing in place of what they destroyed. They all were eager to impose their culture and habits in the colonized territories and to build peaceful and productive societies there, obviously to the benefit of the empire's heartland more than to the benefit of the colonies, but still, it was a huge difference to the way Russia or China, both non-European cultures (geographically Moscow, the origin of the Russian empire, lies in Europe, but its cultural identity, especially in its early days, was given by its Mongol rulers) extended their empires by e terminating whatever they found in place and putting absolutely nothing in place. Russia and some smaller Latin American countries are very good examples of what violence leads to: failed states, where human life has no value, no decent life is possible and no evolution to the benefit of humanity overall ever happens. When was the last time you heard of some outstanding academic or technological achievement coming out of a violence-ridden country? Do you believe a group of violent rowdies would be able to build a space ship?

[@LittleDolfie]

@@a0flj0 Well, the people making up that democracy are almost always greedy cowards. Also what is democracy anyway? The US gives billions in aid to certain middle eastern nation in every year. Who ever voted yes to that? NO ONE. Democracy isn't even real. It would be one thing if it were! It isn't lmfao. I can tell you're old, with a very outdated ideas on things. Get on with the times dear boomer ❤️

[@lordedmundblackadder9321]

“I would rather live in a swamp of Greater Romania than in a paradise of a small Romania” is such a hard quote.

[@blackjacka.5097]

Typical nationalist brainrot

[@andico6614]

Love that

[@MisterRomain]

agreed

[@aurelienrodriguez3252]

HoI IV loading screen quotes

[@edifiedsquid8061]

Looks like we settled on a bit of each and got a ''small'' ''swamp''. lol Just joking.

[@Novac_Alexandru]

As a Romanian I thank you for making a video with Romania in World War Two since not a lot of people know about Romania's involvement in the conflict. Also Romanian military was the second most powerful from the Eastern Front and we had important victories at Odessa, Kiev, Sevastopol and we even participated in the battle of Stalingrad. Fun fact: Prime Minister of Romania from WW 2 Ion Antonescu yelled at Hitler once and even called him crazy that shows how much confidence and guts Antonescu had and he was very respected by Hitler because he was always very documented about history and when Antonescu was meeting Hitler he always gave history lessons to Hitler also criticizing the Second Vienna Award.

[@davianoinglesias5030]

😅they made a quick move to the Allies, I'd say that was extremely lucky or genius. Today not many people know that Romania was a German ally and that it was antisemitic.

[@Novac_Alexandru]

​​@@davianoinglesias5030 Well, I can say that the decision to betray the Axis Powers wasn't particullary genius since the Soviets still occupied our nation and forced communist rule. Antonescu tried to make a separate peace with Britain and United States so our nation will be occupied by U.S.A and Britain not by the Soviets but sadly it failed.

[@vulpes7079]

Antonescu just sounds like a Putin

[@StirbMensch]

​@@vulpes7079 please... for all his faults, and yes he comitted war crimes and crimes against humanity, Antonescu was at heart a true, professional military man. Google his last letter to his wife, before he was executed.

[@vulpes7079]

@@StirbMensch I have no sympathy for a monster who was complicit in the Holocaust, and the fact that you do says a lot about your (lack of) character

[@florinprisecaru4809]

Fun fact: Romania was the only country in the world with king and communist government :)

[@dermeisterdesspiegels3518]

Wasn't Cambodia in the same situation? I think they still have the monarchy.

[@darkraven5106]

Grenada also for a time was under Communist rule but still had Queen Elizabeth as monarch.

[@timoteitodor2868]

it was a king and a fascist government.

[@aciduzzo]

Sanatescu and Groza were not actual communists, more like lefty, big tent kind of solutions for the what proved to be a transitional period, one could argue that Sanatescu had monarchy sympathies.

[@raz7864]

Have u ever been to United Kingdom recently ?

[@Stand_By_For_Mind_Control]

One of the countries I most wish we could've spared from Soviet occupation. Very special place with a very unique and cool history that spent a long time with a boot on its neck until the people were fed up with it. It's got a very similar problem that former East German territories and Hungary have where they could all be much better off today if they weren't used as a way to feed Moscow.

[@gabrielti210]

Wow as a romanian i m surprised about this one Thank you and keep your content go !

[@mrwhips3623]

Half of this video was just rambling about anti-Semitism. Like seriously no one on earth cares can he just get on with the video

[@SS-Hauptscharfuhrer]

world class comedy

[@razvy6949]

​@@mrwhips3623 Because that's what lead to the politics Romania was ruled by, the Legionary Movement (Iron Guard as its translated) was inspired by national-socialism, they had to take on jews, and it kept Romania close to the Axis

[@wisequigon]

that's happen when you skip history class (however bad or boring would it be)

[@TheScotian82]

I feel like any Romanian perspective needs to be narrated by The Count from Sesame Street. "Vun! Vun Vurld Var!" "Two! Two Vurld Var! A-ha-ha"

[@IronDragon-2143]

Lol, I love dark humor! Please don't stop! 😂

[@weed...5692]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@eduardperhinschi5057]

You forgot to mention that Romania warn the germans about imminent counter offensive of Russians at Stalingrad... not once, multiple times, You focus so much on jews that you forgot to say about the American attack on Romania.

[@LevisH21]

Romania under the rule of Nazi puppet regime of Antonescu or the Soviets was never the official country of Romania. so you thinking that Americans bombed "Romanian targets" is somehow bad is not ok. Americans bombed Nazi army equipment or oil fields to destroy the Nazi regime. Antonescu was a coward and traitor of Romania. the official government of Romania was that of the king Michael.

[@ryansherby5678]

The Jews were a huge part of WW2. They provided the stolen wealth, scapegoat status, and slave labor that powered the Nazis.

[@emerald2k.]

My grandfather fought in 1944 in Romanian Army being allied with the Soviets in the Tatra mountains for the liberation of Cehoslovacia. The Soviets were using them as cannon fodder, sending them in advance before sending the red army troops.

[@ciprithebest]

So did the germans too

[@Kannot2023]

We didn't choose between Nazi and Allies. We choose between Nazi and Soviet Union. We always had good relation with UK and US even during war

[@dragosstanciu9866]

Those "good relations" ended when Romania declared war on the US in December 1941.

[@tortellinifettuccine]

​@@dragosstanciu9866 HAHAHAHH no they did not, thoes good relations continued throught the cold war making romania effectively not affected by the "iron curtain". It's possible to read up on history before you say things you know.

[@dragosstanciu9866]

@@tortellinifettuccineThis is Romania in WW2, not Romania in the Cold War during the rule of Nicolae Ceausescu. In WW2 Romania as a member of the Axis was at war with the USA.

[@andreimihai9022]

Romania 🇹🇩🇹🇩🇹🇩!!!!! As a romanian, I am glad tha you've made this video

[@lugo8824]

Constanta is nice. And the people seem friendly.

[@christiannn92]

multumim frumos@@lugo8824

[@NuSuntSerb]

@@lugo8824 romanians are friendly generally, as long as you arent driving 😉😉

[@theafinaman7260]

You used the Chad flag :(

[@andreimihai9022]

:(@@theafinaman7260

[@marius3115]

Regarding the Jews...it's complicated. "In a way lived the Jews from the old kingdom (South Transylvania, Muntenia, Moldova, Dobrogea (Romanian territories) rather the Jews from Transnistria (Romanian controlled territories) and Northern Transylvania (Hungarian controlled territories). The Jews of northern Transylvania died almost entirely in the Auschwitz, the Jews of Transnistria died of hunger, bullets and diseases, and the Jews of the old kingdom remained almost entirely alive. And they had the opportunity to study at Jewish schools, they had hospitals and even a theater. Unique case in the history of Europe occupied by the Nazis." T. Solomovici

[@andreifiruti8373]

What abut the treatment that Romanian peasant ( țăranul de rând ) received from Jewish bussines man or owner ? And how the Jews hated the Romanians and treat us like some inferior humans is compare to them. And how they make money in Romania and then fleeing with the money in USA?

[@alyjohanson5001]

someone didn't made his homework properly.... i believe on the website of israeli counterintelligence appeared, some years ago, a message thanking romanians for helping the jews during the ww2. i find hard to believe that this was due to the pogroms conducted by romanian army on that days. even that it is officialy know that the stationed germans done those actions. well, you never know...

[@eedragonr]

I hope once again that nobody forgetting what happened to Antonescu for all the allegations. Waiting for Palestine

[@LurkerAnonymous]

Romanian battle doctrine: We don't have to win. We just have to make sure you lose.

[@thatfigman3153]

Romania death Corp of Krieg confirmed.

[@mingus2854]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS EPISODE SINCE 2020! I LOVE YOUR WORK!

[@rsookchand919]

Always glad to see an upload from this channel. Love to see the mixing of history with memes

[@Idk-ek6zd]

I'm Romanian and i love your videos!

[@sladetuner8661]

Dah

[@rawstephen4734]

His video is total antiromanian. Wtf is with you ?

[@Chriskyleisarat]

I think it’s worth noting that there were many countries that joined the axis inspite of the fact that they had ideological differences and had no choice but to. Finland is an example and so is Hungary and so is Romania and so is Croatia. Neither Hungary nor Romania nor Finland nor Croatia were fascist. They joined because there was no choice but to join, they wanted to fight communism, and they would get more gain than loss from it.

[@adventurefaps9571]

Fighting communism makes you a fascist.

[@WaffIes1811]

Croatia was very much a fascist regime

[@lucianoosorio5942]

Winston Churchill: I was saving the planet from an Axis of Darkness, while you were back home opening National Parks! Yes! Oversimplified: This enraged the allies, who punished the Axis severely.

[@garblites]

erb?

[@The_yeffy1]

Interesting perspective love the fact that 80 years later everyday I learn new stories of WW2

[@marshalltudor2743]

Im romanian,and I enjoyed this documentary! I would like to add some things: 1)You forgot to include the German bombing of Bucharest; 2)The Romanian armies participated in the liberation of Hungary and Czechoslovakia, our armies reaching the Tatra mountains.

[@CampiaTurziiMapper]

Hello ;)

[@marshalltudor2743]

@@CampiaTurziiMapper hello :))

[@HaartieeTRUE]

Hungary was not 'liberated'. Such an american-tier thing to say

[@rarescevei8268]

​@@HaartieeTRUEIt was turned into a german puppet state, so before the soviets installed the communist government, it was kinda liberated

[@herptek]

​@@HaartieeTRUE Soviets used the rhetoric of liberation as well, starting even before Barbarossa. You see, everyone not in Soviet sphere is a capitalist or fascist and therefore not free by default.

[@razvanciobotaru3089]

Thanks! Excellent and as a Romania 🇷🇴 I love this video, can you make one about Transnistria conflict.

[@ghost7344]

Sadly we cannot cover such minor topics.

[@Henrique-iy2lk]

@@ghost7344 could be a section on a video about Socialist Romania and Moldavian SSR

[@Louschen94]

I don't think so. It has no jews in it.

[@eedragonr]

​@@Louschen94did they all migrate to Israel?

[@olivermoore7020]

I really appreciate these other perspectives on WW2! I look forward to one on the Swedish perspective one day...

[@monkeybutt7224]

I’ve been waiting for a video like this thank you for the great content.

[@andreiskz2988]

You have no idea how much i had to wait for this video. Thank you!!!!!🎉

[@malekiththewitchking2799]

I was actually researching Romania's involvement in the conflict just before this. Thanks for the upload.

[@aciduzzo]

As a Romanian, I am kind of disappointed that Romania sided with Axis but, unlike Greece and Yugoslavia. This is just another example that non-republican, authoritarian rule or weak liberalism leads to fascism.

[@Ukpmmafighter]

keep up the good work, absolutely LOVE your vids

[@OneRealSilverRaven]

This is the best "perspective" video so far! And I really really love these videos. I learned so much!

[@mihaiviteazu1886]

You Didn't mention that before World War II started USSR gave an ultimatum to Romania to cede a part of Romania to the USSR therefore Romania join Nazi Germany in the war remember Ribbentrop- Molotov pact Romania is the only country in Europe that is still wounded because of this two horrible dictators Stalin and Hitler splitting Romania therefore we got a new country today Rep of Moldova.

[@bella9509]

That's why in Romania we have a phrase: The only Romania friends are The Black Sea and Serbia.

[@LevisH21]

Serbia was a good friend in the Middle Ages against the Ottoman Turks. but I don't think today you can consider Serbia a good ally when Serbia is friends with Russia or China. I understand the fact Serbia lost Kosovo and all that but Russia is basically exploiting Serbs with some kind of support in order to use them as a puppet. and I also know that what NATO did during the Yugoslavian Wars wasn't great. Yugoslavia was a mistake since the very beginning. the policy of Yugoslavian dictator Tito to respect ethnic differences was a mistake. he should have instead worked on creating a single Yugoslavian identity with no difference between what it means to be a Serbs, Croat or Bosnian. Tito also gave limited regional autonomy to all the different ethnic groups of Yugoslavia. big mistake. and whoever came after Tito's death, clearly was weak and it was too late to do anything positive. Yugoslavia was destined to fail. anyways. Serbia is being used by Russia as a political pawn. NATO is also stupid to allow a country like Turkey that has that disgusting wannabe sultan Erdogan with his fetish for the "glory days of the Ottoman Empire" be part rod NATO. Turkey should get expelled. the amount of deals and money EU and NATO has probably spent on Turkey in order to keep all the so called "refugees" has been a disaster. Turkey is basically using migrats and refugees as a political weapon in order to gain more money from Europe. Turkey is not a friend of Europe. Erdogan also constantly insults and talks about some kind of religious holy war between Islam and Christians in Europe. the guy is absolutely insane and seriously wants a war to happen. he is preaching to all Muslims in Europe to arm themselves and fight against European"infidels". he also at some point demanded the arrest of a German comedian that made fun of him some years ago. also Erdogan was in a very good relationship with Putin for many years before the war in Ukraine started. basically Turkey likes to play all sides and gain power and influence. Turkey is also in alliance with Qatar. Qatar is a hotspot for terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah. and finally speaking, what Turkey has been doing again the Kurds for the past 100 years can't be ignored. also not a lot of countries in Europe recognize the Armenian and Greek genocides of WW1 done by the Ottoman Empire, because nobody wants to offend Turkey and lose diplomatic and economic relationship or whatever. Turkish economy is a joke. nobody should care about what Turkey has to say with regards to anything.

[@SammyNeedsAnAlibi]

Superb job once again- well done to all that had a hand in producing it!

[@poisonousbadge126]

Thank you for the education you provide us! Especially in animated form!

[@levtrot3041]

cool pfp bro

[@poisonousbadge126]

@@levtrot3041 Thanks bro. You to comrade!

[@Kumimono]

That helmetless guy in 10:55 looks a lot like a future leader of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu. King Michael is an interesting character. If I'm not mistaken, him having died just few years ago, he was the last surviving person, to have been in charge of a belligerent nation in WW2.

[@Cryme94]

Yup, you're right

[@tudorspiridon8866]

I am a Romanian, and yeah, the iron guard was a exageration, but it was not in the way is described here, and Carol the second tried to take full power over Romania, he tried a form of dictatorship

[@The_Swede-Mex]

Another great video from one of the greatest History KZbinr.

[@bybycorleone]

Two of my great-grandfathers fought in the war. One was captured by the soviets, the other fought against germany.

[@iulianviorelmosteanu2800]

A bit wrong on the iron guard part. There is nothing mentioned regarding ethnicity and purity in their manifesto or views. There is also no restriction for a non Romanian to join the iron guard.

[@revanfordfan1]

a bit wrong on more than one part

[@dubl33_27]

also kept saying "antisemetic and anti-all-those-other-ethnicities" as if jews were more important than everybody else.

[@mojewjewjew4420]

There were also many greeks in the iron guard from the otoman period.

[@iulianviorelmosteanu2800]

@@dubl33_27 , well, there was no real "anti-semitism" , hence why recently this classification was removed from law when describing it. You usually describe anti-semitism as something that revolves around having a race-hating or ethnicity-hating thought/thoughts, but the Iron Guard was not National-Socialist, nor did Codreanu ever say that Jews were "disliked" for being Jews. But to say that the Iron Guard promoted ideas such as "ethnic purity" is nonsense, and Codreanu himself wasn't "pure" to begin with. Even our whole "romanity of Romanians" talks about us not being pure, but instead being a breed of multiple people groups ( invaders / migrants / natives ). A quote from Codreanu: "It doesn't matter that he is a Jew and please remember forever that the relentless fight of an authentic legionnaire must not be directed against the Jews as such, but against those who harm Romania and the Christian Church. (C. Z. Codreanu about saving a Jew from drowning)"

[@TristanOlea-Rivera]

Romainia is often under looked and largely seen as bad as Italy because of their part in the German defeat at Stalingrad im glad we got a video that covers their perspective and how they where one of Germany’s more useful Allies in the war

[@patrickdraghiceanu8818]

I am from romania and I am so happy that you made this love your vids

[@batty4103]

Traiasca Romania Mare!

[@juhannusruusu]

ieși și du-te naibii de naționalist.@@batty4103

[@SpookyPotat0]

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!! I asked for this on my other channel " shrek " a few times never thinking that you would actually make a video on it and you did! Man im absolutely thrilled right now i really, really appreciate you reading the comments and giving to your listeners what they ask haha!

[@WallachianCrusader]

Fun fact: Romania switching sides ended the war 6 months earlier than it was supposed to.

[@wisequigon]

there is nothing fun in a war...

[@dubl33_27]

fun fact not fun war.@@wisequigon

[@luziver5998]

Babe wake up! The new WW2 perspective just dropped!

[@MrRenaissance89]

Thank you for covering this dark bit of Romanian history. This just goes to show that Romania has been, and continues to be, at a crossroads of geopolitical instability in Europe. This is probably why the US also considers Romania as a valuable ally in this part of Europe.

[@iratepirate3896]

It was the king that despised the Iron Guard, not the other way around.

[@Markusctfldl]

He despised anyone who threatened his power, deeply unpopular as he was.

[@peacock-si3lh]

Just yesterday I was thinking about the possibility of you making this video Thank you so much!!

[@frankrichardsomething]

Good brief presentation of the WW2 history. Many assassinations/murders happened during this time that influenced the political scene in Romania. My grand-grandfather (a senior civilian) was killed by the soviets in his home when the red army crossed into Romania, while Romania was allied with the soviets. They also did unimaginable things to civilians that can not be replicated in a KZbin comment.

[@thatfigman3153]

Its allmost like we hated commies for a reason ... hmmmm

[@kingswood9064]

WW2 from the Romanian Perspective but you fail to mention quite a bit. Such as the many Romanian victories against Soviet forces, apart from the Lascar Group.

[@lesawmagda3174]

Romania: Sirs, this is the scariest moment of my life but I'm willing to fight on your side! Germany and Italy: mhhhh... oil🤤🤤

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

Under the 1947 Treaty of Paris, the Allies did not acknowledge Romania as a co-belligerent nation but instead applied the term "ally of Hitlerite Germany" to all recipients of the treaty's stipulations. Like Finland, Romania had to pay $300 million to the Soviet Union as a war reparations. However, the treaty specifically recognized that Romania switched sides on 24 August 1944, and therefore "acted in the interests of all the United Nations". As a reward, Northern Transylvania was, once again, recognized as an integral part of Romania, but the border with the USSR and Bulgaria was fixed at its state in January 1941, restoring the pre-Barbarossa status quo (with one exception). Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Eastern territories became part of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

[@adrianzamfir2663]

It was a switch of regime after a coup d etat, and yes, ulterior switch of sides. It didnt just happen from thin air.

[@agentoskar6698]

The Iron Guard was a important thing for interwar Romania but it never called the shots until 1940, Romania was rulled until 1938 by the traditional democratic parties.

[@Markusctfldl]

They weren't very democratic. Ion Duca had political opponents murdered by the gendarmerie.

[@derekvanbooven7805]

Love these perspective videos

[@LaCoalicion.]

Thank you for all you do!!!

[@Ssdcommander]

I really like the way you storytell.

[@DroneJames]

same, this story is awesome like the rest of your videos!

[@crististan9134]

Fun fact : Beetween January 1944 and January 1945 Bucharest was bombed by France , Great Britain, USA , USSR and Germany , probably the Japanese plane didn't have enough fuel to get a part of the action . After the war a monument for the Great American liberators was established (almost 30k casualties from their bombing alone) history will forever be written by the victors .

[@michaelhenter8560]

Thanks for this very interesting video. I was born in Transilvania , half Romanian half German. Had a great childhood there. My Romanian grandfather fought at Stalingrad and survived.

[@shardul88]

Good how chill you seem in your recent videos 😄

[@ondroid9014]

fun fact. Romania was the only ally who was ready to go in war on the side of Czechoslovakia, when they mobilized against Germany.

[@gorilla5414]

WW2 from the Romanian-Jewish-Bolshevik perspective*

[@dubsweets670]

Animation gets better every video, thank you for still posting on KZbin

[@purpleman-vl2kx]

My great grandpa fought in an AA regiment in ukraine 1943 and 1944 i respect you man. Thanks for making this video

[@sabin-georgebalan7177]

The Iron guard is the legionaries movement

[@GiveMeYourFACE9089]

A WWI or WW2 from the Bulgarian perspective would also be great!

[@FranciGitGud]

As a Romanian born and living in Romania I will enjoy this informational video greatly!

[@bowenc24]

Love these perspective videos, especially when you cover nations that are not talked about as much.

[@Music4Everyone]

Northern Bukovina was not part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact but the USSR wanted it anyway.

[@Ovi_B]

Yes, and that was because Stalin make a "wrong" drawing on the map. And they took what Stalin draw.

[@rawstephen4734]

Romania didn't get Transylvania only by diplomacy, but by victory of Romania after it total conquer Hungary in the Romanian - Hungarian war that resulted romanian army and Budapest in 1919 . So therefore, allies or had to give Transylvania or have to confront Romanian army which had officers trained by France that defetead Germany at battle of Marasti, Marasesti and Oituz. So against those great soldiers which were joined by romanian officers from Transylvania that serverd in Austro-Hungarian empire and officers from Moldova that served in russian empire . Better tell and this since you make video from romanian perspective but it looks like video only from foreing perspective.

[@mojewjewjew4420]

I feel the same, the video was unexpectedly anti romanian and he got many facts wrong.

[@Ciech_mate]

Great video with fantastic animations well done and thank you! ❤

[@oliversherman2414]

Congrats on getting a sponsorship from Call of War! As a player of the game myself, I can confirm it's worth downloading

[@HungryOwl287]

Hey guys it would be great if you could do one for Bulgaria as well! There are some great novelties like it being the only country to refuse to ship out their jews, gain territory after losing the war AND having its Tsar (likely) assassinated in the process. Great video as always!

[@timoteitodor2868]

King Michael's decision to dismiss Antonescu was the biggest mistake he has made as a king. Michael was very frustrated that Antonescu took control of all decision making regarding the war and to be fair, king Michael was so young when he took the throne, no experience whatsoever and he could have used some humility and learn from Antonescu. Antonescu was disscusing a possible shift in sides with the Soviets and he was willing to negatiate a safe pass for the Soviets to move their troops through Romanian territories, and at that time the Soviets were willing to give Basarabia back to Romania in exchange for a safe passage. When they arrested Antonescu it all fell apart, the Soviets acted as if Romania was now captured by them, not an ally. They raped, pilliged, murdered, the most horrific crimes. They were so barbaric, my grandmother told me they used to take the pigs and boil them in a big pot, without removing the insides and eat like animals. People started hiding their women in caves and underground because they used to rape everything with a pulse.

[@Steppinguptothemikehight]

Let’s go I have been watching you for 5 years now and I have been wanting Romania 🇷🇴 for so long and I am sure everyone else has to

[@gilbertzan]

Another well done job. Outstanding research.

[@allexutszu]

What are the historical documents and sources used for the research of this video, please? Especially for the religious fervor and motivation?

[@gorilla5414]

He made them up lol. Jews comprised like 80% of the Romanian communist party. Furthermore, Codreanu never mentioned anything about “exterminating Jews”.

[@raresdumitras3291]

As a Romanian I have mixed feelings about this video. The Armchair Historian said the alliance between Nazi Germany and Romania was concluded before the Second Vienna Award. Romanian historiography frames it as a direct consequence of the loss of Northern Transylvania and because the threat posed by the neighboring Soviet Union and Bulgaria. Until then Romania was relying on the little Entente (Czechoslovakia+Poland) and the Great Powers for security. The most astounding parts of the video are the perspective on the pogroms and the reaction of the Romanian political elites when faced with the imminent Soviet invasion. The pogroms and deportations of the Jews are still a taboo topic in Romania and framed as having been perpetrated by the Germans, not Romanian authorities. Although unpleasant, it is interesting to see a different perspective (was expecting to mention the Iasi pogrom). Romania switching sides and joining the Allies is generally perceived as the merit of King Michael who was brave enough to arrest Marshall Antonescu. But the video shows it was a reaction of the elites who saw the danger coming and preferred to oust Antonescu rather than face the Soviet Army.

[@blabla-rg7ky]

yeah, I didn't like / trust many of the things in this video, but I wasn't vocal about it yet because I have been wrong about things many times in the past, especially since I'm not good at history (I never liked history, not even our own history lol)... So yeah, I didn't leave any comment against the video yet because I was waiting to see what the general consensus about this was. But now, with you making this comment, I kind of start getting confidence in the fact that my intuition was right and that "facts" in this video might not be as accurate as I remembered them from god-knows-what other sources that I may have seen in the past... Anyway, not sure how many or how few of the "facts" in this video are accurate, but I'm pretty sure that not all of them are :)

[@stahl981]

There is a general confusion between the Pact of Oil signed in 1939 and Romania's official adherence to the Axis Pact from 1940. Regarding the events from Aug 44: of course the King by himself was not the one to orchestrate everything. The historical parties were opposed to the Marechal, accusing him of not dropping out of the war, even if all knew what this means in terms of German reprisals. The historical parties were involved in some really complex and in places dubious, unclear negociations with the Alles, surprisingly the most direct route was still the official one, led by Antonescu, through the Egyptian British legate. The arrest of Antonescu was a result of historical parties scepticism, communist involvement and overall political pressure as the Soviets were already within Romanian borders. The generals who signed the order of arrest and were present on site were Antonescu's old war school buddies and brothers in arms in WW1. There is never a lack of such friends in the world...

[@zombieGI]

He is using many MODERN sources. Someone has been rewriting history recently.....for reasons

[@donatales]

as a romanian, i swear, when we had to learn about WW2 I stopped. I couldn’t accept the fate we had after the war, belive me when 30 ish kids start to cry in history class, then you know it really meant a lot to us. We want our basarabia back

[@SwfanredLotr]

The jewish question wasn't the motive behind the Legion's rebellion of january of 1941. The romanian fascists wanted to nationalize both the industrial departments and companies which worried the Germans who wanted to keep the oil supply of Ploiesti intact. Also Horia Sima demanded more ministeries for the legionnaires which the military opposed and that, next to his irresponsability of not controlling his men, led to the deterioration of the relationship with Antonescu. In a meeting with Hitler in Berlin at december of 1940, the latter promised Antonescu that he and the Wehrmacht would support them against the Iron Guard if they made an uprising.

[@MrD1cks]

Thank you! As much as I enjoy the channel, like 2-3 minutes out of the 15 minute video was focused on that particular group. Seemed like a disservice to the complexities of the country.

[@SwfanredLotr]

​@@MrD1cks Sorry for the late response but I totally agree. I've been following this channel for several years and yet this video, next to the one of Yugoslavia in WW2 and the Falkland War have been dissapointing and incomplete with its sources.

[@andreikovacs3476]

I tried my best but I can't watch this to the end It has shallow, unresearched and at times, flat out wrong points. I could make a list of all the mistakes and all that was forgotten, but I'd be here a while Romania's WW2-era internal politics were VERY complicated, this video doesn't get into that or the culture at the time.

[@RazboiulInformational]

The film is extremely poorly documented, apparently the author takes his information from Romanian communist party manuals. For example, the legionary movement (because the Iron Guard was only the political party established much later) proposed radical solutions regarding minorities. What were these radical solutions? Regarding the Jews, only one solution was speculated, namely "numerus clausus" (their acceptance in public institutions only in proportion to the number they represented from the entire population). Otherwise, the legionary movement itself was a very ethnically diverse structure, there were Romanians, but there were also Macedonians, Greeks, Germans, Armenians and even Tatars.

[@patrickj.mccarthy4409]

Finally! I have wanted this video for a while. Thank you. I would like to suggest Thailand's perspective in WWII since they are another forgotten axis power.

[@cLaw27]

Hitler's promises to Romania's command in order to go past Bessarabia: - Winter gear - Powerful AT guns - Tanks - Modern german planes - Rations What the romanian soldiers actually get: - Squat - Some light AT guns captured from the french - Squat - A couple of old fighters - Squat

[@_braileanul]

We did nothing wrong, only defended ourselves 🇷🇴🇷🇴❤

[@landonsmith2154]

I don't think the Romainian and Thai sides are mentioned enough! Thank you

[@NuSuntSerb]

What did Thai do

[@landonsmith2154]

@@NuSuntSerb Thailand fought for the Axis

[@MihaiBadea24031992]

Fascinating! Really enjoyed it!