Proclamation of War Calls on People To Oust Nazis Rome, aug.26 (AP) – American heavy bombers from Italy today bombed Otopeni airdrome, nine miles north of Bucharest, in support of the Romanian government.
LONDON, Aug 26 (AP) – Romania declared war on Germany Friday after German bombers raided Bucharest, the capital, and radio reports said German ground troops within Bucharest had been swiftly overwhelmed by King Michael’s regiments.
The declaration of war against Germany by her former satellite was announced in a proclamation by King Michael’s new government.
It said the Romanians had gained complete control of the capital from the Germans, whose Blakan edifice was fast collapsing.
The new government, which is trying to swing the country effectively to the side of the Allies, again called upon Romanians to the rise and fight the Germans.
The German radio today said fierce fighting was taking place in Bucharest against Romanian army formations.
MORE NAZI TREACHERY
The war proclamation said Romania gave the Germans an opportunity to withdraw without interference but, after assurances as solemn as they were perfidious.
German units attacked Romanian units and even machine gunned the peaceful population of villages and the capital.
Juliu Maniu, leader of the peasant party who joined the new government a few days ago, said in a broadcast statement that Romania had sacrificed more than 600,000 men to German interests.
The vital forces of the Romanian nation will not be defeated by the treachery of our former oppressors he said.
What is left of them will soon be knocked out by the great and invincible might of the United nations, our great allies of today and always.
Romanian troops were surrendering in droves to the Russians and also turning to fight the Germans, dispatches said.
The Calgary Herald – Aug 26, 1944
Ion Antonescu was appointed prime minister with absolute powers on Sept. 4, 1940, after Romania had one-third of its territory partitioned between Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union (June–September 1940).
He established a military dictatorship and openly embraced the Axis powers. His “National Legionary State” briefly brought the Iron Guard to power as his partner, but, after a period of Guardist revolutionary and criminal excesses, he suppressed the organization (1941).