RĂZBOIUL SFÂNT CONTRA BOLŞEVISMULUI
(The Holy War against Bolshevism)
August 20th 1937 – January 4th 1939
NEW POST OCTOBER 27th
NORTH AMERICA SERIES GAME #5
Players (9/10): AXIS (Germany, Italy, Japan & Romania), ALLIES (UK, USA, France, & Australia), KOMINTERN (USSR)
A NEW BOOK FOR THE BELIEVERS
Provincia şi legionarismul
Buna Vestire
YEAR-YEAR
September 1937: Electoral campaign is underway. Garda de Fier is accused of encouraging brutal actions against political opponents. Two representatives of the PNT are killed in a riot in Bucharest, while 3 candidates of the PNL (Partidul Național Liberal; National Liberal Party) are heavily wounded in similar occasions in Bessarabia and Transylvania.
October 1937: Taking advantage of current weakness of Romanian government, Hungary asks the League of Nations to study a new proposal on the retrocession of Northern Transylvania by Romania. PNT Prime minister recalls the Romanian ambassador from Budapest. Hungarians natives are seeking police protection throughout Transylvania as Garda de Fier supporters react violently to this “Hungarian’s aggression”.
November 1937: The League of Nations starts the study of the Hungarian proposal. “These actions are the consequence of a total lack of political vision by the PNT”, claims Sima, from Garda de Fier, during a important public meeting in Bucharest. Support to the fascist is reported as high as 44% across the country, while PNT and traditional parties are all below 15% each.
December 1937: In the 1937 parliamentary elections, the Garda de Fier comes in first (42%), beating the Liberals (10%), Social Democrats (14%) and PNT Peasants’ Party (4%). The fascistic movement prevails over traditional parties. “Old ideas will die with them”, are Codreanu’s first words to the people after this historical victory. Codreanu appoints his deputies and submit his new cabinet to King Carol II. Instead of fully endorsing it, the King proposes to recreate the function of Conducãtor, trying to keep on his side the army. He also asks Codreanu to include representatives of other parties in the cabinet, which is done reluctantly by Codreanu. Ion Antonescu is appointed as Conducãtor by the King.
The new government
January 1938: The new government asks the Chamber of Deputies to endorse the fact Romania is joining the Axis. The Chamber accepts. The newly appointed Minister of Armaments, Caius Brediceanu, and Conducãtor Ion Antonescu, strongly advocate for a complete military reorganisation of the nation, arguing that Bolshevism threat is rising in the East, West and on the southern border. Newly elected Bulgarian and Hungarian communist governments, who reject the existence of God, are considered a major threat to the Romanian nation who is officially embracing the Romanian Orthodox religion.
February 1938: Italy joins the Axis. The Steel Pact is enacted. Romania joins the Pact. --- PNT’ course to the bottom comes to a halt, as most of its supporters fled to other parties. Garda de Fier’s grip on the government is increasing, even if the cabinet is still a rainbow coalition. Cabinet is seen as puppeted by extreme right’s influence, as the triumvirat of Codreanu, Gheorghe Tatarescu (Foreign Affairs Minister) and Antonescu gets more and more power. The street seems reluctant to react to this peaceful coup. Threat of bolshevism is seen as a far worst issue than the death of Democracy.
March 1938: Garda de Fier’s growing support allows the movement to spread its influence throughout Romania, even if it is seen, by many, as quite an unusual mass movement of interwar Europe. Garda de Fier’ ideas are, for the 1
st time, summarized in a book called the "Provincia şi legionarismul" (The Province and Legionary Ideology).
April 1938: Garda de Fier, like its fascist counterparts in Europe, calls for a revolutionary "new man". The government, under the strong grip of Garda de Fier, promotes the idea of a national economy, rejecting capitalism as overly materialistic. As such, laws are enacted that allow the State to seize the possessions of foreigners known for bolshevism support. Hungarian, Bulgarian and Soviet citizens are affected by various fiscal measures intended to increase Romanian government revenue, and to control foreigners’ influence in the country. Trade with Communist countries is under government scrutiny, as more and more red tape is needed to be able to make transactions with such countries.
May 1938: The League of Nations tables its report on the Transylvanian issue. The League is favouring the Hungarian claims over Romania. Bulagria enters the dance with its own claim over Dobrudja region. Soviet ambassador raises issue over the Bessarabia still being a Romanian possession. Foreign Minister of Romania, Gheorghe Tatarescu, reacts by condemning those claims and warns Romanian neighbours that Romania intends to protect its territorial integrity: “Bessarabia, Dobrudja and Transylvania were, are and will be Romanian. This is our Nation”.
June 1938: After a virulent debate at the Parliament over the necessity of a spiritual resurrection of the Nation, the government appoints Horia Sima as Minister of Religious Affairs, a newly created function in the government. By willingly inserting strong elements of Orthodox Christianity into its political doctrine, to the point of becoming one of the rare modern European political movements with a religious ideological structure, Garda de Fier firmly distinguishes itself from other fascistic movements and, above all, from bolshevism and communism.
Horia Sima
July 1938: Conducãtor Antonescu 1
st visit to Berlin and German High Command. After a meeting with Adolf Hitler, the Conducãtor assists to a demonstration of newly developed weapon by the Wermacht. Enthusiastic, Conducãtor Antonescu asks Caius Brediceanu, Minister of Armament, to launch studies on the development of a national mechanized force. “Fast and strong, they shall help Romania prevails against bolshevism’s threat”. New designs are suggested to the Minister of armament. War material agreements are signed with Germany.
August 1938: Adoption, by the Parliament, of the Greater Romania Policy. After a swift debate over territorial claims by foreign countries against Romania, the government agrees on a virulent answer to Hungarian (Northern Transylvania) and Bulgarian (Dobrudja region) claims. According to the Greater Romania Policy, Romania shall not agree to any partition of it territory. Also, Bulgaria and Hungary are seen as part of ancestral Romania and, as such, should be retaken. Quality of relations with Bulgaria and Hungary gradually decline. Ambassadors are recalled from both sides. Bulgaria and Hungary sign a Mutual Support Agreement, stating that they could provide military support to each other in case they would be subject of aggressive actions by another country.
The Greater Romania Policy
September 1938: A giant march takes place in support of a war with the enemies of the Nation. People feel that a war is the only way for Romania to get it rights recognized by major powers and The League of Nations. During a military march, in the honor of the King, Codreanu openly threatens Hungary and Bulgaria of retaliation if they try to enforce The League of Nations recommendations’.
”The awakening of a fascist government in Romania could break the fragile equilibrium in the Balkans. By their actions, those people, arrogant and truly believing they are entrusted by God himself to enforce its kingdom in a region (Moldavia and Transylvania) that was seen, more than 400 years ago, as a wall against Muslims and others forces threatening the Catholic Church, could bring the World to a new war. We should not forget that Serbia, a small Balkans state, did trigger the last war. Be aware, History tends to repeat itself.”, reports the Daily Herald
Troops parading in the capital; Romania shows its strength to the World
October 1938: Full economic mobilization I authorized by the government. “The power of a nation resides in its workers”, shout Codreanu at a crowd of more than 100 000 fascists supporters in Bucharest. Romanian GDP was increased by more than 100% over the last year. Factories highly benefit from Garda de Fier military policy.
A nation at work
November 1938: The former “Divizie 5 Cavalerie” becomes the first fully motorized military unit in Romania. “A brilliant amalgam of foreign technology and national ingenuity, this division is the avenging sword Romania was waiting for!”, claims Chief of the Army, Marin Ceausu, during a fascist public gathering in Bessarabia. --- At the end of the month, the government is accused of electoral fraud by the PNT. The High Court denies the case as being unlawful. --- Major Powers accept the Munich Agreement, according to which Slovaquia is created.
Divizie 5 Cavalerie
December 1938: Romanian leaders unveil the Romanian cross of Civilian Courage, to honor 2 Romanian citizens, who help the victims of Hindenburgh’s crash in New York, in May 1937. --- NDLR: Couldn't resist. Had to find a spot for this very nice picture.
The Hindenburg before its crash
January 1939: The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is accepted by both Germany and USSR. Romanian ambassador in Berlin is recalled. Foreign Affairs Minister, Gheorghe Tataresu, sends a formal note of disapproval to Berlin. King Zog of Albania accepts Italian’s request and places Albania under Italy’s authority. King Zog resigns and flees to Greece.
Japan’s Rise among the Major Powers
Buna Vestire
1937-1938
September 1937: China surrenders to Japan. As a result, the whole Eastern coast is occupied by Japan. Kuomintang’s grip over China is in danger. Tchang Kaï-chek is reported as having fled the country. Japan joins the Axis.
October 1937: Guanxi Clique surrenders to Japan. New-Zeland joins the Allies and denounces Japan’s aggressive actions against free nations.
May 1938: Communist China surrenders to Japan. Moscow reacts by condemning Japan and recalls its ambassador. There are no more diplomatic relations between USSR and Japan.
June 1938: Japan declares war to Yunnan, for supporting rebellious factions in former China. Australia denounces these actions and joins the Allies.
January 1939: After 6 months of campaign, Yunnan’s People Revolutionary Army still stands in the way of Japan.
