Editing Axis powers (section)

===Romania===
{{Main|Romania in World War II|Romanian armored fighting vehicle production during World War II|Romanian Navy during World War II|Kingdom of Romania under Fascism|National Legionary State}}

[[File:IAR80.jpg|thumb|upright|left|A formation of Romanian [[IAR 80]] fighter aircraft]]

With the exception of Germany and Italy, Romania was the only country where a Fascist movement came to power without foreign assistance.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q1zoXqTR_dAC&pg=PA35|title=Theft of a Nation: Romania Since Communism|first=Tom|last=Gallagher|date=July 30, 2005|publisher=Hurst|isbn=9781850657163 |via=Google Books}}</ref> When war erupted in Europe, the economy of the [[Kingdom of Romania]] was already subordinated to the interests of Nazi Germany through a [[German–Romanian Treaty for the Development of Economic Relations between the Two Countries (1939)|treaty signed in the spring of 1939]]. Nevertheless, the country had not totally abandoned pro-British sympathies. Romania had also been allied to the [[Polish–Romanian alliance|Poles]] for most of the interwar era. Following the [[invasion of Poland]] by Germany and the Soviet Union, and the German conquest of France and the [[Low Countries]], Romania found itself increasingly isolated; meanwhile, pro-German and pro-Fascist elements began to grow.

The August 1939 [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]] between Germany and the Soviet Union contained a secret protocol ceding [[Bessarabia]], and [[Northern Bukovina]] to the Soviet Union.{{sfn|Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact|1939}} On June 28, 1940, the Soviet Union [[Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina|occupied and annexed Bessarabia, as well as part of northern Romania]] and the [[Hertsa region]].{{sfn|Senn|2007|p={{page needed|date=March 2012}}}} On 30 August 1940, as a result of the [[Nazi Germany|German]]–[[Kingdom of Italy|Italian]] arbitrated [[Second Vienna Award]] Romania had to cede [[Northern Transylvania]] to Hungary. [[Southern Dobruja]] was ceded to [[Bulgaria]] in September 1940. In an effort to appease the Fascist elements within the country and obtain German protection, [[Carol II of Romania|King Carol II]] appointed the General [[Ion Antonescu]] as Prime Minister on September 6, 1940.

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B03212, München, Staatsbesuch Jon Antonescu bei Hitler.jpg|thumb|upright|Ion Antonescu and [[Adolf Hitler]] at the ''[[Hochschule für Musik und Theater München|Führerbau]]'' in [[Munich]] (June 1941)]]
Two days later, Antonescu forced the king to abdicate and installed the king's young son [[Michael of Romania|Michael]] (Mihai) on the throne, then declared himself ''[[Conducător]]'' ("Leader") with dictatorial powers. The [[National Legionary State]] was proclaimed on 14 September, with the [[Iron Guard]] ruling together with Antonescu as the sole legal political movement in Romania. Under King Michael I and the military government of Antonescu, Romania signed the [[Tripartite Pact]] on November 23, 1940. German troops entered the country on 10 October 1941, officially to train the [[Romanian Armed Forces|Romanian Army]]. Hitler's directive to the troops on 10 October had stated that "it is necessary to avoid even the slightest semblance of military occupation of Romania".<ref>Dinu C. Giurescu, ''Romania in the Second World War (1939–1945)''</ref> The entrance of German troops in Romania determined Italian dictator [[Benito Mussolini]] to launch an invasion of Greece, starting the [[Greco-Italian War]].<ref>[[Craig Stockings]], Eleanor Hancock, ''Swastika over the Acropolis: Re-interpreting the Nazi Invasion of Greece in World War II'', p. 37</ref> Having secured Hitler's approval in January 1941, Antonescu [[Legionnaires' rebellion and Bucharest pogrom|ousted the Iron Guard]] from power.

Romania was subsequently used as a platform for invasions of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. Despite not being involved militarily in the [[Invasion of Yugoslavia]], Romania requested that Hungarian troops not operate in the [[Banat (1941-1944)|Banat]]. Paulus thus modified the Hungarian plan and kept their troops west of the [[Tisza]].<ref>Carlile Aylmer Macartney, ''October Fifteenth: A History of Modern Hungary, 1929–1945, Vol. 1'', p. 481</ref>

Romania joined the German-led invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. Antonescu was the only foreign leader Hitler consulted on military matters<ref>Dennis Deletant, ''Final report'', p. 498</ref> and the two would meet no less than ten times throughout the war.<ref>Robert D. Kaplan, ''In Europe's Shadow: Two Cold Wars and a Thirty-Year Journey Through Romania and Beyond'', p. 134</ref> Romania re-captured Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina during [[Operation Munchen]] before conquering further Soviet territory and establishing the [[Transnistria Governorate]]. After the [[Siege of Odessa]], the city became the capital of the Governorate. Romanian troops [[Crimean Campaign|fought their way into the Crimea]] alongside German troops and contributed significantly to the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1941–42)|Siege of Sevastopol]]. Later, Romanian mountain troops joined the German campaign in the Caucasus, reaching as far as [[Nalchik]].<ref>[[David T. Zabecki]], ''World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia'', p. 1421</ref> After suffering devastating losses [[Romanian armies in the battle of Stalingrad|at Stalingrad]], Romanian officials began secretly negotiating peace conditions with the Allies.

[[File:Mareșal tank destroyer M-05 prototype.jpg|thumb|left|The Romanian [[Mareșal tank destroyer]]'s design was likely used by the Germans to develop the [[Hetzer]].]] 
[[Arms industry in Romania#Weapons produced during World War II and the Interwar period|Romania's military industry]] was small but versatile, able to copy and produce thousands of French, Soviet, German, British, and Czechoslovak weapons systems, as well as producing capable original products.{{sfn|Zaloga|2013|p=31}} The [[Romanian Naval Forces|Romanian Navy]] also built sizable warships, such as the minelayer {{NMS|Amiral Murgescu}} and the submarines {{NMS|Rechinul}} and {{NMS|Marsuinul}}.{{sfn|Axworthy|1995|pp=350–351}} Hundreds of originally-designed [[Romanian Air Force]] aircraft were also produced, such as the fighter [[IAR-80]] and the light bomber [[IAR-37]].{{sfn|Axworthy|1995|pp=239, 243}} The country had [[Romanian armored fighting vehicle production during World War II|built armored fighting vehicles]] as well, most notably the [[Mareșal tank destroyer]], that likely influenced the design of the German [[Hetzer]].{{sfn|Axworthy|1995|p=229}} Romania had also been a major power in the oil industry since the 1800s. It was one of the largest producers in Europe and the [[Ploiești]] oil refineries provided about 30% of all Axis oil production.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Atkinson|first1=Rick|title=The Guns at Last Light|year=2013|publisher=Henry Holt|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8050-6290-8|page=354|edition=1st}}</ref> British historian [[Dennis Deletant]] has asserted that Romania's crucial contributions to the Axis war effort, including having the third largest Axis army in Europe and sustaining the German war effort through oil and other materiel, meant that it was "on a par with Italy as a principal ally of Germany and not in the category of a minor Axis satellite".<ref>Dennis Deletant, "Romania", in [https://books.google.com/books?id=VMk-DwAAQBAJ&dq=romania+minor+Axis+satellite&pg=PA78 David Stahel, ''Joining Hitler's Crusade'' (Cambridge University Press, 2017), p. 78]</ref> Another British historian, Mark Axworthy, believes that Romania could even be considered to have had the second most important Axis army of Europe, even more so than that of Italy.{{sfn|Axworthy|1995|p=9}}

Under Antonescu Romania was a fascist dictatorship and a totalitarian state. Between 45,000 and 60,000 Jews were killed in [[Bukovina]] and [[Bessarabia]] by Romanian and German troops in 1941. According to Wilhelm Filderman at least 150,000 Jews of Bessarabia and Bukovina, died under the Antonescu regime (both those deported and those who remained). Overall, approximately 250,000 Jews under Romanian jurisdiction died.<ref>Radu Ioanid; (2008) ''The Holocaust in Romania: The Destruction of Jews and Gypsies Under the Antonescu Regime 1940–1944'' pp. 289–297; Ivan R. Dee, {{ISBN|1461694906}}</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-218-0501-27, Russland-Süd, rumänische Soldaten.jpg|thumb|right|Romanian soldiers on the outskirts of Stalingrad during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942]]
By 1943, the tide began to turn. The Soviets pushed further west, retaking Ukraine and eventually launching an [[First Jassy–Kishinev Offensive|unsuccessful invasion]] of eastern Romania in the spring of 1944. Romanian troops in the Crimea [[Kerch-Eltigen Operation|helped repulse initial Soviet landings]], but eventually all of the peninsula was re-conquered by Soviet forces and the [[Romanian Navy]] evacuated over 100,000 German and Romanian troops, an achievement which earned Romanian Admiral [[Horia Macellariu]] the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]].<ref>Spencer C. Tucker, ''World War II at Sea: An Encyclopedia'', p. 633</ref> During the [[Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive|Jassy-Kishinev Offensive]] of August 1944, Romania [[King Michael's Coup|switched sides]] on August 23, 1944. Romanian troops then fought alongside the Soviet Army until the end of the war, reaching as far as Czechoslovakia and Austria.

====Germany's main European ally (September 1943 – August 1944)====
After the September 1943 [[Armistice of Cassibile]] with Italy, Romania became the second Axis Power in Europe.<ref name="auto">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VMk-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA78|title=Joining Hitler's Crusade|first=David|last=Stahel|year=2018|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781316510346 |via=Google Books}}</ref> The Romanians shared in the spoils of [[Operation Achse]], {{Lang|it|[[Regia Marina]]'s}} 5 [[CB-class midget submarine]]s in the Black Sea being transferred to the Romanian Navy.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8h7OAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA174|title=Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regia Marina 1930–1945|first=Maurizio|last=Brescia|year=2012|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|isbn=9781848321151 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Romania also captured 496 Italians, mostly naval personnel (2 of them later died). Before the month was out, Germany had agreed to systematically supply the Romanian Army with German military vehicles, via the Olivenbaum I-III and Quittenbaum I programs. Deliveries started in November 1943, and by August 1944, Germany had supplied Romania with 10 times more armored vehicles ([[Panzer III]], [[Panzer IV]] and [[Sturmgeschütz III]]) than during the entire pre-Cassibile period. Having acquired the license to produce the [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]], Romania planned to assemble 75 from German parts. Deliveries began in May 1944, but only 6 were completed before Romania left the Axis in August 1944. Eleven more were completed by the end of the war with the remaining 58 completed after the war. In 1944, Romania had also gained access to certain ''[[Wunderwaffe]]n'', such as the [[Werfer-Granate 21]]. The first Romanian-made [[Fiesler Storch]] was completed in October 1943, followed by 9 more by May 1944. From March 1944, Germany also contributed to the design and construction of the M-05 and M-06 prototypes of the Mareșal tank destroyer: [[Alkett]] contributed to the Romanian design team and [[Telefunken]] radios along with [[Böhler]] armor were provided. The [[75 mm Reșița Model 1943|75 mm Reșița gun]] (production started at the end of 1943) used the projectile chamber of the German [[Pak 40]]. Technology transfers between the two countries were not necessarily one-way, however. On 6 January 1944, Antonescu showed Hitler the plans of the M-04 prototype of the [[Mareșal tank destroyer]]. In May 1944, Lieutenant-Colonel Ventz from the ''[[Waffenamt]]'' acknowledged that the ''Hetzer'' had followed the Romanian design. German-led [[Army Group South Ukraine]] could not take major operational decisions without securing [[Ion Antonescu]]'s approval, even as late as 22 August 1944 (the day before [[King Michael's Coup|he was dismissed]]).{{sfn|Axworthy|1995|pp=152–153, 158, 174, 217, 219, 229–232, 236, 249 and 265–266}} An entire German army ([[6th Army (Wehrmacht)|the 6th]]) came under Romanian command in May 1944, when it became part of Romanian general [[Petre Dumitrescu]]'s ''Armeegruppe''. For the first time in the war, German commanders came under the actual (rather than nominal) command of their foreign allies. This Romanian-led army group had 24 divisions of which 17 were German.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e__d6mE5ocsC&pg=PA163|title=The German Defeat in the East 1944–45|first=Samuel W.|last=Mitcham|year=2007|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=9780811733717 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rAKmUiGeTyoC&pg=PA57|title=Professional Journal of the United States Army|date=July 30, 1985|publisher=Command and General Staff School|via=Google Books}}</ref>