This week in the War, 27 March–2 April 1944: Romania at the crossroads

This week in the war, on 27 March 1944, Prime Minister Winston Churchill summarized the current state of the conflict in a radio broadcast on the BBC.

He spoke of the military successes of the Soviet army and of the resulting panic in Germany’s eastern allies: Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria.

Churchill praised the heroism of the Yugoslavian partisans under the leadership of Marshal Tito.

That same day, German troops occupied Romania, with the agreement of the current Romanian government.

By the end of the week, on 2 April 1944, Soviet troops had advanced across the Put river and entered Romania. Soviet foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, had already offered a separate peace to the Romanians but they were in no position to agree, given the German occupation.