"We have to prepare early!" Antonescu shook his fist hard and said earnestly: "Everyone here knows that with the strength of our Kingdom of Romania, it is almost impossible to win alone. ”

Antonescu's words caused a moment of silence among Dumitescu and Carol II. Even if you are unwilling, even if you are angry, you can Romania's national strength, how easy is it to resist the Soviet Union?!

"We are about to face one of the largest and most populous countries in the world. If this country dares to attack Poland and invade Finland, it must also dare to point the spearhead of war at Romania. Antonescu's voice trembled: "All of us who are being attacked have one thing in common, that is, there is absolutely no chance of victory. ”

"The current Kingdom of Romania, in the final analysis, is less than one-tenth of the Soviet Union's combat strength. Whether it is military strength, financial resources, or industrial strength, our country is one of the best in the Balkans, but in front of the behemoth of the Soviet Union......." Antonescu paused, and then said in a deep voice: "Insignificant!" ”

This is the sorrow of small countries, and this is the cruelty of international norms. Sometimes, no matter how you look at it, how you say it, and how you imagine it, even the most optimistic person will have no chance of winning when it goes against a powerful country that is far greater than its own.

Lowering his head, avoiding everyone's lost gaze, Antonescu was silent for a full minute before he finally reorganized his emotions and thoughts and raised his head: "But we still have to prepare!" In order for the Romanian flag to be raised in the skies over Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina every morning, we have to be prepared, ready to resist! ”

"There is information that two of the most famous Soviet generals, Timoshenko and Zhukov, have been transferred to the border line of our provinces of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. Perhaps it will not be long before these two famous Soviet generals, who have conquered Poland and defeated the Japanese army, will command two Soviet fronts to launch a large-scale attack on Sarabia and Northern Bukovina at the same time. ”

"And most of our Romanian army is still in a state of disappointment, and even if it is full, the total strength is less than 500,000. This level of preparation is far from sufficient. ”

"We have to do it now!" Antonescu's tone was unusually firm: "The expansion of armaments is urgent, and preparations must begin today." At the same time, we must stabilize the Soviet Union as much as possible and buy time for the expansion of the army. ”

If you want to be more confident, you must have a stronger army than you have now. However, the Soviet Union may not be kind enough to give Romania time to expand its military with peace of mind.

"On this issue........ Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai said with some embarrassment: "The Soviet Union is in a hurry, and I am afraid that there will not be much time left for us." ”

In a reply to the Soviet Union, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "Romania will be ready to immediately and amicably discuss all proposals made by the Soviet Government in the broadest possible sense, by mutual agreement." This statement, which does not explicitly state that Romania will hand over the two provinces to the Soviet Union, or whether it explicitly refuses the demands of the Soviet government, is a typical diplomatic rhetoric.

Therefore, the effect will not be too good. After all, the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR Molotov was not stupid, and it was clear at a glance that Romania was dragging its feet and was vague.

"How about contacting Germany? Haven't we always had very good relations with Germany? Carroll II interjected in a whisper: "Didn't the German Führer named Reinhardt solve the old enemy Hungary for us?" I heard that the Hungarian regent Horti is still being held in the German Labor and Construction Corps as a hard laborer. ”

Just as Romania hates Hungary, Hungary hates Romania as a country. The two countries have always had strong differences and disputes on the territorial issue, and neither of them is willing to make concessions.

As a result, Reinhardt not only set up a trap to kill the Hungarian dictator Holtie, but also annexed the whole of Hungary into the southern province of Germany by the way. This directly made Romania's biggest rival country disappear out of thin air!

In addition, Reinhardt made it clear that all the previously disputed territories between Hungary and Romania would not be included in the German-Hungarian annexation, and declared that those territories would henceforth be unequivocally included in the inherent territory of Romania.

I don't know how many people from all walks of life in Romania have won the goodwill of this move.

So, after encountering a new enemy, Carol II's first thought was whether he could ask Germany to help deal with this enemy.

"It can't be!" General Dumitesku glanced at the half-king with disdain, and said in an impatient tone: "Germany is now fighting a hot battle with the British and French coalition forces, and the main forces are on the Western Front, where will we get the energy to help us deal with the Soviet Union!" ”

For Carol II, a king who wanted beauty rather than a country, Dumitescu has always had little affection. In his eyes, except for the words of Minister Antonescu, the others, especially Carol II, these people are talking nonsense and have no reference value.

"Not necessarily," Antonescu patted the admiring general on the shoulder, "Although the Germans have transferred their main forces to the Western Front, they still maintain a fairly strong military force on the Eastern Front. In their southern provinces alone, according to the information we have received, there are no less than 200,000 SS troops stationed. These were expanded from the former Hungarian Army, plus locally recruited SS recruits. ”

"That's right, I also heard that the German army shone in the Polish campaign, completely annihilating Army Group South, the main force of the Polish counterattack, now renamed the German Army Group East, and is stationed on Polish territory. If the Germans were willing to help, we would have been able to relieve a lot of pressure. As soon as he saw that it was his own spiritual leader who was speaking, Dumitriscu echoed him, and said the exact opposite conclusion of his rebuttal to Carol II.

"Yes, even if the German government were willing to help mediate, we would be in a much better position." Foreign Minister Mihai echoed the words.

Unconsciously, it seems that Romania's best hope for the future has gradually been pinned on the neighboring Third Reich.

But before everyone could follow this train of thought and discuss how to contact Germany next, an official knocking on the door outside the conference room interrupted the meeting: "Your Majesty! The Soviet ambassador urgently called on you and asked to be received by you immediately! ”

Standing next to Carol II, Antonescu, who also heard the official's report, couldn't help but frown.

Asking the king of Romania to receive him as he wishes? Isn't this uninvited Soviet ambassador a little too arrogant!