File No. 763.72/7794
The Minister in Rumania ( Vopicka) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 20, 5.55 a.m.]
161. My colleagues, the British and French Ministers, called on me and stated that they were sending the following telegram to their respective Governments asking me to do likewise.
The King has just asked my French colleague and me, without the knowledge of the Roumanian Government, to inform him as soon as possible what, in the case of a separate peace on the part of Russia or of a general débandade on the Russian front, would be the attitude of Great Britain and France towards Roumania, for [his] attitude would, he said, depend on theirs.
If, notwithstanding the defection of Russia and the failure of Italy, France and Great Britain confirmed their engagements regarding Roumania and declared their firm intention of insuring their execution on the final victory, the King would try with a portion of his troops to force a passage through Russia. His objective would be a junction with the Cossacks and ultimately, if possible, a junction with our forces in Mesopotamia but such an operation would not be feasible, however, unless sufficient time were left for the necessary preparation. In the contrary case the King would abdicate after having constituted a pro-German Government in order to afford his people a maximum of guarantees.
There is also another hypothesis. Germany might consent to treat with the King or at least with the Crown Prince but even suppose the King trusted to the word of Germany he would in no case negotiate with her without our approbation and after the confirmation of our engagements towards him. My French colleague and I told the King, speaking personally in our own names, that after Roumania’s great sacrifices Great Britain and France felt more than ever bound to her in accordance with their treaty of alliance with her but the King desires this formal assurance from our Governments. My colleague and I beg the two Governments therefore to authorize us to give His Majesty this assurance without delay to cover also the case of his treating with Germany with our approval. In order to increase the weight of this declaration the Bang would like the United States to join in it if not by adhering to the convention at least by language implying the support of that power with a view to the realization of the national ideals of Roumania. The King requests us to ask our Governments if possible make a declaration at Washington in the same sense.
While I was working on this telegram the King’s adjutant came to our Legation to ask me in the name of the King to send this telegram to my Foreign Minister. Everybody here is alarmed over the Russian situation.