File No. 763.72/8936

The Ambassador in France (Sharp) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

3220. Joint telegram from the Allied Ministers dated Jassy, February 19:

The news of the rupture of the armistice between Russia and the Central Empires makes the situation here appear more inextricable. It is in fact foreseen that as Russia is incapable of the least resistance, the enemy troops will invade her without fighting, thereupon completely surround Rumania. On the other hand the Maximalist Committee of Odessa, presided over by well-known agitator, the Rumanian-Bulgarian Rakovski, has just sent an ultimatum to the Rumanian Government summoning it to evacuate Bessarabia and formulating other inacceptable demands. This attitude of the Maximalists, in spite of the efforts of the Allies to disarm them, confirms the impression among the Rumanians that in case of a German offensive, [Page 714] all retreat on the Russian side is cut off for them. Resulting immediately after the rupture of the German-Russian armistice, the new provocation against Rumania, which disposes of the sole army of all the oriental front which could be used against the Germans, proves to what extent the troops of the Central Empires are assured of meeting with no obstacles in Russia. We repeat that under these conditions no new effort on our part can delay the conclusion of peace unless the Germans formulate absolutely inacceptable demands. Even in this event the resistance could only be of short duration, the Allied powers not having been up to now in a position to constitute in Russia a base of retreat for the Russian Army.

Sharp