File No. 763.72119/1449
The Rumanian Minister ( Angelescu ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 9.]
Mr. Secretary of State: By a telegram which was unfortunately much delayed my Government wishes to bring to Your Excellency’s knowledge the extremely grave situation in which was placed Roumania, hemmed in on all sides, cut off from her allies, unable to procure supplies of any kind and, as it were, at the mercy of the enemy.
Although the armistice had not yet expired, Marshal Mackensen surprised our Government with an ultimatum sent on the 14th of February stating that the armistice had been granted with the sole object of preparing the ground for a peace parley and that he expected to be informed by our Government oh February 20 of the names of our plenipotentiaries in order that peace negotiations might begin on February 22.
Under the pressure of that ultimatum the Government found itself constrained to get in touch with the enemy so as to learn his pretensions.
On February 18 the President of the Council had an interview with Marshal Mackensen for the purpose of obtaining precise information about the Central Powers’ intentions. As Marshal Mackensen was not prepared to furnish it, the President of the Council had a conversation with Messrs. Kühlmann and Czernin on the 24th of February. The extremely harsh terms imposed by the representatives of the Central Powers imply a cession of territory.
Those representatives made it known at the same time that, if rejected by the Roumanian Government, those imposed terms would be made worse after the defeat of our Army and bring into question the dynasty and very existence of Roumania.
The Roumanian Government, after receipt of that communication, bearing in mind the tragical situation to which Roumania is now reduced by her inability to receive any material aid from her allies [Page 765] on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the fact that an invasion of the whole country by the enemy would be attended by extremely grave consequences not only to Roumania but also to the Allies— seeing that our war material and ammunition would in that event fall into the hands of the enemy—decided to take the enemy’s proposals into consideration.
In the decision to be reached the Roumanian Government will be compelled to bow to the inexorable circumstances of the local situation but its efforts will ever be bent on reconciling that decision with the present and future interests of the Allies.
It firmly cherishes the hope of finding the Government of the United States as well as its other allies ready to extend to it their moral support at this time and their effective support hereafter.
I beg you to accept [etc.]