740.0011 European War 1939/2295: Telegram
The Minister in Rumania (Gunther) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:35 p.m.]
133. Since my 78, March 15, 4 p.m.,98 second paragraph, the Prime Minister has on two occasions reiterated to me his conviction that danger from Russia is only temporarily deferred. Yesterday for the first time he referred to the possibility of danger for Rumania from Germany. As on previous occasions he emphatically stated to me that Rumania would and could put up a determined resistance and added that even if both attacked her together she would go down fighting. If Russia attacks in my own opinion this country will probably shortly be invaded by German forces as well, in the first instance under the guise of assistance.
Tatarescu seemed more confident than in previous conversations that the army of about 1,200,000 is in good shape and well enough prepared and equipped to offer stiff resistance. He stressed, however, Rumania’s great need for raw materials from the United States such as copper.
- Not printed; in this telegram the Minister reported that the Rumanian Prime Minister, Gheorghe Tatarescu, had expressed his apprehension that the Soviet Union would soon “begin on Rumania” (760D.6111/63).↩