740.0011 European War 1939/13276: Telegram
The Minister in Rumania (Gunther) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—9:48 a.m.]
657. As forecasted in my No. 372, April 25, noon,91 the German-Russian conflict into which Rumania has been drawn has tended to lessen materially the distrust and dislike felt in this country for Germany which was very apparent up until 3 weeks ago. This applies to widely different stratas of society and has been made abundantly clear by conversations I have had.
Russia, particularly Bolshevik Russia, has always been considered by Rumanians as public enemy number one and it is, therefore, not unnatural that a revision of public sentiment favorable to Germany should have taken place now that that country is Rumania’s ally in arms. At the same time it must be admitted that Great Britain and to a lesser extent the United States have lost sympathy possibly and [Page 322] it is to be hoped only temporarily as a result of their announced friendliness for and desire to help Russia in her war against Germany.
While Germany has certainly gained and Great Britain and the United States lost a certain amount of sympathy in Rumania as a result of the most recent developments in the present war, I am convinced that the large majority of thinking Rumanians, excepting of course those who for one reason or another desire a German victory, still hope for an Allied victory, or rather a victory that would leave both Germany and Russia, and incidentally Hungary as well, so exhausted as not to constitute a serious menace to Rumania for many years to come. At the same time I note among these people, most of whom have always felt that it would be a mistake for Rumania to ally herself with Germany against Russia, a certain measure of misgiving as to the treatment that may be expected to be accorded Rumania in any peace soiree in the event of an Allied victory.
Repeated to Ankara.
- Not printed.↩