Romania 1944: The Turning of Arms Against Nazi Germany - Paperback

by Grant Harward (Author), Johnny Shumate (Illustrator)

The complex and fascinating story of Romania's 'turning of arms' against Nazi Germany, and the battle for Romania - an important but overlooked and misunderstood episode of World War II.

The battle for Romania from March to September 1944 is a multifaceted story involving German, Romanian, Soviet, American, and British forces. Romania's defection from the Axis denied Nazi Germany not just resources (especially oil) but also turned the Romanian Army, formerly its most important support on the Eastern Front, from friend to foe. The fighting witnessed the German Sixth Army being destroyed for a second time (after Stalingrad).

This in-depth work explores the strategic struggle within German-Romanian relations and the tactical development of the Battle of Romania. The detailed 2D maps and 3D diagrams guide you step-by-step through the Axis defence of Romania in March-May during the first Iasi-Chisinau offensive, the Allied campaign in April-August to assist the Soviets, the Axis collapse in August during the second Iasi-Chisinau offensive, the Romanian defeat of the attempted German counter-coup, and the final Soviet occupation of Romania. Period photographs from the Romanian archives and private collections, many never before seen, and stunning battlescene artworks bring to life the soldiers and materiel of the wide range of forces involved in this rarely explored Eastern Front campaign.

Author Biography

Dr Grant T. Harward is a native of southern California. He obtained a BA in History from Brigham Young University in 2009, an MSc in the Second World War in Europe from the University of Edinburgh in 2010, and a PhD from Texas A&M University in 2018. He previously worked for the US Army Medical Department Center of History and Heritage in 2018-21, and is currently a historian at the US Center of Military History.