CEU eTD Collection The Social Consequences of the 1944 In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Anglo - American Bombing ofPloie A Grassroots Perspective Supervisor: Professor Constantin Iordachi Professor Constantin Supervisor: Central European University European Central Department of History Budapest, Hungary Sorin Marin Submitted to Submitted 2008 ú ti: 1 CEU eTD Collection with such instructions may not be made without the written permission of the Author. the of permission written the without made be not may instructions such with This page mustform a partof any copiessuch copies made.Further made in accordance librarian. the from beobtained may Details library. European Central in the lodged and full part, mayof be made only in accordance with the instructions given by Authorthe Copyright in the text of this thesis rests with the author. Copies by any process, either in 2 CEU eTD Collection on Ploie on the bombardments Anglo-American of accountimpact 1942-1944 the of social grassroots the micro-historical, a will provide thesis war,the the entered Romania after period the war, accounting for its demographic, economic and ethnic developments. For the importance will constitute a significant part of the present study. city Local and and its inhabitants. experience its perception masses,the of the inertia and the on inflicted destruction the of extent the assess will thesis the this, with conjunction In strategies. bombing their choosing in had they options the on concentrate will stages its with distinct tactics military Allies’ of the The evaluation casualties. caused civil provider and offuelfor study social Germany mechanism and will the political that Germany. This workwill examine the social setup of Ploie Ploie Abstract The thesis will, therefore, explain how, while still a neutral state, Romania became a of city the around located refineries andfields oil the Two, War World During ú ti in southern Romania represented the most important source of fuel offuel source for Nazi important most the represented Romania in southern ti ú ti city city area. ti ú ti itwas as ti at the beginning of 3 CEU eTD Collection director of the Prahova County history museum. Alexandrescu from the University of Bucharest, Karady for all Victor Professor his andadvice academicsupport. as well as to to least, the not but last course; writing Mr. academic for the Lojko Miklos Professor Eugen St me offering Andreamaterials, bibliographic andstudy advice Kirchknopf Professor and andRévfor Istvan forIordachi, Professor awhole yearof support academic advice, my thank Professor Constantin supervisor, Amonglikegratitude. them,I would to academic support of my andall professors towhom tutors, expressI wouldlike my to have the not been possiblewithout this would thesis institution. prestigious This fundingand study necessary the MA level to history at for academicyearas one part of Acknowledgments In Romania, I am grateful to Professor Ioan Chiper andI wouldlike tothankCentral UniversityEuropean forme giving theopportunity Professor Ion ă nescu, the 4 CEU eTD Collection The German-Romanian defenceAllied and airstrikes 2: Chapter of Ploie configuration The socio-economic 1: Chapter Theoretical framework Appendices in contextthe of Alliedthe bombing campaign Public morale andtheimage of enemy the 3: Chapter on Ploie before World War Two Introduction CONTENTS OF TABLE Bibliography and sources and Bibliography Conclusions ú ti ti between area 1941-1944 …………………………………………..…….………….……… ……………………………………..…………………….……… …………………………………..………………………..…….. ……………………………………………………………. ………..……………………….…………….…... ………..…………………………………….. …………………………….…...... ….………. ú ti ……...…………….…….……….. 15 100 40 22 63 6 79 84 5 CEU eTD Collection Festung Ploie worldwide with 2.2% of the total the total production. worldwideof with 2.2% Union andthesixth Soviet aEuropean the Romania secondafter country as producer oil led to the transformationunprecedented demographic boom. Theinterwar policies aimed atindustrial development of the region intoincoming from population of consisting internal migrants rural the in areas what wasan a major oil extracting laid,industry Romanian city Ploie of the were centre which ranked 1 whichensured a series of by monopolized through treaties Germany economic gradually with At 1930s,the trade Romania’s industry theendof was Romania’s oil oil products. in Bucharest itspressureon authorities the dealin increased order to obtain a better the Germany be country, their hinterland the of to Naziconsidered the in what Germany and to close relatively located was Romania Since source. major external a of acquisition addition country’sto the limited capacity producingof synthetic fuel) demanded the rapid (in lackconquer Germany’sthat Hitlerresources of oil Europe, plans to understood between the Anglo-French powers, Nazi Germany and Romania. While designing his andon Danube). the Coast Constan (from routes fluvial and maritime railways, roads, therefined products: exportpossibilities theoil or of to transport in Ploie located the bigof refineries composed of itspossesseda chain infrastructure economy, Romania adeveloped refinery INTRODUCTION Ion Agrigoroaiei, “Industria extractiv In the period leading up to the war, the Romanian oil became a contentious issue became war,theRomanian oil acontentious the leading upto In theperiod Starting from the latter half of the 19 ú ti , vol.1 , Printeuro, Ploie Printeuro, ă ú între anii 1933 ti, 2003 ti, ú ti area. In addition to this, the country had anumber country this, the to addition In area. ti Ġ a, the main Romanian port on the Black Sea Black the on port Romanian main the a, th century, when the bases for a Romanian oil 1 ú Contrasting with the agrarian character of character agrarian the with Contrasting i 1940.Dezvoltare ú ti rapid with underwentti urbanisation ú i modernizare,” p.17 în 6 CEU eTD Collection Romanian Germany)oil products towards by sinking a ship loaded with in iron a certain the of route transportation important (an Danube the block to was project British population in Romaniamake thatwould unable the Germans toexploit oil.the Another refineries destroy the to intention was Their services. Intelligence theBritish of preoccupation and oil exploitationof Romanian oil became on the eve,in and atPloie the beginning, of World War Two a central 2 oil). Romanian of import own their increasing by or Germany to oil of transportation of means the renting (by market quantity the by Germanyof oil Romaniaexported by to controlling fuel theRomanian limituse countries in to owned byAnglo-French them the twoorder to companies, tried growing German influence onRomania’s oil industry.of Since part refineriesthe were information and, later Germany. towards concessions gradual economic on, their caused by new these political military and Romania developments, actions started tomake vulnerability external the to Due powers. Anglo-French were the of policy “appeasement’ ineffectivestate, and failed Central through the towards Europe an allyto annihilate and influence political itsterritory expanded Germany 1930s.Nazi at theendof the of Romania. the military duetothe European developments and with external a double political problem All Romania confronted was context. internal and international inwere concluded adelicate these agreements economic These economy. in theRomanian German capital of dominance the events happened within the context of the Eugen St During thistime, EnglandandFrance were still in the phase of processing the ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St 2 Since all these initiatives were unsuccessful, the problem the unsuccessful, were initiatives these all Since ă nescu, Petrol Anschluss ú ti by sabotages or to start a rebellion of the ú i bombe la Ploie , and later by destroying the later bydestroying Czechoslovak , and ú ti, Ploie ú ti, 2003, p.65 7 CEU eTD Collection significant damage on the city of Ploie of city the on damage significant a large destroying rigs refineries inflicting extentthe intheregion andaswell to oil as 1940 – Ianuarie 1941) German machine.war bombing The 1943-1944Anglo-American of Ploie vital targets for the Allies as they represented the most important source of fuel for the 3 industry catering German the for military needs. invasion. processvirtually Romanian This transformed industry the intooil awar that could help Romania to retain what was left of its territory after the Soviet military with GermanyNazi Germany escalated. was asbeing onlyEuropean the perceived power co-operation country’s Romania, the aggression on and Soviet the after power, military a and political Francedisappearedas After June1940,when treaties. international Romania, which was still a neutral country in borders recognized1940 with by USSRattacked the war, Finlandanasymmetric after and of defeat the Baltic States military by aggression Sovietthe in Union June1940.Following the occupation the of after the country lost almost ¼ of its territory and millions of ethnic Romanians after the policies. from areabyvirtue of state the was removed Jewish minority, was apotential erroneously who inconsidered danger respectand this impact on city Ploie in the of hadmajor oil a the area fear of sabotages constant authorities’ However,practice. putany Romanian plansinto these of unable to German and made Intelligence servicesRomanian SpecialOperationsthe Executive river. the of section Ioan Chiper, “ In this context the oil supplies located at Ploie at located supplies oil the In this context was deeply shaken Europe in Eastern geo-political position Romania’s delicate Petrolul românesc înplanurile desabotaj ale Special Operations Executive (Noiembrie ” in ” 3 The rapid evolution of events and the counter-measures taken by the Festung Ploie ú ti , vol. 1, Ploie ú ti and its surroundings. As the thesis will show, will thesis As the surroundings. its and ti ú ti, 2003, p. 87. ú ti in southern Romania constituted Romania in southern ti ú ti, mostly mostly the on ti, ú ti in succeeded ti 8 CEU eTD Collection the economic impact of the raids by an attempt to stop the centrifugal process of process centrifugal stop the to by attempt an theraids impact of economic the of Ploie infrastructure ethnic and of economic point view. Themassive destruction of industrial the deep impact of deep impact of bombingthe Ploie raidson city the of by Romanian ThisMA defence blindspot pilots. this seekstocover thesis analysing the personal experience of onthe only level, a human at or, bombardment the of the importance macrohistorical American pilots who conductedbibliography the air raids and socialthe of dimension 1944airthe strikesa blind constitutes thatspot in existingthe of the However, authors. foreign and Romanian both by history economic and military of view on an essential ofitsprop andhaswar economy farbeen from so approached pointthe of the subject, infrastructure. transportation given that most of it concentrates either on the off and the refineries of Ploie of the off refineries the and a high altitude, outside the range of a big part of the artillery. This time theirstrategy paid tactics in 1944. They whichdeployed thefrom massiveair squadrons, attacks conducted American planes,which tothe mission,theAlliesparticipated changedbombing their bombs was repairedby damage caused the airraid, the minimalof execution was rather after the fixed target in a few weeks airdestroy plan Since the inby means oflow-altitude impact on the to 1943 them attack. and, due to damageto thePloie After afailed attempt the loss of abouttactics. different usedtwo forces which Anglo-American the of approach military the 1/3 of the Anglo-Romanian system of defences in the region, made which Alliedmissionthe difficult; and this was whichcaused byacombination of factors, included thestrength of German the – The operation systematicof airstrikes was instrumental in Germany depriving of ú ti was one major consequence. The authorities sought to minimize to sought authorities The consequence. onemajor was ti ú ti area were greatly affected as well aswell as the greatly affected area were ti ú ti refineries in 1942, the Allies designed a new a Allies designed in1942,the ti refineries ú ti from asocial,ti demographical, 9 CEU eTD Collection came into print. These authors were preoccupied, to an equal extent, with the military- with an the extent, equal to werepreoccupied, authors These print. into came strategic Gavriil Preda, and Preda, IuliaSt Gavriil battle Romanian for Junimea, Ia oil), pentru petrolul românesc particular operation. His book and andinterests strategy defenceof influences thatshapedthe this for attack of on the military implications for the outcome of the war and dwelt on the intricate pattern about are into befounddata aspects these their works. the title the public.for subject totacklethe the Romanian attempts way the city the of Ploie or on theground on victims focus on wasnot the their be expected, As to was economy. for war’s the ofRomanian oil importance and on strategic the andcarried out prepared were missions way the the on concentrate authors American air operations. military the conducted who pilots American the of experience personal the on only level, human ata or, bombardment the of importance macrohistorical eitherthe on -concentrates pilots bombingparticipants in –both onPloieCarroll the operations Stewart different. programmatically was Jews or asRomanians such overpopulation. In enforcingmeasures tothis effect, theirof treatment ethnicthe groups industrialmigration backof workers to rural the and concurrentareas the process of rural Among whowrote Romanianauthors the on Horia subject, the focused Brestoiu In 1993thefirst edition importantof workon an thewas published subject under and James Dugan of suchastheworks subject, the literature on Most of the ă 5ă a petrolului românesc 1939-1947 apetroluluiromânesc zboiul petrolului laPloiezboiul petrolului ú (Impact on (Impact on 45th the Parallel A foray – into thebackstage of the ti was affected by ti Alliedbombingthe strategies,evenif some ă nescu. In 2001 Gavriil Preda’s excellent book Preda’sexcellent nescu. In2001Gavriil Impact la Paralela 45-Incursiune înculisele b ú ti /TheOilWaratPloie ú i, was 1986, of one firstthe andmost notable (The Strategic Importance of Romanian Oil) Romanian of Importance Strategic (The ú ti byEugen St ú ti American ti as Importan ă ăWă nescu, liei 10 Ġ a CEU eTD Collection interrogatories. I will also assess the extent of thedamage inflicted on the Ploie 1940’s bymilitary transcripts Romanian the of Anglo-Americanthe or experts prisoners input from input and Gendarmerie with official memories corroborated and andtestimonies personal literature historical of the 1944 Anglo-American bombardment of Ploie of bombardment Anglo-American 1944 the of my thesis. of objective research another constitutes sufferance, great andtheir destiny historic Their middle local classes. of the component animportant represented and city the minority of TheJewsof Ploie authorities. bytheRomanian measures taken the is, the disruption partof caused bythedestruction buildingsa significant the of and by research: the consequences of these air raids on the city and the social life of Ploie bombardments. of the impact of social the account systematic bombardments. of these effects rather marginallyPloie with the on campaign bombing subjects Anglo-American the about studies of collection volume such as society and imagology and the general social The other smaller scale studies such as the articles published in of the general social effects but their studies are mostly on the military side of some events. on touch do works Their bombings. the of effects economic the and forces defense strategic side of the operation and paid special attention to the fate of the Romanian ú ti oilfields and refineries also dealt mostly with the military-strategic aspects and The thesis will provide a micro-historical, grassroots account of the social impact social the of account grassroots micro-historical, a provide will thesis The The impact of these bombing campaigns constitutes one of the focus points of my a offer will thesis present the contrast, By address. works their However, Prefectura local reports, as well as studies made in the made studies as well as reports, local ú ti. It will employ the available the employ will It ti. Festung Ploie ú ti were the largest the ti were ú ti , the two- ú ti ti region ú ti, that 11 CEU eTD Collection While these articles contain relevant information as well as the official message conveyed these events in the leading Romanian newspapers of newspapers of time, leadingthe in Romanian these the events the morale of the Romanians? To was of psychologicalthese behaviour on impact the actions andwhat population the answer of this question, I will examineagainst the reflection oftherebel the Romanian instigate population to was to understandTheir mainpurpose them. Germans. To in Ploiepilots the what extentcomponents of publicthe morale andmentality. Theleaflets droppedby American the these actions dissemination manifestos duringof airmissions the Allieswere of all the dynamic were Romaniansuccessful local population during this period. The pre-existent psychological foundation of the in changing people the . social consequences had disastrous commandment regarding Ploie of system defensive German-Romanian strong the with interaction the of result a as changed was their forces Anglo-American the of tactics bombing The causalities. civil the and operations perception partial destruction livingof their space. of theSemitism of enemy,interwaranti- rampant of the that a double pressure, to subjected was areaand life of the economic and war-time Romania,theethnic singled groups outis played Jewishthe community,who role animportant inthe and that ofpress the war itself that causedand the war. the after Ministry tothe Foreign addressed Bucharest the on the basis of the reports of the Statistical Department of the General Command in The present study will examine the psychological impact of the bombings on the on bombings the of impact psychological the examine will study present The air military between connection the in details explore also will The thesis Oneof the population. of the social the in experience on I willfocus, particular, ú ti area. This change of military approach coming from the Allied high Allied the from coming approach military of change This area. ti ú ti area carried messages formulated in couldeveryone such a way formulated messagesthat area carried ti Universul and Timpul 12 . CEU eTD Collection will be presented in will becorrelation a directliterature. presented with bysecondary analysesoffered the Ploie of refineries and fields oil 1941. This will 1930s and chapter study moreover upto importancethe of Romanian the the of end the from years turmoil the in Romania of status military then and political capabilities. defence available itthe andtomeasure against actual the reaction local events the of during population by measures introduced isit analyze authorities. Additionally,the important to the The answer for each of these problems requires the study of the efficiency of the authorities in order to protect the population and the local economy Ploie of the economy local the population and the protect in to order authorities by were taken state’s the that measures the Whatwere and amplitude? dimensions connection are: to whatPloie extent was Romania prepared to cope withsociety. a situation of such inbe is backimagological to discuss,Romanian tothepre-existing this traced perspective guy” while the Americanbeing“the as bad allywas theenemy: German the perceived of underlying perception aggressor was consideredThis image had beenshaped longbefore generally warand the may paradox the explain “the good guy”.with theAs population’s the thesismorale is the Romanians’ will perceptionsalt, since the Romanian press was,of atthat time, subjectthe tocensorship. enemy, Directly connected of “the of pinch a with Other”.be taken must accounts such of accuracy the regime, Antonescu the by ú ti area will be another direction of research. The questions that arise in this arise that questions The research. of direction be another will area ti The introduction section will discuss historicalthe background which shaped the beasfollows: will of the thesis structure The The management of the crisis generated by the Allied bombardments on the on bombardments Allied by the generated crisis the of management The ú ti in the context of the war. The objectives of the thesis the of objectives The war. the of context inthe ti ú ti area? ti 13 CEU eTD Collection documents, graphs, photos, posters and Allied manifestos. followed by appendices section,the which will include ofseveral copies archival relevant allies. and enemies their regarding masses the of imagology that shaped mainfactors the the andalso Romaniadevelopments in wasengaged which military forand political the morale perception of and importance the public the enemy inof context the Alliedbombingthe campaign. section Inthis beanalyzeI will bein discussed of impact. terms execution and strategy, inhabitants. The elementother of study,the Allied the massive airstrikes campaign will city the of life social-economic the for importance their authorities, Romanian by will and measurestaken bombing strategies defensive evaluatethe the It campaign. Ploie and activities. economic structure city, ethnic its the of Ploie economic configuration of Ploie of configuration economic ú ti area between 1941 and 1944” will cover the main problems raised by Allied the cover themainproblemsarea between1941and1944”will raised ti The conclusions of the thesis will highlight the main findings and will be will and findings main the highlight will thesis the of conclusions The The last chapter of the thesis will deal with the mass morale and the image of the The second chapter, “The German-Romanian defence and Allied air strikes on the Following into this introduction the subject,chapter, “Thesocio- first ú ti ti as it was in the interwar period. The chapter will emphasize the demography of ú ti before World War Two” will discuss the social setup social the willdiscuss WarWorld Two” before ti 14 CEU eTD Collection terms of and scale effects. AsAlan J. Levine mentioned in –“Thehis book Strategic in isdifferent its importance Of course, far was greater. objects civilian and industrial bombing of Romanian targets. subject, which has only occasionally dealt with the German case in the context of the the economic role of roleof economic Ploie the a population exodus triggered bythebombings andwas its whatregarding importance extent there was towhat censusdata, and statistics contemporary of reading comparative as reflected bombardments the of impact economic and social the examine moreover, will, thesis The in the demography reactions. population’s andthe threat the measures against of defensive undertook authorities asRomanian well the way as German the military target, Ploie main directions of comparison casesother of industrial cities heavily bombardedwillAllied by forces the in Germany. The be the extent Ploie of area of refinery and oil damageRomanian the against operations inflictedAnglo-American upon the city as a the of particularities the between perspective acomparative introduce will thesis the onGermany, bombardments theAllied about literature secondary of Given richness the materials forend andgiven unavoidablethe limitation by created availability the English languageof different Tothis context. European in awider case Romanian the whichwill position framework countries, the comparison will Theoreticalbe framework confined to Nazi Germany. The comparative method is lacking in Romanian secondary literature on is The comparative lackingin on method the literature Romanian secondary The air war had a huge impact in Nazi Germany, where the damage inflicted on inflicted in damage the where Germany, huge Nazi had impact a The war air For the purposes of the present thesis I intend employ I thesis acomparative to of purposes present For the the ú ti. ú ti, that is, it will assess, on the basis of a ú ti and ti 15 CEU eTD Collection York, 2003, p.10 5 youfew days first “In the accounts: of witness eye character unreliable the of emblematic Hans Erich Sebald accountof destruction the Nossack’s Hamburg as quotes of surroundings. This still remains an open subject for the researchers. with the socialall these complexeffects psycho-sensorial inflicted theories were not byconfronted the up heavyto the present air days bombardments on the city and its and their psychological condition, dilating time perceived by them. In the case of Ploie blockbusters. Their incidence physical deeplyaffected neuralthe system survivors the of by of explosion the generated shockwaves pressure and acoustic caused bythe is bombardment air of victims the of many of amnesia the theory, this to According one. rather from aphysical but perspective from a psychological not sameeffect the similar approach is the sensorial perception theory,which aims to offer an explanation for terms. orcomprehensible initselfpresentingis acceptable anymore not world that individual and collective amnesia byself-censorship triggered asawayof tackling a is founded becauseit on in lacking accuracy istherefore of ruins” the whole “literature misinterpret the destructionnot able to process a total change of the exterior environment and willis of therefore brain human the isthe that point main Their cityreliable. longer not were survivors of oraccounts will repress it. Accordingtransforming cities whole intoinflicting packs andof rubble heavycasualties, the to this theory,scale the of the destruction, several authors argued that when this reached a critical point, 4 most complex, destructive and controversial aspects of the World War Two. Bombing Alliedbombing of Germany”, the campaign Germany on of was one Nazi the W. G. Sebald Alan J. Levine, J. Alan The operative words in Sebald’s analysis are perception and comprehension. and perception are analysis inSebald’s words operative The , “Air War and Literature (Zurich lectures)” in lectures)” (Zurich Literature and War “Air The Strategic Bombing of Germany , London, 1992, p.1 On the Natural History of Destruction 4 Given the Given , New 5 ú A 16 ti, CEU eTD Collection 6 therole Romania of victim.playing the constantly diplomatic the of pattern intricate the areaand the of economy the on of raids these impact the and military relationsUnion. Soviet of the friend”, the and neighbor “great the with war aggression Great “unwanted” in an engagement Powers remained generallyinconcerning the shadowsince theyrepresented an effect of Romania’s consequences The social of war. the main actors of the interests by the dominated the oil issuemostly in the seventies and eighties, coveredmostly macro-historical the dimension with which appeared subject, the to dedicated few works the However, literature. historical the Ploie and on Romania the on especially bombardments Romanianbecame partofnationalAllied historiography, the pre-1989 For consciousness. nation? whole a and to be generalized individuals extrapolated by of number experience shared a certain and to theirsurvivors communities. would not be able youris neighborhood adefensiblein supportof argument such statementthe that to offer an accurateHowever, description of thewhat happened question in of psychological people caughtthe perception bombedthe cities. to them remains approach outthedivergingpoints experiences of survivors andthesensorial and how never accurate”. were stories of couldinformation. The details nodefinite could get such a tragic Hans Erich Nossack, The main of purpose these publishedworks Communism under toexaminewas Another issue debated after the war was the way the destruction of The psychologicalthe shockof losing everyone and everything from yourfamily to city The End: Hamburg 1943 , Chicago, 2004, p.213. ú ti area were scarcely coveredby scarcely area were ti 6 This 17 CEU eTD Collection belief which formed the basis for a Freudian process of repression. Sebald points out that out points Sebald repression. of process a Freudian for basis the formed which belief atacit aninstanceimpression had of thisthat was destruction the divine punishment, silence of the Germans on the subject for literary relative the reason Another andisinterests memories. sentiments, conflicting that German writers, and others also, by wascaused publicly discuss subject the to thereticence Germans for the above while may have from was history rewritten national as do whole mostly the had attitude a political with to Romaniansthe this debateeither. For subjectthe an open of issuenot Romania was this in Germany, Federal in those from different reasons For justified. morally or strategically be bombing howthe campaign could inof remainedsubject question the firstplace, the the deal with to reluctance inherent the of source common the andalso bombardments, common however, theme, between historiographyGerman and Romanian on the studying subjector this relevancythe personal the of varioustestimonies A or sources. in employed methods regardingthe research debates werenotheoretical Romania there a much by in massive Alliedcaused the to destruction airraids degree.Therefore smaller Two. War World in involved powers military great the with Romanians the of war the now became powers great the before warof 1989asthe whatwasconsidered works, in these offering acomprehensive viewof in military the a systematicoperations manner.Thus, army, Romanian the including sides, all by employed means technical/logistical the historiographical view of the subject is the strong emphasis on the military dimension and region. Themain brought novelty bythisnewhistorical tothe literature old Romanian published about Allied authors books intheRomanian several oil operations and refinery After the fall of communism, Eugen Stanescu, Gavriil Preda and a few other a Predaand Gavriil Stanescu, Eugen fallcommunism, After of the Compared to its German counterpart, Romanian historiography tackled the tackled historiography Romanian its German counterpart, to Compared 18 CEU eTD Collection Social Forms 8 7 society functioningGerman “developed perfectly an of repression” mechanism almost refineries of of Ploie refineries Romanian case. The the to German Americanthe from considerably varied “Other”, the of enemy, the of perspective soldiers, who justperspective, notin statistics, terms successhad damage inflicted, failure.of Theor the mission to erase with bombs the morale and the image of the enemy, Iwill give an answer to this question. mass the about discuss will which thesis this of chapter third the In bombardments? heavy the by affected cities Romanian the for foundation” “psychological be question is:was the raised to the Romanian case, the analysis to this extrapolating stimuli. external and internal the on based life emotional the of intensification duetothe individuality was erected, metropolitan the upon which foundation” German post-war cities. amidstthepostwar rubbleandruins –collided shame andambivalence the For of from anddenial mixedas locals refugees,anger emotions to –ranging with conflicting society, population shaken by deeply events. and As recent the victims with mingled perpetrators this was whatreign of terror. Georgein forby punishment”“just thecrimes perpetrated retribution Germans underthe Hitler’s Simmelas destruction own their seeing thus guilt, own their of acceptance implicit an been have calls failure of the war“the generation respondto by literary means to the actions of Alliesthe may psychologicalwhich blockedlegitimacy the of Hesuggests claimfor victim German the that thestatus. Georg Simmel, “Metropolis and Mental Life”, in Donald Levine (ed.) Levine Donald in Life”, Mental and “Metropolis Simmel, Georg Sebald, p.12 The German-Romanian comparison is extremely useful from an imagological an from useful extremely is comparison German-Romanian The inhabitedby were war,Germany’sAftercenters the a traumatized urban , Chicago, 1971, p.325 ú ti were viewed in a positive light both at the time by many of time bymanyof both the at the the light in a positive were viewed ti Georg Simmel on Individuality and 8 By 19 7 , CEU eTD Collection military tactics Allied of result the was based phenomenon storm fire the on example, For a study population. civilian of the flammability of the German destruction of German the includingjustcity its not military its but potential whole city and the use of aroundtheidea conceptioncentered of total of the airoperationsthe inGermany was Giurescu’s was owing to a different background, as reflected regime. Nazi on the in historical ever than more dependent them which rendered them,humiliated and starved homeless, works such Germans the as made they instead Dinu regime, Nazi the overthrow to thus C. and rebellion German forces trigger a failed to idea thatairconveyed the the byAnglo-American warpursued non-existentin German literature. On the contrary, authors like Jörg Friedrich in is it air-warthe by aggressors Suchsympathy Ploiesti”toward Germans. the to given defendedhenceapproaching which better thanBerlin, nameof“Festung the acity was in courage their inparticular stressed historic contributions andlater accounts Contemporary bombardments. the about studies Romanian in the on later and survivors account of the facets of of facets destruction. of the account anda descriptive on air of the attacks irrationality deep asthe what wasconsidered on Friedrich’s such as Jörg books In insome German literature. the reflected differently was, therefore, question than with the air war on Ploie Neither was the Antonescu regime removed from power by a revolution but that but arevolution by power from removed regime Antonescu the was Neither The dimension of destruction was, moreover, far greater in the German case and case German in the greater far moreover, was, destruction of dimension The The Fire The Romania inWorldWar Two orHans Erich Nossack’s The Fire The ú ti ti and Bucharest. , and had more to do with the Bessarabian aims to demonstrate that the whole Allied whole the that demonstrate to aims The End. Hamburg 1943 End. The the emphasis fell The Fire 20 CEU eTD Collection emphasis on primary sources related to Romania and on secondary ones about Germany. thismakecomparativeplace framework, upfor this willtry thesis andto particular to with such a lackliterature of the secondary German case. Given more notorious in awider historical context and compares the aspects of thisbombing campaign with the the comparative perspective at the macro level, which places thePloie places level,macro which the at perspective comparative the strategy. bombs from, ahigh m) (usuallyabovealtitude 7000 aspart of bombing”a “carpet with accuracy asthesolid defense artillery fireforced fly them andto their drop at, drop theirbombs to planes Anglo-American the emphasized difficulty frequent of the communism of fall the after Romania in published books the war, air the of dimension aim at militaryRomanian territory. In these reports, cases are mentioned when the bombardmentstargets did not on bombardments the executed forces British and American the way the evaluated but rather atconclusions random on the destruction.analysis conducted in the 1940sWhen by Romanian addressing military experts, thewho social 9 fire.spread the in to order strategies andbombing incendiary devices ammunition, of certain types Jorg Friedrich, From among the above-mentioned approaches to the subject I have chosen to use to chosen I have subject the to approaches above-mentioned the among From approach have Romanian historians moderate taken basinga more their Thefire.The bombing of Germany, 1940-1945 9 , New York, 2006, p.9 ú ti bombardments ti 21 CEU eTD Collection Kingdom. This impressive demographic increase was not due to the natural growth due tothenatural as impressiveKingdom.growth demographic increase wasnot This period the population of Ploie inhabitants12,419 buildings) during the in whole, about andalmost90,000 this 1941. On in 77,341 from here, people was made population to the in 1930 (living 26,468 grew in Since census formation the when firstcensus of the Romanian data. state the 1859, the development, a busy social life and a constant demographical growth as was recorded by At the momentJews, their role in the city and their tragic historic destiny during World War Two. of the bombardments, Ploie part of this chapterin Ploie will study the largestinterests will be thestructure of oil the industry itsand interaction with labourthe market ethnic and research of the one chapter, In this Romania. of areas other the from immigrants religiousthe as such development, urban minority important this of exponents the on concentrate will analysis of Ploie highlighting the great by and industrialization between linkdemography Itwillfirst the discuss conducted. importance of the were strikes air theAllied which against oil background local social-economic thedescribe factor in the developmentsocial of setup,the city. of a closethe The account without in real dimension its be understood withfields areacannot a particularoil Romanian the on bombardments Anglo-American the of emphasisimpact social The on the Ploie PLOIE OF CONFIGURATION 1: THESOCIO-ECONOMIC CHAPTER ú ù ti and with other economic or administrative activities of the city. The second city. The of the activities administrative or economic other with and ti TI BEFORE WORLD WAR TWO WAR TI BEFOREWORLD ú ti grew faster than that of other urban centers of the Old ú ú ti was a city with a booming ti city. This chapter attempts to ú ti, the 22 CEU eTD Collection 11 with its extraction facilities, industrial installations for oil processing and nevertheless and processing oil for installations industrial facilities, extraction its with 434(representing 18,456, werecreated before 1914. 16.8%) figures show of 2,589industrialthe that, force with amountingaboutwork enterprises, to the population was born inPloie born was population the year of in54.4% only that that of 1930 recorded data census The places country. the of immigrationfrom other by due to natural 88.1% and growth dueto by11.9% increased Between 1912 and 1930, when censuses were held, the population of Ploie of population the held, were censuses when 1930, and 1912 Between for forces. Alliedairitthe in target a strategic transformed powerful industrialization, progress an aspect that brought for its inhabitants butalso This demographical dynamics reflects another dimension of the city’s evolution:its offered more opportunities. problems and tofind sought life abetter in the city,which, its given economic potential, whose familiesproductivity Many serious low.remained encountered financial peasant agriculture, Romanian intomachinery of thepenetration affected This overpopulation. the communiststate, and even more so during the first half of the twentieth century (up to the regimereformsis of an economic phenomenon this for explanation The one.areas. rural from mostly country, implemented Romaniathe of areas other was confronted increase the in wasgivenbymassive from thenumberits immigration of population from the beginning at ofthe its existence end as a of the 1940s) with a huge rural 10 expressed by the positive balance between new born and deceased. In the case of Ploie Ibid, p. 245 Mihail Sevastos, Mihail The main trigger of demographic boom The mainboom of was trigger industry growth and oil demographic economic the Monografia ora 10 ú ului Ploie ú ti, the rest being represented bynewcomers. beingrepresented rest the ti, ú ti , Bucure ú ti, 1937,ti, p.243 11 The ú 23 ú ti, ti CEU eTD Collection listed as being in function, see St see function, in being as listed 13 1,466 Hungarian, 1,302 German, 955 Yiddish, 614 Romani 614 Romani 1,821other and Yiddish,(Gypsy) 1,466 Hungarian, German, 955 1,302 (92.0%thepopulation),theirlanguagedeclared native 71,183 of the was, Romanian, Roman Catholics (3.4%).The followed andfaithby Orthodox (87.5%) (5.0%) the Jewishthe of representatives the majority of the peopleconfirm. asked by Fromthe data of types several censusas theminorities, other the to pointrelation in city workersin the dominant ofculturally view what of religion, for example,invested the inhighest Ploie number which companies foreign staff the of They the constituted also workers. required skilled were the industrialthe owingpopulation activity, Theirwhich foreigners. to was were presence 2.7% immigrants came from of About total while thesmallestnumberof the Bessarabia. among the historical most that contributedprovinces tothis populationPloie influx to figurefrom. andDobrogea Muntenia where they came inthe areas familiesrural returned refineries. accordingmayor the former in to city,the Mihail Sevastos, of functioned 15 area the 12 Ploie of air-bombardments the During County. Prahova Among these immigrants, the great majority were coming from other places in the of and 0.57. capital, sources other 0.38%, represented American16.2%, capital Belgian, 6.44%; whileItalian,10%, 3.47%; the German capital capital, Anglo-Dutch 26.16%; English capital, 20.62%; Romanian capital represented foreign, Romanian,figures alongside for capital. 1938showedthe The level input: of this with a strong infrastructure.transportation This industry influxwas createdbymassive of Thisfigure differs from that stated in Eugen St Ion Agrigoroaiei, 13 . Industria extractiv ú ti. The majority of the population were ethnic Romanians, who were ă nescu, ă între anii 1933 5ă zboiul petrolului Ploiede la ă nescu’s study war-timeof the period, where only 11 were ú i 1940. Dezvoltare ú ti, a large part of them and their and them of part large a ti, 12 ú ti At the end of Atendthe 1930s, the of , p.159. ú i modernizare , p.21 ú 24 ti, CEU eTD Collection majority among workers, out of whom only 0.7% were foreigners. The workers were decrease since1929when number 30,170.Romanianstheir total was the represented This figureindicates increase an followingof year7% precedent the buta severe 1940. in people 18,500 to amounted industry oil the in employed personnel The diminished its greatly further demographic growth. by destruction of Allied ofcity inthe air strikes the infrastructure economic the 1944 the In this respect, rate. mortality the of thedecrease than faster decrease to started between 1930s the natural the Towards growth decrease demographical 1916 -1919. in catastrophic the thewakeof 1920s, levelthe beginningof atthe highest reached the 11.9% of total the of growth population.the Ploie of demographic growth 40.8% of total the the population natural increaserepresented of regionsother of country andthe Indeed,between also from abroad. 1899 and 1912,the from here boost immigrants determined werethe mainthat demographic the element sincethe importance secondplacein of terms growth took natural population. However, deaths) had and births betweenand difference (the population city’s the of growth a natural The significantGypsies spoke Romani. contribution justof 58% the and only ethnic JewsusedYiddish the Among 25% of clusters, the other of Romanian than numberthe individuals of thatdeclaredto themselves Romanians. the growth of the total number of the 15 14 Ploie in of city the that figures show These languages. Ibid, p.337 Sevastos, p.260 ú ti. During 1912–1930, the proportion of the natural proportion During 1912–1930,the ti. natural of corresponded to growth the only 14 15 The natural Theincrease natural of here population the ú ti there were more native speakers more were there ti 25 CEU eTD Collection opera Transylvania came to Ploie to came Transylvania 30 the worsenedafter shortage will ideas this Food ground,sabotages influenced communistand,on occur. by the may workers be the for discontented industry. the fearedthat factor Theoil authorities Romanianthe language German attended staff courses. systematically and area industrial insidefacilities the accommodation were allocated them For soldiers. by defenceof refineriesGerman.predominantly wasundertaken the German The became foreign asthe capital in of Germans economic activities, the infiltration area of Ploie therefinery For needs. military for Hitler’s extent great insucceededa into industry transforming industry Romanian catering awar to the oil Germany Nazi forties, the of beginning the and thirties the of end the Towards determined the developmentof Ploie and activity from this came income that the again, Once zones. affected of the rebuilding 16 Ploie earthquake (7.4 on the 1940 Richter by the made worse was crisis The economic forevery worker. food a minimum of scale), which had system significant theintroduce which guaranteed quota made companies the oil economic situation effects on theindustrial increasedworkers by 60% while theprices for basicby food urbanism600%. This of the refineries of averagesalary the 1939 in September refineries, by provided the From data statistical prices. the goods’ in by increase consumer the a sharp characterized upheaval economic the 1940s dueto beginning the of atthe byhardships confronted Gheorghe Calcan, Gheorghe Ġ ú iunile celui de-al doilea r ti. Romania’s economic problems at the beginning of ariskof warrepresented the beginning problems atthe Romania’s economic 16 After this seism,the 40%of oil covered neededcompanies expenses the in the Aspecte ale evolu ă ú zboi mondial ti (where some of them had relatives or found employment). found or relatives had them of some (where ti th Ġ of August 1940,when of numerous from northernrefugees iei industriei petroliere române ú ti greatlycontributed ti its revival.to , Ploie ú ti, 2003, p.45 ú ti înpreajma integr ú ti, this meantthe this ti, ă rii României în 26 CEU eTD Collection p.71 development. Lack of money was the main reason for which the local authorities in authorities local the which for reason main the was money of Lack development. further for base economic a solid taxes their through form to terms financial in enough strong not were trade the and activities local The budget. local the to contribute not could atleastor during day the time. their houses and were forced by the imminent danger to flee from the city for a long timemilitarized. The workers’ families were refineries the of activities the and legislation war to were subject were place. They affected by the events in that many continue theindustrial day ofactivities and nightfacing death every anAlliedtime raid took them lost to were ordered them Many of refineries. the places, theirimplicitly, work a whole and, people andtheirfamilies weregreatly by disrupted airthe whichaffected city war, the as mobilized.became Thelives of these employed army specific tothe civilians while Militarization presupposed the introduction of an entire system of control and discipline it. if required of Romania interest be economic could the militarized law, anyinstitution this to According bombardments. permanent under and command military central a with functioning of local administration and also to keep a minimal economic life of Ploie of life economic minimal a keep to also and administration local of functioning institutions. By measure,theRomanianthis looked authorities to made effective the state and civil of militarization the for adopted was decree a 1940 of end the At defensive. the of effectiveness the on consequences disastrous 17 in Ploie units Romanian the of personnel military the among discontent of The spread riskfactor. important as another time at that written in analysis the considered was army, of Romanian officers the for especially life standard, of the The decrease Dana Beldiman, Until Until 1921 allthese installations industrial were outside the city’s jurisdiction and Valea Prahovei 1940-1941. Factori de risc , in Festung Ploie 17 ú ti, vol. 1, Ploie ú ti could have could ti ú ti, 2003, 27 ú ti CEU eTD Collection even morelarger even dynamic and city. the increase of of increase capacity. industrial the the them were insufficient. The solution use to installations industrial lost the because natural was of the amount constantly gases offered by the economicHowever, the exploitationspecialists of the gas resources of the area wasnot efficient. An important was a plan for 20 19 18 Dâmbovi in extracted oil the of most but county Prahova of exploitations of Ploie The refineries industries glass,iron, as textiles) and of (such Ploie a Allthenew largeextent. on them city lifeto relied the of economic and whole social of the thedependence higheras even areawas the of resources natural role of the the Therefore, commercialenterprises. in oil the usedonalarge areabyvarious the was scale in Ploie 1920s, late from the effective. Starting makeits asolution considered economy moreto of experts this view sinceeconomic the Ploie Moreover, infrastructure. of elements city’sinsidethe embedding it perimeter all refineries the and nearby the factories. enlargedlaw waspassedthat in 1921 a of However, city. the improve the infrastructure Ploie there were builtin Ploie depended on capital the it provided astaxes to local Between the budget. 1934 1922 and oilindustry lotthe had ahuge of impactsince social a andcultural fields economic followed, that years the In city. the of transformation total the for point turning the was Agrigoroaiei, p.19 Sevastos, p.657 Sevastos, p.656 ú ti did not find an effective way up to the end of the First World War in order to ú ú ti was planned to become even stronger from an industrial point industrial an from stronger even become to planned was ti ú ti processed in fact not just the oil coming from from numerous justtheoil the infactnot coming processed ti ti ti schools, hospitals, roads, buildings of public interest and other 20 This way Ploie ú ti the natural gas extracted with together gasextracted natural the ti ú ti used natural locally.ti natural extracted gas used ú ti was supposed to become an Ġ a county. 18 This 28 19 CEU eTD Collection http://www.itcnet.ro/history/archive/mi2000/current2/mi43.htm the English law in regard to the total number of houses per hectare, the density of density of the the houses perhectare, of number tothe total lawinregard English the Ploie the example, For inofan air casualties war. case of ahighrate for chances the which increased but time peace during useful were that measures administrative taken were There of enemy”. firstobjective make itthe will the refineries, Ploie of potential industrial the war breakout, air wardefensive bysetting upartillery and fighterunits planes squadrons as,should a of problem the to given was attention “Special that: stated Manoliu Al. city, the of mayor with stone. Ploie paved androads side-walks electricity, receivedrunning water, thousands of workers, by inhabited city, the of periphery the years, few in improvements, these By million year, American (approximately dollars1.5 atthe currency per of rate 1929). 22 21 yearly budgetof Ploie city,the of the lei. incomeswas of local restof the the refineriestothe 100,000 these budget Including year it. total presence per andfieldsaroundcontribution of The refineries 11oil oil the of of 1929). rate exchange dollarsatthe American sidewalksamounts money buildingof buildings million on roads, and public1.7 (around significant 1930s the of middle the to and War World First the of end the between spent was improved by attracting money from the local middle class. The city’s authorities projects. The sewerage municipal system inaugurated inwas 1928 while publiclighting infrastructure different in money of amounts important invested owners private the Ploie Sevastos, p.589 Sevastos, p.475, to see also ‘ ú ti was a city that also encountered rapid modernization because the state and state the because modernization rapid encountered also that city wasa ti ú ti had asmallti aerodrome, whichhad mostly a military In1937,the role. ú ti authorities took as a development model the British one, following one, British the model development a as took authorities ti Raport leu-dolar înainte de r ú ti leiyear to250,000,000 ti amounted / 21 ú ă The had city alargeincome duetothe ti, a city surrounded by factories and factories by surrounded a city ti, zboi ‘; 22 29 CEU eTD Collection city life, with a lot of office workers, lawyers, doctors and other representatives of liberal of and representatives other lawyers,doctors workers, lot life, of office a city with domains. Ploie state’s the of theadministration or administration, railroads local such asthe located were institutions of several headquarters County and the there population of city the had in jobs institutions.public Thecity was capitalthe of Prahova inengaged administrativesignificant and public1/6 activities. About of wholethe active resulted after the bombardments. The census data of 1930 reveals a dynamic Ploie adynamic 1930reveals of data census The bombardments. the after resulted in the various institutions existing there, which may someexplain extentcasualties to the Ploie rural areas surrounding city. the to go. It remains still an open question how many of them returned during war time to the situation gave their families a certain advantage during the war time since they had where 23 Ploie Ploie period, interwar the of end the At bymayoralty. promoted of the all actions efficiency the the to increase the local Themain payers budget. to such an of strategy urban purpose developmentwas city the as importantinhabitants that becauseconsidered needed more they tax were density populationthe of inside the railwaywas ringsurroundingalso thecity. It increase the was to project so future factor theirthat local asasetback planners urban the for the comfort of too few people (roads, electricity, plumbing). This was considered by believedthatthisinvestmentmuchauthorities reality determineof the money would too density its population low of and,notwas intoo efficient assuch, economic terms. The forth.population Itwas so consideredand thatPloie Ibid, p. 626 ú tiori. Part of the Ploie the of Part tiori. ú ti had an important number of employees in the down-town area as workers as area down-town in the employees of number important an had ti ú tiori inhabitants worked in the oil refineries of Ploie of refineries oil the in worked inhabitants tiori ú ihd ige uubn commune, suburban single a had ti ú ti becamespread outwhile ti the too 23 ú ti busy a had ti ú ti. This ti. 30 ú ti CEU eTD Collection predominantly Romanian participation as well as the public administration ethnic thepublic(where administration as predominantly well participation as Romanian industry had a and 95%).The wood also inparticipation than agriculture (more transport of most the For had part,thedata 1930censusthe shows. high percentages of Romanians differentasthestatistic professions, for varied also ethnicity Thisof another. distribution professional structure of Ploie structure professional the while backgrounds ethnic different belonged to air-war bythe affected people The and their staff. campaign began. The authorities kept in the city only the essential administrative services that the majority of the Ploie bombardments of April 1944 Geal ofbombstons on were estimation city?the dropped tothe According Lauraof Cristina to hundreds when time, war the during continue activity did this what extent to question: following the raise can one dynamics, economic and social this Regarding class. middle local of the segment Romanian Jews were strongly involved in trading as an they importantconstituted industry and metallurgicalthe was industries. Trade mostly on dependent successthe of chemical the was boosted industry, manufacturingtypes the ofprofessionsin weretheand printing trade, paperand by the great traffic of foreigners coming to the city. The 24 of public sector Ploie in the employed thenumber people of the censusdata, the Accordingto professions. Laura Cristina Geal Cristina Laura ă , about 85% , about of Ploiethe ă , Istoricul comunit ú ti exceeded the number of in working oilindustry. the Other theti of number those exceeded 24 ú ú ti registered different percentages from from percentages to different group an ethnic registered ti . Eugen Stanescu also supports this theory and points out andsupports this points theory also . Eugen Stanescu ti inhabitants had left the city when the new bombing ú ăĠ ti inhabitants fled from fled inhabitants from city the thewaveti after of ii evreilor din Ploie ú ti , Bucure ú ti, 2008,ti, p. 282 31 CEU eTD Collection 27 26 25 and guns to whole hangars for Romanian aircraft. department, which among produced, other militarythings, from technology ammunition inPloie Concordia society oil andweaponry. The equipments provided by industry oil the to the Nazi machine war butalso asa ofmilitary source Ploie rate. was illiteracy the so lower, was proportion Romanians the where fields, economic other In industry. metallurgical Romanian was predominantsuch element the constructionsas agriculture, industry the or Ploie In activities. them engaging inbanking, theliberal medicineprofessions, in or industrial other 34.6% of in activities. the industrial About Jewsinthe restof the city weremerchants, in Hungarians the and Germans The tasks. specialized the staff and specialists who would handle variousthe industrial andequipments discharged part. The oil industry engaged alotforeignof amuchandcapital to smaller proportion oilindustry.the capital Thehad last for butthe foreign most 84.9%Romanians the was with its total number of individuals in the city, was in the credit and trade business andin amount of capital). The lowest participation of the Romanian element, by comparison economic of background family, typical the Romanian possess not did which a large by thesocio- might be that explained (asituation activities non-economic the towards 90.5%). Romanians represented Calcan, p.37 Sevastos, p.282 Ibid, p.278 ú ti was to become a target of the Allied bombardments not just for the fuel ú i te lieayrt ws ihr ntoepoesosfr hc the which for professions those in higher was rate illiteracy the ti, 26 25 The figures show that this ethnic group had thisthat Thefigures group showatendency ethnic 27 Ploie ú ti were mostly involved mostly were ti ú ti had ametallurgic ti 32 CEU eTD Collection during a regimemilitary of dictatorship andmanyhistorians considertoday death the that origin whilewere evacuated German stepped introops starting with autumn the of 1940. ethnic of a different citizens Romanian the and foreigners the zone, become astrategic 29 28 Ploie The area. fields oil in the interests Romania’s against sabotages and espionage of fear authorities’ Romanian state as well as to separate, more local-oriented policieswaters of the World War Two. stemming from nextthe pages I will analyze the historic predicament of the Ploie Germans, Gypsy, %) 1,314(1.6%), (1.3 and smaller 1,045 other groups. ethnic the %), the Hungarians, 1,576(2.0 %), Jews, the 3,741(4.8 were 67,364(87%), number minorities.hadsignificant of Romanians From of77,341,the a a total population ethnic Romaniansin its majority. However, according to the census data of 1930, the city Ploie of population entire the to refers above data The Ploie in policies anti-Semitic and 1.1 Jews minority in Ploie Ploie of life souls living in city.the 10,000 almost Jews,with werethe ethnic group largest second the some estimations, 1940s, total the inhabitantsnumber of of Ploie Geal Sevastos, p.259 ă , The Antonescu government applied systematically a strong anti-Semitic policy anti-Semitic strong a systematically applied government Antonescu The The Ploie Istoricul cultului mozaic din Ploie ú ti and also in key professions such as medicine. They were the largest the were They medicine. as such professions in key also and ti ú ti oil center and the surrounding territory of the Prahova Valley having Valley Prahova the of territory surrounding the and center oil ti ú ti and an important segment of the local middle class. Therefore, in the ú ti Jews were subjected to the general anti-Semitic policies of the 29 The Jews played a central role in the economic and commercial ú ti , Ploie ú ti, 2004, p.21 ú ti grew aboutti 90,000to and, according to ú ti ú ti, which was composed of composed was which ti, ú ti Jewry in the shallow 28 In 33 CEU eTD Collection took the form took legislation. form the judgedthey notbutforanti-Jewishof for what Jewswere did, which racism, political its confirmed regime Romanian the laws, various in Jewishness definition of a Jew and the norm differed from one law to another. By defining implemented. new andmeasuresSeptember Anti-Semitic and 1940, were adopted systematically strong 14 on State Legionary a National of proclamation andthe power to Guard and Iron the evolution of in events Romania With during 1940-1944. accession the of AntonescuIon added Antonescu’s andAllambivalence bureaucracy the state. the of shapedthe these institutionstop relevantother him, which devoidto a young king to of actual power, was any of lack the with combined beliefs anti-Semitic blatant His Antonescu. Ion Marshal is, that force, political by single a ruled dictatorship, amilitary state, of the character the from important causesderive Other governments. and under Goga the Gigurtu adopted policies of the continuation and the saw more abrupt, even became anti-Semitism towards in the face of growingthe which threat, Soviet was confirmed inJune drive 1940,the Romania protect able only country to the authorities for Romanian the seemed Germany As main Nazi events. the towards keep amore European balancedattitude Romania to for onRomania lastthe chance in massive Soviet 1940shattered Union’s June attack Jews. of the deportation organizing the set about “homogenize” Romania’s and consequently population 30 by him or survival of the Jews from Romania during this period was owing tothe decisions taken Lya Benjamin, Under the Antonescu regime, each law incorporated a separate article on article a the on separate lawincorporated each regime, Antonescu Under the and ofFrancein the forceThe asa Europe and military disappearance political 30 . From the beginning of his rule, Ion Antonescu aimed to “purify” and Prigoan ăú i rezisten Ġă în istoria evreilor din România 1940-1944 , Bucure ú ti, 2001, p.127. 34 CEU eTD Collection 1940-1944 factthat the in a report mentioned Bartolomeu Gheorghe prefect left The in city. the were Ploie on conducted was operation “Tidalwave” the when 1943, In toavoidorder repression. reasonable to believe that many families decided to leave the city prior to this decisionleave in the cityAmong and these topeople, settle theincludingdislocations, notjust themales butalso members other of theirfamilies. ones inthat rural were not sentareas, to forced awaylabor-camps of thewere askedoil to field area. It is probably camp,in Dâmbovi 31 Ploie from Jews male 1,172 about context, this In 150,000). around years was of in three number course the Matatias Carp,their to (according institutions state other by or army the by chosen labor) forced as known (later labor community 18 and be 50could by individuallyused only in army the staff general for or groups between 14 July1941,Jewish malesaged decree,on another Through community work. perform to many wererequired Jews rule, under Antonescu’s wasatwar time Romania communitydoand according to authorities. by asrequired work state the Throughoutthe 1940, which Jews from excepted military forcedservice but pay them military to taxes December 5 on given decree a by changed was Jews the of status military The inferiority and belonging to it was considered a crime. of equivalent the itself was legally be. Jewishness to what they were considered Matatias Carp, , Safety Harbor, 2000, p.48 Holocaust inRomania.Facts and documents on theannihilation of Romania’s Jews 31 Ġ a County. The process continued over the next period with further overthenext with a County.period process continued The ú ti were interned in the Tei the in interned were ti ú ti, 1,200 Jews 1,200 ti, , 35 ú CEU eTD Collection labor camps when they were needed in the army’s workshops under the compulsory labor compulsory the under workshops army’s in the needed were they when camps labor Internal Affairsexplain to many why so Jewish cobblers wereand tailors beingheld in as beingimpractical. 23 July On Ministry 1941, the askedof Defense the Ministry of inferiors his by considered camps was in Jews the intern to Antonescu’s order Ion where they were thought to be more useful. Ploie yearsback to old 50 Jewsover sent the of county Dambovita prefect the Affairs), Internal status of the Jews. At decisionsmade also madewere aninvestigation by after Ministry the examining the the intervention of Such was later granted. basis, liberation their request and, on for their Interior this the I. Popescu (state secretary of Minister the petitioned veterans such when thirteen was demonstrated Romanian Jews in the Ministry the laws regarding respect the to failed state the of system bureaucratic the that fact The of law, been they should from exempted have perform requirementto the obligatory work. the of to between 50 and60and,according people these age the were War.Moreover, in Tei Jews the of several if even prisoners’ and work well, they should not receive food. This order was applied ‘to all camps with Jews if away,in fail that, shouldorder andthem should‘one ten any ran beshot’ to they of 32 upinrounded Ploie Initially, Antonescu young 1941 Ion wasinformed 1,165 that on 18 July Jews hadbeen authorities. state’s the by understood gradually was policy this irrationality of The At the end of the war, the total number of Ploie among them only 99 were considered as useful as they were “merchants or specialists”. Geal ú ă ti and the rest of them in other forced labor camps at Gaiesti county), Gaiesti (Dambovita camps at forced labor in other of them rest the and ti , pp.236-237 ú ti in theTei and interned ti ú ú campin Dâmbovi ti ti Jewry was of 760. ú camp were veterans of the First World First the of veterans were camp Ġ a County. He gave the Hegave a County. 32 36 CEU eTD Collection 35 groups havingcommand. groups aseparate by with side prisoners,the when eachof theSoviet side the Romanian Jewsworked werecases There fortifications). building, tasks(road labor forced other assigned various However, in their new residences, they were again recruited by the local work centers and southern fewerRomania, and established Banat in inthe or southern Transylvania. area. oil fields tothe return 34 York, 2006, p.115 since 1942 inFebruary 1941wasdismantled ThisinJune created camp state. against the were directed community their of members the of actions if the be killed were to people replaced the month 20-30 took ina local basison a monthly and campinPloiekept them following their arrest with an equal number of other Jews). These Ploie not suited for labor, were allowed to settle in a county capital other than Bucharest or 33 G campto another at Jewsweresent the not only inefficient illegal butas well it and on 18 November, closed 200 when of about sentiments.” Anglophile obvious elsewhere, since their presence in the region presented a danger to security owing Ploie totheir (of region oil the to return not did they that condition “on released be internees 1,225 that recommended commission examination The army. the andincrease to boots uniformsof scheme. Therethey were expected theproduction for Ibid, p. 253 Geal Dennis Deletant, Dennis ú ă ti. , p.251 In 1941, the interned Jews from In 1941,theinterned Jews from Tei Hitler's Forgotten Ally :Ion Antonescu and HisRegime, Romania 1940-1944 34 The majority of them chosen small towns from Muntenia, in 33 The Army General Staff understood that the camp was 35 From the Jews still living in Ploie ă ie ú ti for forced work, while other 235, who were while 235, other work, forced for ti ú and G ă ie ú ti freedti were not and to asked ú ti), but should settle should but ti), ú ti, the authorities ú ti ti (they were , New 37 CEU eTD Collection 39 38 37 Bucharest, the oil region of Ploie of region oil the Bucharest, Antonescu’s Kingdom Transnistria.to On February Ministry the 20 1942, of received Interior the order that Old the from Jews of categories certain deport to orders gave Antonescu Marshal all Jewsand that, if anyone ran away, one in ten whoof the detainees should be shotas a punishment. were hardlabor undertake should battalions in work Jews that saying inspectorates, Communistregional gaveactivists, an orderAntonescu maintaining control, of purpose For the they received. orders disobeyed the on especially19 July 1941,that people for penalties ruthless and labor forced for relayedthose rules strict were There intheir complaints, they bycontinued toexecute the orders that came from theabove. GeneralJews were too weak to work. Even if some of the military authorities were sympatheticDirectorate to for shortages andmany sicklack the Food ofmedical suitable.support meantthat the of of Policecarry forced to work out for which hadthey notraining or they were notphysically to all have This should asasurpriseunderstood. not come Jewswere since inmanycasesthe RomanianJewishcompulsorytheauthoritiesyieldedresults aslowwork soon apartments 75,385 werenationalized.around forbidden own to urban Byvirtue properties. of measure,this by31December 1943 36 theypaid. by taxes the calculated income, as their gross nationalized. The former Jewish owners wereits existence. paid a compensation Ploie the of behavior in the nothing that understood authorities local the totaling eight times Deletant, p. 114 Dinu C. Giurescu, Benjamin, p.136 Geal ă , p. 269 Meanwhile, on Meanwhile, on 28 March 1941 the urban properties owned byJewswere 36 România în al doilea r ú ti, and in the ports of Constan of ports the in and ti, ă zboi mondial 38 , Bucure ú ti, 1999, p.141 37 The Jews were, moreover, were, TheJews Ġ a and Giurgiu, together Giurgiu, and a ú ti Jews justified Jews ti 38 39 CEU eTD Collection trapped trapped within. the Allies.As the city became a war zone, this had disastrous consequences on the people for target a strategic into city the transformed War Two World of military developments in Ploie growththe of this city long-term ensuring prosperity it.for The impressive oil resources town of town Ploie trading small the to attracted life better a and employment for chance the or enrichment mostly in the first half of the 20 the of half first the in mostly economic and social fields. Themain agent progress of was oil the industry formed Ploie of organization social The think of possibilitythe havingof account to oneday for hisbehavior towards Jews.the “in beshouldnot conducted to manner”,which thatevenAntonescustarted shows a wild action that the stressed Theorder inTransnistria spring. the to be anddeported jailed with all Jews who had illegally settled in Bucharest during the previous two years, should ú ti and the large processing capacity available there as well as the political and ú ti a large number of people of various ethnicities. defined This numbervarious dynamics of a large ti of people th century prior to World War Two. The mirage of ú ti reflected its great development in the urban, the in development great its reflected ti 39 CEU eTD Collection two directions: towards defending for war. the importance and events their the of context the establishing the refineries and their workers, and towards the foreign authors and neglected byRomanian not morethan often direction aresearch German case, when include the will comparison also life. The dealingpeople’son impact and their military strategies with interests, military and economic between connection the I will evaluate part, most For the the Ploie subject. regarding the sources secondary and the primary perspective from a comparative Ploie of civilians the by but initiators their by not paid was bill highest for which the failedattempts “limited areall of success”, and its attack 1943 altitude serve low-fuel bunkersof tragic the the production American storage to or subterranean century) should be relocated within afew months, the Romanian short-term plan createto them. The odd mistakesNazi andprovedunrealistic insetting their and goals in choosingachieve the steps to suggestionPloie at war inthe oil involved parties that the Romanianand German authorities in order toprotect the area. As the chapter will emphasize, all the refineriesonly by the effects (built of the area on the andoperations of preparations Ploie raids in properalmost but military also the of halfby impact the economic policies and of social the conducted discuss will chapter byThis Romanian ON PLOIE AIR STRIKES CHAPTER 2:THE DEFENCE GERMAN-ROMANIAN ANDALLIED For the protection of Ploie of protection the For ù ú TI AREA BETWEEN 1941-1944 BETWEEN TI AREA ti against air raids, the Romanian authorities acted in acted authorities Romanian the raids, air against ti ú ti (Romanians, Germans, Anglo-Americans) made Anglo-Americans) Germans, (Romanians, ti ú ti air operations but quite useful when ú ti. Social life was greatly lifenot wasgreatly ti.disrupted Social ú ti. I will examine will I ti. 40 CEU eTD Collection However, inHowever, wind 1942 the Alliesgot in but of this of trick bombs heat the battle,the city and useuptheirfire Only power. one such construction built.was eventually towns Ploie planning to build planning region in plain Romanian ( to the southern inhabitants were involved in the war effort of the country. The Romanian authorities were alarming activities and inthe process of building This defensive structures. way, Ploie a seconded by conducted massive British, the campaign bombardments. of in raids 1941,had in two 1943,andfrom 1942 and AmericanApril 1944 the aviation, their disposal putto it in practice. The Allied forces started their air missions on Romania a limited finalization had but force from labor The city employedthe cubicalmeters). project additional 15,000 due to the short amount plan building tanks storage subterranean of with capacities varying between 1,300 to of time the Romanianthey authoritieswould not be hadexposed at buried where with walls or underground, alsoconcrete protected of were refineries the to the blast of theemployed intheindustrial complex. Theoil and fuel pipes, the otherstorage components bombs. In 1942, there personnel protect the to built in order were bunkers several area.Here refineries was launched the air strikes. protection very flammabledue tothe which installations, extremely vulnerablewere to activity. The existence of the refineries in the area demanded special measures of effort, and, protection of city the withtogether its inhabitants. Bothactions presupposed a bighuman consequently, part of the work force of the city was occupied with this As regards the defense of the city, part of the population was engaged in of defense As regardsthe population was engaged city,of the the the part toachieveIn order firstobjective, the werebrought construction tothe workers ú ti, with the purpose of making the American pilots mistake them for the real Câmpia român ă ) four dummy) 41 ú ti CEU eTD Collection p.10 40 were thrown several times on the real-scale model of the city. were punished by death. and duringsabotages categories of other perpetrated wartime” waspublished, crimes for law-decree thepunishmentwhen „TheStarting of 1943, crimes week). with lostbe later alarms the during time recuperated was on (but notmore then hours per to 60 time work the to this newlegislation, According from 1941. by regulated a law-decree evacuation plans difficultapply.to south-western border of Romania (less km than 200 of Ploie Romania without been detected. The sudden apparition of massive Allied air forces at the American planes TheAnglo- radarnetwork. an ableinstall effective to werenot Germans the active. Here made usealarm hadpoints amajor in problem the Yugoslav space wherepartisans Tito’s were still of and radars of thissystem Axis The possibility. this out ruled events military of „highway”evolution to the However, achievable. have might been theoretically frame acertain timewithin navigate Ploie frompractice. the Adriaticisintoithard its estimate developedin andwhatextent to 1943.It put realism to was Sea to reservoirs. and of water building departments city, authorities’ the plans included strengthen and better equipping firethe of they avoidthey intended to amajor setback in field economic frequentthe alarms and through JamesDugan, Carroll Stewart, The local in authorities Ploie The defensive plans paid special laborattention the to during wartime which was A plan for the rapid evacuation of the civil population from the city was ú ti was not a large city and, therefore, the evacuation of population of evacuation the the a largetherefore, city and, not ti was Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 ú ti declared two kinds of since kinds theof alarm day ti during declared two ú 40 ti) made all ti) temporary the For the defensive of the , London, 2002 42 CEU eTD Collection Ploie in refineries all of dispersal the measures other among proposed Germany area. fields oil Marshal Ion Antonescu a plan whereby Germany intended to reinforce the defense of the Alfred Gerstenberg, the commander of the German Air Mission in Romania, presented to fog inartificial machines located nearby the area. refinery and the searchlights of 20 battalions serve the here brought to forces were military Additional in artillery Romania. 40% wholeof anti-aircraft the about representing 31 German).In 1944 their total 83 number(35 Romanian grewto and 45German) in Ploie batteries the area 1943 52anti-aircraft 4squadrons. The Germans TheRomanian brought German inand the armies deployed army dispatched 5 squadrons of planes to cover army to – Ploie trianglethe 5squadronsdispatched of planes Bucharest place Romanian 1943, the 1 AugustWhenAmerican on attack took Hitler’s the war. for importance capital of were as they refineries the and fields oil defend the was to here deployed Thebasictroops rolethe of by air the warproper. already which affected was from the population. Ploiebrought to Many of these troops hada war to zonebe supportedwas from the bydemographical the local economy, point of view. Numerous military forces were all factories as well as in well all streets. as thetraffic factories the refugepopulation was allowedtotake in production the inair shelters, activity stopped not allowed to stop. In thein factories was but work the streets leave the and squares the askedto population was cases when the number of disruption of Whenactivity. enemy city the be attackedby was to 3 enemy1 to the planes planes was 4 or more the ú ti and offered advice on how to organize the protection of the city. Antonescu city. the of protection the organize to how on advice offered and ti For the same defensive purposes, on General the For 30 November purposes, German same defensive 1942the on Another way the social setup of setupof way PloieAnother social the ú ti by both Romaniansthe ti and the Germans, andrequisitionsmade were ú ti was affected by the prospect of becoming of by was ti prospect the affected ú ti - Câmpina (21 Romanian batteries and -Câmpina Romanian (21 ti ú ti - Mizil. ti 43 CEU eTD Collection the Romanian interrogators why they shot civilians and peasants working on the fields, the on working peasants and civilians shot they why interrogators Romanian the which wasalso givenby explanation Anglo-AmericanWhen askedby prisoners. the the context military a specific werederived from Thesefactors duringinflicted air the raids. were may of and alot damages civilian factors explain why by caused objective also been have might bombardments Allies the of precision of lack and inaccuracy military the However, ones. economic or military of instead bombed were zones when residential several cases are there to Romania since also was applied strategy this that considered by bombing” Allies military the in conducted The Romanian Germany.experts substantiate this theory by makingauthors analogy an “morale large-scale the with fightsupport war. Thethe Romanian and Antonescu Romanians the the regime to to of thewill was breaking that objective accomplish athird to tried forces also Allied the 41 Constan onthe BlackSeacoast, port main Romanian transportation hub; the shipyard at Giurgiu, the IAR aircraft factory in Bra economicof – the network;onBucharest country the heart biggest and the transportation bombardments on Ploiethe and refined products) This infrastructure. the destruction transportation meantthe of Two. These goals were: depriving the enemy raw materialsof (in this case, the oil itsand during appliedobjectives of bombing in conception War strategic World the Europe side. costwere consideredthe byRomanian project of such unacceptable a utopian and work volume of the time available, The limited from area. the capacities industrial the removing of proposal the asunrealistic rejected but German assistance accepted St ă nescu, p. 89 In Romania, Allied the High Commandachieve sought to two of mainthe ú ti industrial ti area and its extraction facilities, 11 refineries and Ġ a. For many Romanian historians, many Romanian a. For ú ov, and the 41 44 CEU eTD Collection 43 42 23 oil targets, 37electric power targets, damage 38transportation to Alliesplanned the catered forsubmarine facility and them. this, yards every that production In addition to 20 factories, engine 17aircraft factories, bomber assembly 15 factories, assembly status, civilian or military. and anyone who worked in this industries war field were industries all that on assumption the was predicated concept war, this was a contributor to the war In themiddle of bombing”. a mechanized “morale strategy the was called morale, and effort no matter their and psychological capacity deprive resources the industries of both itscivilians Germany'sand to annihilate to war to fight. Becauseintended and and cities wellasagainst towns, railways, bridges, as dockyards, anddams, it aimed at diminishing againstfactories, foundation. The machine anditsweretargeted industrial air-strikes the enemy powerwinextensive and aimed to in todestroy air superiority order NaziGermany’s war wounded) and graveyard aseparate hadtobe built to bury corpses.the forIn example, only,AprilBucharest, (2,126 2,942civilians raid 1944 of 4 the killed executingmilitary Romania,tookprecedence missions anything over which on their else. American military factorleaders not did in life the of civilians when planning and will discuss these aspects in amore detailed way.It is, however, obvious that the Anglo- of this thesis Thethirdchapter tactics. bombing the ordered high commanders that their of shoulders the on responsibility the passed they cities, bombed Romanian areas of the of some of them and not the membersinitiatives official wereindividual those actions crew Allied the captured that declared orders. Asked why they threw bombs of the civil Friedrich Giurescu, , p.111 (to see also Mircea Ioni As an element of comparison, in Germany, the Allied objectives were more were objectives Allied the Germany, in comparison, of element an As , p. 49 43 The Allied included objectives the destruction fighterof 11 Ġ iu, Amintiri Amintiri ú i reflec Ġ iuni , Bucure ú ti, 1993, p.32) 42 45 CEU eTD Collection collapse inthe France of summer of1940and up until landingin the inItaly air 1943,the ininterest slowing down rapidthe ofAxis offensive armies east.After towards the the Germany. of character livedin country’s population with asocialreality rural areas, urban the which contrasted The morale possessed, defeatmeans mutiny of upuntil military here. summer the to 1944, the any bombing ininhabitants was quiteRomania relevant for the war, in Romania it was less so because Germany was of Whilein regions. morale the focusedGermany the only on a fewgeographic more difficult to conductWar Two. since World of for theentire duration longer, almost a lasted Germany airon the war Moreover, lot of the was. Romania than planes for theAllied more accessible country, this location of geographical the by also explained be can Germany on bombardments the of intensity 44 intended toprepare groundthe for aplanned landinvasion in Western Europe. andbackground their and by military-industrial also fact economic Allies the that the This discrepancy can placeRomania. bombardment inGermany took process of extensive when to compared be explained by the role aluminumproduction targets, and soforth.plants These figures that show afarmore played by the two countries in the war, Levine, p.77 The bombing campaigns on Germany and Romania had in common the Allied the in common had Romania and Germany on campaigns bombing The in they that were sense morea specific were onRomania The bombardments 44 The 46 CEU eTD Collection were favorable to firewere favorable to spreading out. most present materials of as of one wood becausethey the camefrom inside burning,of contained process fuel the their structure. The narrow buildings by crowded heatlittlewell andburnedseparated spaceabsorbed quickly. the In streets of the typical madebuildings inthelate of 1800s. theperiod industrialexpansion rapid during These German city grew from theflammable environment. As regards the burning potential, vulnerability the such of a city peripheryvery wasa city German typical the because ground the on reality complementary to the center.combustion The centerphosphor of potentialGerman bombs) asthe forces (such Anglo-American of the weapons the someof rendered useless cities since floorground and asmall attic, which were surroundedwas bygardens.structure This urban inwas theformed rathercity administrative of buildings,the rest of had city housesthe small generally of consisting the of Ploie small.cities by bombed Allies. Whilethe was formed downtown the of 2-3 story high In Germany, this Allied strategy found a 46 45 front. European the on developments military inthe intervene could Anglo-Americans theonly way the were operations Friedrich, p. 14 Ibid, p.25 The architecture of Ploie ú ti ti city was different compared to the majority of German 46 45 ú ti (as opposed to the refinery area) the 47 CEU eTD Collection on the southern flank Halversonof andhad two purposes. Thefirst the was togive a clear signal theof Allies interest Axis, at a time when Nazi Germany won victories in the interest. air strike on Ploie had impact. animportant air campaign. From a this of as aresult reduced was severely Romania of fuel socialproduction summer1944, the of perspective, (andthe to amuch smaller extent by the Britishmilitary one). From an economic point of view,in the particularities Axis forces of fuel from the obtained Ploie of these operations were discontinued. bigfly became Sovietfor to planes andtheir the too raids East, distance required the the linemovedfrom towards Bessarabia front when Later on, the city the camouflage. under spot failed to aviation Soviet the not, More often than relevant. not impact was economic 13 wounded). installations lasted between 2 and 4months. The number of victims was small (5 died and all of affected the Orion whilemade repair refinery the biggest wasto destruction whole war. Three refinerieswas aviation mostherethe they July 1941. It significanton 13 duringthe conducted were affected by this raid (Astra, Orion and Lumina). The 48 47 Raids 2.1 Air Eugen Bantea, Eugen Stanescu, p. 87 From January 1942, Washington military leaders started the study a potential of started study militarythe leaders Washington From January 1942, The mostwhich powerful depriving aimed coherent, and efficientactions the at The first bombardment in the oil region of Ploie 48 This operation was prepared andledby Americanthe Colonel Henry Miza petrolului în vâltoarea r 47 The executed small-scale other Soviets military but their raids or ú ti, an idea for which the American President Roosevelt showed ă zboiului ú ti by ti undertaken aviation were American the , Bucure ú ti, 1983, p.103 ú ti was conducted by the Soviet 48 CEU eTD Collection 51 50 oilfields. Therefore, the entire attention of the Allied high command was focused here. focused was command high Allied the of attention entire the Therefore, oilfields. onlythe oil significant at the disposal reserve Nazi of Germany theremained Romanian low altitude. from made a byamassivebe bombardment successfully and destroyed could approached Ploie insist that to idea the factors on decision American encouraged the several squadrons. airplane Ploie aware of danger.the By 1943 the Romanians and at the Germanshad concentrated made andRomanian authorities the German both although a failure, attack, American Romaniandown. defense hadadelayed action wasshot Theand only one Liberator Romania. several missed theirandplanes target dropped the bombs onrural areas southern of bombarded the refinery area from an of altitude meters. Due 4000 to heavy clouds, On light. flew 12 June toRomaniafrom Fayd1942, 13B-24Liberators and (Egypt) since WorldEurope start the of War Two. Project was the first US mission on Ploie 49 war. whole of the fate the decide could bombers by strategic here on American belief the of highmilitary several commanders asinglebig that blow given Ploie on exclusively wasfocused Union. second objective The Soviet Ibid, p.13 Dugan, p.12 Dwight Eisenhower, ú ti a hugenumberti machine-guns, of calibers,guns of all balloons defensive and After Hitler’s failure to capture failure oilAfter the Hitler’s duringfields in to Caucasus 1942-1943, the Ploie of the The weakresponse On 6 June 1942, the US declared war on Romania and this missiongreen this and waronRomania got USdeclared On June 1942, the 6 51 The only refinery affected was affected Theonly refinery Cruciad ă in in Europa ,Bucure ú ú ti artillery and aviation alongside other factors other alongside aviation and artillery ti 50 ti and also the first of the American air force in Astra Român Astra ú ti, 1975, p.233 ă while the guns of the German- 49 ú ti based andti was The Halverson ú ti refineries ti 49 CEU eTD Collection and the United States of America Air Force (U.S.A.A.F.) as the British military military experts British asthe (U.S.A.A.F.) AirForce of America States and United the (R.A.F.) AirForce Royal the between appeared divergences Some initiative. the backed Ploie Libya- trip do the not could and autonomy flight limited had (which planes fighter of protection the without mission in a engaged they Consequently, poorly look upon elite the Romaniangunnerstrained. as andtended to artillery, of ground firethe power tremendous the knowledgeof accurate They had no American military experts failed equipments”. and to men of evaluate cost lower correctly their chances to achieveenemy be deprivedof can one drop of We could joboil. in dothe one dayand with a this goal. army assumes a massive invasion wouldandat leastground it year one last until the explained participants the that”making to unusable Ploie the load tons three of hundred bomb over a powerful area andthen unleash initially,leastreach wouldso asto Americans the edge,at target decisive the givethe Themission thein war beganwithfinish thehighexpectation faster Europe. surprise that Allies the to aimed moreproducts, 1/3ofthe than oil from Germanytook which Nazi 53 52 of Ploie RedArmy, of backgroundthe bombing of consideredthe general offensive the Allies the construction of an airbase for bombers heavy atBenghazi in Libya. Against the After the great German-Italian defeat in the autumn of 1942, the Allies started the Bantea, p.121 Dugan, p. x The American project came as a pleasant surprise to Winston Winston Churchill, who to surprise came asapleasant project The American He Brereton. Lewis Hyde General was operation thebombing of The commander ú ti ti as one of theirmostimportant objectives. In fact, by the destruction of Ploie 53 Given this evidence, I share the opinion that the ú ti back and forth). and back ti ú ti by refineries ti land the 52 50 ú ti CEU eTD Collection dependent on Marshal Antonescu’s decisions. Antonescu’s Marshal on dependent ultimately, and, authorities Romanian tothe subordinated was there whole activity inforce industrial the complex refineriesrepresentedof by was while Romanians the since labor majority isthe the of entirely correct not The statement damages. repaired the the author of an informativeon later and mission, inthe participants the of one Dugan, James this In respect, attack. study about it, wrote Allied 80% of tothe prior their production Romanianthat about refineries wereproducing the Germans were the ones that 55 54 managed to repairthe Romanian refineriesthe damageAllied raids in during Europe World War Two). decreased comparatively to 40 percent.heaviestlosses inall sustained wounded) and54planes.(Thosewere,upuntil then, the The Romanian workersandlost Allied579men The fast 238werewounded. 133 (446 deador taken prisoners, broughtand onhere 101died civilians Among18 thecity’s 97wounded. incurred101deadand armies German butextremelymission. During relatively this short violentbattle, Romanian the and pilots foughton. counted they surprise with greatTheirmission was named: “Operation Wave”.Tidal The Americans failed tospring the determination Ploie the Americans), and courage to accomplish accordingplan. this, operation proceeded to the an almostclaimed thatsuicidal a low altitude attack may result in heavy casualties for the Allies. For all Dugan, p.xi Dugan, p. x On 1 st of August 1943(“The of as it Black later calledby Sunday” was the ú ti oil fields and refineries were attacked by 175 American planes. American 175 by attacked were refineries and fields oil ti 54 As the Romanian officers recalled later, the young American young the later, recalled officers Romanian the As 55 After the raid the distilling capacity of th of August of 1943,the 51 CEU eTD Collection 57 their bombardments. This had disastrous consequences for the civilians of the whole area. itlackwas atbut in cost the fire, of artillery massive of precision a significant ground the strategy offered my meters. on In city thecarpet-bombingthe from 4,000-8,000 system,using opinion, protection for the Alliedhad a deep impact on the industrial area and the city of Ploie pilots, who were thus out of the range Operation in Italy during 1943opened new possibilities of ofattack. backininefficient bombs ofquantity terms and But theymighttransport. of the Husky way the on vulnerable aircrafts fighter American the made which Romania, to Africa would start in the spring madebombing Allied Command the for thetactics change High thenextwhich raids, of 1944. Another cause of nicknamed by Germans)the andthis the high number of men and planeslost during this raid, delay was the long route from 56 fog andradar stations. several brigade acamouflage forproduction mm. the of artificial heavycaliber), guns (105-128 an broughtGermans fighter aircraftsadditional squadron of and newartillery of units concentration of guns in Ploie in guns of concentration military The heavy rest of areawerestopped. ontheRomanian raids 1943, any other oil foroperation August 1943gave totheFor Alliedthinking 1 of food the Command. High materialize. not Allies, did Dugan, p. xi XXX , Istoria artileriei In 1944, the turn of military events and the building of air bases in Foggia (Italy) Foggia in bases air of building the and events military of turn the 1944, In The raid of The raidAugust 1943increased of 1 German the inRomania.presence The The decisive victory inThe decisive victory Ploie ú i rachetelor antiaeriene române 57 The price paid for the “limited success” recorded by the U.S. 56 ú ti (“Festung Ploie (“Festung ti ú ti, which had been whichhadti, by so carefully been planned the , Bucure ú ti”/ Fortress Ploie Fortress ti”/ ú ti, 1996, p. 281 ú ti. The Allied executed raids ú ti, as it was it as ti, 52 CEU eTD Collection loss of byburning oil However,25,000 tons. of inabout20 days increased the production abig also 55%of total the and caused to capacity processing haddecreasedthe planes by the bombs, 35 streets were blocked and the between 60-90 days. The Central School for Girls ( most severely After thisdamaged. mission,production their forwas stopped aperiod significant and several refineries ( bombing were followingmeters bombed carpet effects the system. from The 7000-8000 wasachieved. until objective mission the the repeat modify and could center Allied command the attack, unsuccessful an evaluated Havilland DH-98 Mosquitoplanes to take pictures of the effect of theirbombings. If they kindergartens, 7factories, and were 44streets blocked by rubble.the ( Station Railway South by Alliedthe bombs. Additionally, weredestroyed, there burned partially totally or the About 80% of the buildings of down-town of Ploie Unirea 59 58 several refineries: to The raidrefineries. causeddamages Romanian the 140 Americanattacked April aircraft restarted 5 on about 1944, when Ibid, p.163 St ă nescu, p.162 , The American raids of 5 and 6 May 1944 made 400 respectivelywith 200 bomber On by a newraid24 April, 200American wasconducted planes, which almost The Allies frequently sent in the wake of their air raids small formations of De The massive attacks on the Ploie Orion , Columbia and the oil exploitation oil the and Gara de Sud Orion , ú ), the ), Columbia ti area and on the oil region of Prahova Valley Schuller Schuller ú and ù ti were damaged or entirely destroyed coala Central Ochiuri Hospital Hospital was again damaged. Astra Român Hospital, two churches, two from Dâmbovi from Astra Român ă deFete 58 ă ), the lastbeing the ) was affected ) was ă , Ġ a County. Standard 59 53 , CEU eTD Collection no. 91/1944, page 23 Ploiethe on and County Prahova of fields oil Romanian the on actions military Anglo-American The continue Alliesthe to thebombingledmore campaign and victims to amongcivilians. determined which in refineries, the repair work constant conducted Romanian authorities place, Boldescu Hospital, the Prahova County Court of Law and School no. 11). 62 Antonescu ,file 94/1944,no. p.55 (Ploie killed were civilians hundred other Ploie American The raidmanaged damages tocausestrong toseveral ( refineries meter altitude. from 2582 bombsa 4,000-6,000 threw about almost which 600planes, previous one. Thecity Ploieof and wereblocked). 11streets Headquarters Central Police the Administration, Financial the Church, Friday Saint the schools, district of the eastern because madeamong civilians were victims andaffected was, however, the city was hit (among the destroyed buildings were 61 no. 89/1944, p. 1 meters. The mission7000 failed becauseof lack the of of precision.Ploie Thecenter 60 wererecorded. dead civilians 90% again of 1000 buildings initialthe to About capacity. were and of hundreds affected The National Archives of Romania, Prahova County branch , fond “Prefectura Jude “Prefectura fond , branch County Prahova Romania, of Archives National The TheNational Archives of Romania, fond “Presedin The National Archives of Romania, Prahova County branch , fond “Prefectura Jude “Prefectura fond , branch County Prahova Romania, of Archives National The ú ti, 1539houses ti, and buildings other burned destroyed were or during raid this and Under German pressure and with the participation of German experts, the The next raid, on 31 May, was the direct consequence of the lack of success of the On 18 Mai 1944, a new attack from was mounted by AmericanOn 18 almost planes 1944, anew attack 300 Mai ă , and , ú ti area determined a significant decrease in of refined products. asignificant output the ti area determined Vega ), while the distilling capacity while52%. capacity ), In distilling the was againreducedto 60 ú ti ti and the surrounding oil region were bombarded by ú ti Town Hall, Town ti 61 Ġ ia Consiliului de Mini Halele Centrale ú trii - Cabinetul Militar Ion Standard Gara deSud Ġ Ġ ului Prahova”, file Prahova”, ului ului Prahova”, file Prahova”, ului /Covered market /Covered , 62 Româno , two , 54 ú ti - CEU eTD Collection Antonescu,file no. 96/1944,pp. 1-20. 64 63 ( Station Railway North the mainly was target the here times; several was alsobombed Bucharest for which main rationale Germanyline. thefront towards infrastructure transportation towards Thiswasthe or destroy the also to but Romania of potential andrefinery extraction decrease the to just wasnot Their oil objective German sankmassive tankers. also Danube the Riverand war. the of installations as bybombings affected for refineries importance the they had decisive Marshal Ion Antonescu, totake all the necessary measures in order repairto the damaged Romania. Keitel June 1944,Marshal In persuade tried to rulerthe state, Romanian of deliveredby supplement sharethe products oil concern andaskedBucharestof to to 192,000in May 1944. Undersuchcircumstances, Nazi increasingGermany showed adecrease in from in recorded Additionally, t. was March1944 385,000 there extraction Germany.to of products export these in the consequence areduction This hadasadirect Germany. ammunition, fuel and other materials that sustained the war effort of Romania and of represented a surprise from the tactical point of view. It was made exclusively by was made about view. exclusively of It point tactical the from asurprise represented minimal. was targets to the caused ofThedamage city. the network railway wasthe one and secondary the planes bombed superficially the city of Ploie forunfavorable Hitler’s200 bombers war.On6June 1944,about defendedby fighter TheNational Archives of Romania, fond “Presedin St ă nescu, p.132. During the summer of Anglo-American1944, the forces air mined several times New Allied raids took placeNew Allied raids took during 1944inmilitary June increasingly a context 63 64 The next bombardment took place 1944and bombardmenttook on10June Thenext Gara de Nord Gara Ġ ú ia Consiliului de Mini ti. The main objective was the refinery zone ), an important transportation knot for ú trii - Cabinetul Militar Ion 55 CEU eTD Collection Steaua Româna 66 no. 93/1944, pages 1-6 service ( of out were refineries activitya certain July,to several At productivity. beginningof this the to extent reduced This bequantity achievedwork.Thefrequent by could 24 hours’ alarms putastop which recuperation of Romanianthe industry”. oil as an effect of the air “in andwas mentioned industry have thebeenrecorded that systematic heavyblows oil war (…) it will take years after the end of the war for the total damaged targets of Ploie again refinery Romanianthe American refinery)(the reduced. targeted was Ploie waves the 65 cars). personal trains, sanitary trains, passenger stations, railway countryside small fields, in the working peasants (villages, planes these from machine-gunned importance were military withoutlot sothatof targets civil objectives foractivity the was stopped next10 days.stickraidmilitary did not The strictly to maximum capacity Romanian only its American big stillfunctioned the refinery, Romanian that at refinery at thewithout moment bombs. This airof formation100 American planes, kgbomb) (eachcarryingby fighter guarded a450 150planes the hadattack. a single target Theduring therefinery attack, which was thewas damaged and its St The National Archives of Romania, Prahova County branch , fond “Prefectura Jude ă nescu, p.134 On 4 July1944,the Romanian 997wagons produced offuelrefineries per day. During July, Allied the forcesnew madeair incursions bombard to the already On 24 June 1944,300heavybombers and 200fighterplanes bombarded infour ú , ti area. The economic impact was significant as the distilling capacity of capacity distilling asthe significant was impact economic The area. ti Câmpina ú and other smaller refineries). Some of them under repairsuch ti. In a study of the Romanian Intelligence Service (S.S.I.) it Creditul Minier 66 , Orion , Columbia 65 , Redeven Ġ ului Prahova”, file Ġ a , Concordia 56 , CEU eTD Collection buildings, the church “Sfântul Dumitru”, the High School “Petru “Petru School High the Dumitru”, “Sfântul church the buildings, was inflicted ontherefineries.During air-raid this damaged,among other there were Ploie of center the hit bombs the of part important an as city the of civilians the to losses Român ( force city refineries on andthe several air on by American was executed the bombardment astrong On28July effects. hadconsiderable no attacks night whole, the any it notRomanian produce and, -Americanthe raiddid refinery. damages to on The British forcesPloie attacked 500 planes), which inflicted additional tothe still damage functioning refineries. The losses. the German-Romanian andincreased more efficient bombardments made Allied the squadrons and had them sent to other sectors of the front. The diminished riposte capacity due tothe heavy men losses of and planes, andalsobecause Germany withdrew several raid this after limited severely was forces air Romanian-German the of capacity fighting 67 stop hadtheir to production ( Germany. the as Ibid, p.135 ú ti northern neighboringleast districts.andand Ironically, the western ti the damage 67 ă The last raid during the month July of 31Julywas on the 1944 andcausedbig New American raids placetook on 15 and by 24July massive airforces (about On 9 July 1944, 250 American planes attacked the refineriesCreditul Minier and three of them , Standard, Unirea,Orion, CreditulMinier refinery, which got its replacement equipments directly from ú Vega ti usual ti as during the nightandhad as mainobjectivethe the , Xenia and Columbia and Româno-American ) for aperiod of 3 to 15 days. The ú i Pavel”, the schools the i Pavel”, ă ). Astra 57 CEU eTD Collection 70 69 68 once on the way towards USSR and a second time on their way back to Italy. Ploie of defenders the of task the made evenmore difficult warcontext the passed, time As the bombings. maintenanceby the clocktorepair round units, which causedworked damages the for reason thisAnother deployment wasthe in industrial area of numerous this from targets high bombing followinga altitude a little strategy efficiency. had that German-Romanian artillery constantly forced the Anglo-American planes to approach the capacity. In my opinion, during July Romanian continuedtoproduce1944, the at70% refineries of thenormal their explanation for this is the following: the fireby rubble. the power of the nos. 5and 7and alsothe ammunition factory “Concordia.”33 About streets were blocked targets of military interest in Germany, Hungary in Romania. military and interest Hungary Germany, of targets considered were what bombed merely they but in Poland, targets hit to capacity the had forces in Anglo-American construction an of baseinFoggiaearly air (Italy)1944,the since the Auschwitz. Indeed, as such camps extermination railwaysthe towards accused destroybymeansfailing Alliedforces the of to of gaschambersair the and raids Steinbacher Sybille like authors in Germany, air-war massive the of examination her This meant that the targets in Ploie Union. theonesin basesinItaly theSoviet flyingnewto from Romanianarea, oil their Sybille Steinbacher Stanescu, 137 St ă nescu, p.164 Although the frequency of Although frequency bombing the of Allied the of high fields oil the area was The American air forces started in the summer of 1944 “shuttle” raids on in raids on “shuttle” the of 1944 forces summer the started airThe American 68 ú , Auschwitz. A History ti. ú ti were bombed twice as hard as they were in the past, , Munich, 2005, p.119 70 69 As part of 58 CEU eTD Collection Germany unable to destroy Germany was leftfunctioning ofTaken unable to what Romanian the refineries. made it.war on 23August) army attacks (after The the and advance Romanian Soviet Nazi its policy andRomania Antonescu changedand declared radically towards Germany Antonescu On remove from power. 23 August 1944,King Marshal Michaelarrested to plan practice their put into to chance the Party the Communist of and parties historical the of representatives the to and Michael King to offered and in Moldavia line front countryour as you would avillagedogs.” without enter should enemy accept the that “Ifight: cannot before the battle. Hedeclared this air Romanian Air CaptainForce, Alexandru 800 AmericanRomanianputup afight of and17German)wereforced byvirtue order against to this planes. (27 planes 44 The forces. available the all fight the into sent Woldenga, Colonel ThereGerman Ploie were of Aviation Fighter the of head the order, Antonescu’s Marshal to alsoContrary cases ofRomâno-American volunteering. The best pilot of the 71 atPloie functioning big still two the refineries damage to caused themost on 9, 9-10,10, 17, 18and 19August 1944.The9thand 18 Me 109 G. Other Anglo-American raids on the oil fields planes fighter thenew received forces be Romanian applied tothe until andwas character area of Ploie had Theorder atemporary neighborhood. city’s andthe an extenttherefineries equal affecting of Allied planes,whichmade to even greater, incidence Allied actions the stop fighting1944 to the AirForce on7august against Romanian toorder the Antonescu Stanescu, p.138 The Soviet offensive started on 20 August 1944 broke August Romanian-German thin the broke 20 on 1944 started The Sovietoffensive The continuing decrease in the Romanian fighter aircraft determined Marshal determined aircraft fighter in theRomanian decrease The continuing ă ). The last was inoperable for almost 10 months almost the attack. after for inoperable was ). The last ù erb ă nescu wasshotdown and killed during 71 th ofAugust bombardments ú ti were conducted ú ti ( ti Vega ú ti, the ti, and 59 CEU eTD Collection 9,000 housesand buildings destroyedand23,000people becamehomeless.were were Aboutand 800 people thrown. were wounded, devices) delayed-action 750 died, destroyed. In Ploie majority being civilians; 7,809wounded andabout 30,000houses and buildings its initial capacity. in Romania andhad dead 1,550pilots and 1,700taken prisoners. forcesPrahovei. American lost here230planesfrom The down a total of shot 443 planes 110 millions American atthevalue110 millions dollars, American of yearthe 1940. lei billion 25 almost represented losses material industry, the oil Romanian 40%. Forthe was reducedto bombardments on Romania,of 30 alarm,were on the a oilreality area of August 1944 hoursWorld Between WarApril 19 wererecorded1,045 there 4 and Two. Ploiethat had important was facilities forces mainair of during the the Anglo-American transportation target consequences on the entire economy. Of the 43 76 75 74 73 72 Sovietforces during the nextdays following the by Hungarian weretakenover border (in TheRomanian the Transylvania). refineries the towards forcesretreated ultimately German the of events, aback bythisturn St XXX, Raport leu-dolar înainte de r TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 1798/1945, pages 1-7 Stanescu, 138 Giurescu, p56-57 ă nescu, p.139. In Romania, the Anglo-American air missions resulted into 7,693 dead, 7,693 the into missions resulted air In Romania, Anglo-American the at 50%of industry produced campaign Romanian At bombingthe oil endof the In Romania, the Ploie 73 ú ti, tens of thousands of bombs of all calibers (explosive, flammable According to some estimations, the extraction capacity of Romania 74 (seealsoStanescu, This was equivalentthe p.140-141). of about ú ă ti area with its 11 refineries and with the extracting and zboi; http://www.itcnet.ro/history/archive/mi2000/current2/mi43.htm coup d’état of 23 August. 75 ú ti-Câmpina-Moreni-Valea 72 76 The 60 CEU eTD Collection 77 result, Berlin hadlost end by 25%. inhabitants, about1943 overof the 1million In the utilities and transportation networks was difficult toremedy. campaign thedestructionas caused to houses,the official institutions, commercial spaces, bombing the of end the after time long a for continued situation This materials. of lack privately or state owned, was stopped because of the impact of the bombardments and the neighboringvillages andtown where the population Construction wasdispersed. work, merchants were InJunebecause of damagesthe bombardments. of incurredduringthe 1944,apart the allowed low had factories institutions.their Thegroceries productivity and meatprocessing a own to leave the tostay were ordered inwho Ploie city to pursue andfrom of food places. local purchased goods the Theworkers other administration, their commercial inhabitantsproblem many left aregularbasis duringthe since and the of on day city the activity destroyed.Lack havingcustomerspermanentstocks wasanother danger of of their in the lack of means problemsthe by encountered all of merchants the city in the getting theirthe products, of transportation,were forbidden leave to the city. This difficult situation forwas most the caused by part people trade the that fact the despite decreased supplies Thefood severely disrupted. and the decrease ofinhabitants was not even bigger. their financialnight attacks made by the RAF explainpower why impactof Thisnight. the thesmall at and returned dayand the of duringfled city the out the total numberand of casualties the among civilians part of biggestthe the by factthat limited the was numbercausalities total of city’s St ă nescu, p.166 The same predicament was shared by Germany but on Asa a much buton largerby was shared scale. Germany The same predicament Ploie of life socio-economic the campaign, bombing massive the to Due ú ti, were supplied with the products needed by suppliedthey products the were with ti, 77 ú ti was ti 61 CEU eTD Collection differently from leaders of time.the Romania’s from differently reality the perceived population this show, will chapters next As the phenomenon. whicha way led city becoming tothe out, andmigration depopulated aday-night in Caught battlea tremendous theinhabitantstofind attempted middleof the Ploiesti the damage. infrastructure dead civilians major and which hadasaconsequencehundreds of World War Two actors. The city of Ploie of city The actors. Two War World 78 movement to the occupied territories outside the Old Reich such as Poland. even apopulation recorded the surroundings was therural cities.There of people to million6 about The regime relocated problems. additional and created overpopulation the industry alsorelocate to theNazisdecided for survival. Moreover, essential facilities maintaining fromrural areas where this massive population was settled, the only form paidof wasin work cities and its work force. This caused in certain areas a rural Steinbacher, p.74 The bombardments on Ploie ú ti showed how important the oil factor was for the ú ti was ravaged by the Anglo-American raids, Anglo-American the by ravaged was ti 78 62 CEU eTD Collection number of casualties and heavy losses by of planes incurred Anglo-Americansthe during big the haveshowed, chapters two first As network. the transport wasthe one secondary was constituted by the 11 refineries catering for the German-Romanian war needs and the main the objective this perimeter, by Germany. Inside warconducted Nazi the blow to beginning attotal annihilation and by the conceived Allied Command High asamajor the from aimed area fields oil Romanian the on campaign bombing Allied The of circumstances 1940s. the military in the one a paradoxical as well as image public inertial conservative, Romaniastudy population’sabout perception of “the enemy,the a other”, of public moralevarious inRomaniaof stages during will war.The a the chapter end with the of evolution the discuss will chapter the of part last The war. air the of context the in in Romania, a revolt of absence for the account also will chapter present The propaganda. war of phenomenon the with also connected process, in this involved factors important establishing howthe mass mentality was shaped press since remainedthe one of mostthe in relevant is time the of press the in events the of reflection The cities. Romanian bombed in civil ledthe casualties to that particularities summary of military short the with will Istart theirfriends country. of the and enemies the view regarding conservative developments. context campaignWorld in onRomania’sbroader population of War the Two With a view to this, I will dwell CAMPAIGN BOMBING OFTHEALLIED IN THECONTEXT on the CHAPTER 3:PUBLIC ANDTHE MORALE IMAGE OFTHE ENEMY causes of the Romanians’ The main aim of this chapter is to evaluate the effects of the Allied bombing 63 CEU eTD Collection towards them from them regime. the towards message official the voice massesand of the filtered the between dualism expressed was of asort press the fact,through In Antonescu. of Marshal military regime dictatorial the press by biasedare obviously selected alsocarefully and imposed censorshipthe during of many in many circulateddiscussion this data aspects the problem.of Nevertheless, the into brings it since research of instrument important an constitutes example, for of many studies, which reflection aremissing.Its inunfortunately the press of time,the object the been have should air-war the by caused experience their regarding Romanians ismuchevents moreto define difficult quantify. of mental or collective the The attitude and memories, testimonies personal through theanalyzed be might aspect individual collective the If collectively. and mentality and individually both people the the by perceived was war the by attitudebrought suffering The of the masses towards the war6,500 inaboutcompared to Bucharest). total total number of civilian victims wasalmost tentimes bigger 800killed (around in Ploie however, the upon city. the Bucharest, In inflicted military scope operations of Allied the cities. However, total number ofvictims in Ploie human lives among the civilians of Ploie thus achieved to agreat extent theirmilitary and economic objectives but at ahigh cost in been hadnot and attempts successful, alltheother since extensively, strategy bombing” “carpet the used they Consequently, air in raids. military following the tactics different the 1943 “Tidal wave” operation on the Ploie ú ti, Bucharest and other bombed Romanian ú ti ti is lowcomparatively judgingby the ú ti area determined them to adopt a 64 ú ti CEU eTD Collection camouflage in the media of the time of the horrors perpetrated by the Romanian army on tothe due Union was also Soviet greedof the the to military response justified a giving in thing right the was doing regime the that masses the of perception The Union,Soviet andthe consequent1940 retreat of Romanians from theircountry. own their wish to free eastern Moldavia and to make up for the humiliation at the hands of the in expressing public gathered places, spontaneously speech,the people Bucharest the of bolshevism. backtothecountry Bring ancestors’ our nativelistening land.”After to Crush the enemy from the East and North. Free your enslaved brothers from the red yoke River! thePrut you. Cross Iorder “Soldiers, Antonescu: General state, of Romanian the leader the of proclamation the broadcast service radio public the 1941, June 22 On Union’sSoviet of war act of June 1940. the to response asRomania’s action, defence legitimate asa masses tothe presented military was campaign asthe evenenthusiastic, werehigh, of people confidence the of Themoraleregime with exception and backedthis the communists. campaign, the the Antonescu the of opponents political the Even society. Romanian the of representatives population,militaryKing Michael, politicians, the other personalities, cultural and 80 79 Her Bukovina and (Bessarabia, Northern inUnion 1940 Soviet takenby the territories for liberation occupied the the of war holy a as this presented regime Antonescu the Germany, Nazi with in alliance War Two World entered Romania When consequences. their and country the on bombardments more todo with the general conditions of World War Two than with the Anglo-American had that factors by shaped were Romanians the of morale and mentality mass The Ibid, p.95 Giurescu, p.94 79 Ġ a). This project was strongly supported bythe supported was strongly project a). This 80 65 CEU eTD Collection described the massacre of the weakened, unequipped, erroneously commanded and small and commanded erroneously unequipped, of weakened, the massacre the described press Romanian the If circle). artic the inside in areas or Urals the in Siberia, died having rest the war, home the after returned few thousands a (only prisoners taken or wounded of 600,000Romanian approximate the soldiers sentUnion Soviet to the were perished, and technological inferiority well as as being 2/3 greatly Basically,outnumbered. about fightagainstahuge asymmetrical enemy foughtit3 years aboutwhom with instrategic early as were military in armies 1942. Romania’s engaged byAntonescu’s decisions an as onRomania bombardments initiating latter (12December the 1941), Unitedthe States with and 1941) December Britain (7 Great with war state of a entered country The andmorale. masses’feelings the to alter started followed the lost historical territories, together with King Michael and many other politicians, what for fight regimethe inthe supported masses territory. SovietIf the the into armies deep Antonescu speeches, didinitial his In notmasses. the of mention psychology the on impact a devastating had staff) to the Romanians his plansto Romania to fromadvance the front line withalong unofficial two Romanian channels heavycommandincurred losses and men in The of terms news thatcame and equipment. (such the retreat of soldiers and forceshandshisof came underGerman asRomanian moment gotout on, things historicalRussia eastern From of ethnicalborder the and this and also Romanians). the beyond the Dniester River military offensive the continue to decision controversial Antonescu’s after desperation (the old borderand pessimism of into Moldaviaturned ultimately and away faded and,gradually optimism Public later on, of Romania with Gypsies, Romania’s whichconstituted Holocaust. contribution to againstAntonescu’sminority Jewish in the Bessarabia Romanian orders the and against 66 CEU eTD Collection phenomenon also took placephenomenon inNazi remainedGermany,also took the people without where that scale,this regime.on the a much On greater even more dependent rendered themasses samethe time many butat people among dissatisfaction indeedgreat caused created it destruction the and war air the Paradoxically, regime. Antonescu the oppose to ways invasion Romania by of RedArmy the many Romanians fordiscouraged looked that such a line of action. German military in significant presence key the further of country areas the discouraged Later on,in the handsduring of the military regime, the under strict war, was entire economy Its military rule. Carol II’s since destroyed system parliamentary democratic command the and organization. perspective The inertial the in it found which its itself: process Romania with wasadictatorship of be might the answer possible One conflict. internal this massive of expression legitimate a as regime scale the overthrow not did Romanians is the why respect this in isquestion A relevant other. the on Nazis, with the allied Antonescu regime and hand, the further contributing growing the Romanian to between the gap onethe population, on place, took bombings Allied the that background psychological this against is It without any trial). Germans by for being‘cowards’ the wereshot them of battleStalingradthe (many of German about theinjusticeally of and of treatment Romanianthe soldiers thatsurvived aboutthem,friendsfamilies, found andacquaintances thearrogance their ofthe out bravely, the wounded soldiers sent home for recuperation told the rest of the story. From behaved soldier which Romanian the in battle agreat as atStalingrad Romanian armies 67 CEU eTD Collection 81 by state’s censorship. the way in any influenced be not could and not was bombardments the by caused indignation huge However, importance. the and public tragedy information military of published never it and masses the of psychology real the about talked never press The and reports the remained studiesmadeby military the confidential. Romanian the experts many children). Of course, the majority of the population had no way of knowing this as accuracy and caused theeventually destroyed abig part of industrial-military desiredthe but hadtargets little death of a great numberunsuccessful, high the and onealtitude known “carpetas the bombing” strategy, which of civilians (old employeddifferent inRomania two thelow height bombing whichtactics: attack, people,proved women and the Allied planes fell on people’s houses. As chapter two showed, the by Anglo-Americans thrown bombs the of most and low was bombardments the of accuracy the campaign least beginningthe by the fact at at beliefsupported of that civilians. the was This the masses was that by means of these bombardments the Allies aimed to terrorize the In 1944,if judge we by the reflection given by the press, the general impression of vulnerable. shelterincreasingly as of food, andfurtherwere warm assistance they homes and sometimes without families after the air strikes counted on the regime’s bowl Friedrich, p.375 that flowedrivers blood the over bodies, mangled the over fell that tears the all unknown yet on the unrecognizable are there tragedy; sceneof the an unexpected morefreelife, hasbecome than a wishnot anything peacefulthe capital whichdid “Bucharest, country a small of faces of from time. newspapers the the paragraphs are samples The following of the children, parents and all the 81 68 CEU eTD Collection 84 83 82 There and werestruck burnt hospitals full with wounded andill people, charity county entirethe inhabitedneighbourhoods people outby were wiped andworkers. poor other things, the Patriarch said in this letter the following: “In the capital and in the rest of Among country. the on bombing campaign a terror were pursuing Allied forces the that of the Orthodox Church among the majority of the Romanians,increased the public belief stop thebombing campaign.The thisas wellpublic contentof letter, as thehuge prestige to country inhis factors decision political the on influence his use to him asking Britain, Great of Bishop Canterbury tothe Nicodim, Church,Patriarch Orthodox Romanian judgement. which and influenced the massperception factors powerful other The pressactivated For example, the newspapers published the message of the head of the XXX, Prin XXX, Bucure Dan B XXX, Bombardarea Bucure ă bombardment.” advancing units of Red found Army the violentdeath under a the dense afullmiserable flee they had took since from blow.people, to the Poor, “Trains full of refugeeswreath.” your ahero forehead on received you’ve [from Moldavia]Dear Bucharest, (...) Capital of the streets the mad,on terrible, omnipotent, that were to leaverunning along without streets any destination (…) Almost for an Death flewhour, the railway mothers, crazy seen have parents….I their with Some crushed. others stationbodies, of of missing haveparts “(…) with theirthem…Some Lots dead children! seen I survivors.” beloved that remained forever still and deaf to the desperate calls of the lteanu, 4 Aprilie 1944, p.3, in “Universul” LXI, no. 99 of 9 April 1944 ú tii îndoliatii 82 84 ú tilor, p. 1, in “Universul”, LXI, no. 97 of 7 Ġ i,“Universul” in LXI, 100no. of 10 April 1944 83 April 1944 April 69 CEU eTD Collection Ploie 86 2562, 25 June 1944. accurate, the official message also contained a second component, since it used the it used since component, a second contained messagealso theofficial accurate, However, this message was notentirely honest. If the part regarding the Soviet threat was happened there. had what reminderjust of a message was official Romanian authorities’ the message. fact, official is “propaganda” term In the notperfectly suitable since deeply the strengthened or“Romanianpower” collaborators” Sovietthe towards elements “hostile of Siberia to deportation massive and executions numerous the massacres, border several the of country, the rest inthe regions unoccupied the towards exodus 1940. The sudden military invasion conducted by Soviets,the Romanianthe forced 85 named. system andwere its state communist Soviet ishowthe which danger of “redplague”, the the underlined propaganda Romanian the enemy, the of perception the Regarding against them. propaganda machines of Alliedthe motivate and forces, the to fightof Romaniansthe neutralize the stronger Romanian messagestried the to Keepingofficial proportions, the in the minds of the Soviet soldiers. The Allies promoted this message in Romania as well. invincibility, had alongperception for German the soldier regarding which existed time with in change the the German started of the armies defeat today, the historians consider on importance publicthe mentality of nations involvedthe inWorld WarTwo.As many major a had war the of participants the all by promoted propaganda war The and Christ from the holy shrines was burnt by the sons of your church”. pyres, into weretransformed churches mercy.Our Christian of places all organizations, Constantin Hlihor, Constantin “Scrisoarea I.P.P.S. Patriarhul Nicodim adresat ú tilor 86 , inFestung Ploie The message was successful, in my opinion, due to its confirmation in its in June dueto my confirmation Theopinion, messagewassuccessful, Imaginea “Celuilalt” în timpul bombardamentelor Anglo-Americane asupra ú ti, vol. 2, Ploie ú ti, 2004, p.162 ă episcopului de Canteburry”, p. 1, in 85 Timpul , VIII, nr. 70 CEU eTD Collection 30 divisions on a neutral Romania, stripping it land, of resources people, and30 divisionsRomania, onaneutral stripping inhappened the after summermonth the Soviet of launched a 1940, almost Union about Hungary northern part the of Romania (northern Transylvania). Thisinfamous event international blackmailGermans ineyes Romaniansthe wasthe of Vienna1940), an Second Award (30August orchestrated by Nazithe of image the negativealready the to added that historical experience Another Germany and FascistRomanians. Italy, which gaveeconomy, to Romanian the of year a almost for exploitation following the and million) a was half than conducive1917. The great numberto of Romaniansa killednegative in the battlesones invadedand ultimately thesouthern includingin part ofthecountry, Bucharest of the First World War (more imageby support armies. The theRomanian Austro-Hungarian the German armies defeated of the Germansoffensive by in was Transylvania stopped called German the reinforcements infor in thehad a painful military and social experience during the Firstminds World War, when its military of economic countries Romania of collaboration had War Two. the two the Worldduring the and military the surrounding circumstances the and experience historical both by shaped was Germans towards the also attitude ally. but of German The the Russians/Soviets the of only not image negative a had Romanians the Paradoxically, aggressors. regime mademany honest Romanians fallinto this trapby Jewsplacing the among the political the Jews, i.e. the imaginary one, an with empire) theSoviet of (expansion threat real a By associating collaborators. changing constantly but close his and Stalin of plans theJewswith criminal associating falsely the “the menace”, phrase Judeo-Bolshevik 71 CEU eTD Collection Antonescu , file no. 94/1944, p. 253 p. 94/1944, no. file , Antonescu 87 employed forces Allied the that believe to time ofthe experts military led the people of lotsuffering. Theleaflets existence of andthis these typerequest tothe of Romanian which sparetheRomanians a would shortening put on possibility the war, the of thus of Hitler. with alliance of the get out to and machine war German the sabotage to Romanians the encourage to messageswas key these The general idea of text. chosen and well Themessageshadavery from direct Romania. on Allied planes thrown leaflets the via propaganda the of impact social the evaluate to difficult is It units. Romanian the from horses or vehicles Generally, regarding the Eastern Front, there are accounts of German forces seizing food, traitors). Romanianbattles RedArmy soldiersas execute survivingwith the the and sometimes ally, German the of arrogance the about evenfriends and families their told itssoldiers Romanian cruelty (like the many Furthermore, alreadycollective perception. erase this pre-existent able to was not mentioned practice1940s the of beginning the at made Germany and Romania between alliance The of the Germans Two. to War World throughout enemy” “the remain would They German. the and citizen) Soviet who the enemy was for them: the Russian Russification1940 forth).(a Therefore, contributedand so totheRomanians’ perception of facile way to identify the more ambiguousmassacres, executions, border 1941, until inSiberia thousands of deportations a andin of national investments, (tens territory occupied causingtremendous drama the TheNational Archives of Romania, fond “Presedin Ġ ia Consiliului de Mini ú trii - Cabinetul Militar Ion 87 The emphasis was 72 CEU eTD Collection Romania. A madestudy in 1940s the by Americanthe Military services and having an The state’s benevolence for apossible ground prepare agreement. peace the was aimingto a certain provedattitude political also Allied state of crews,the Romanian the doubled by the largest of population.the part members thecaptured behaviouradopting By this towards position internationalof the simple legislation the respected who authorities, Romanian by the treated well were American prisoners people on war prisonersof the them, towards country the of friendly attitude this of expression practical anda As also reflectedFrance. the Christian valuesin ofthe the First World War towardsand which the countryone aimed. Greatof Britain the represented alsopartners the old ally of Romania of anideal civilization, for Romania represented always andthe British Americans of Romanian diplomacy, together with 88 baddies. the paradoxically, as perceived, guys” theGermans were “good while the remain to continued British the and Americans The interests. and affinities cultural with American enemies was owing acomplex to imagological background, which had todo The,perception. public for Romanian in the Americans the the mostand English the of image positive relatively part, the was modify to able not were apparatus friendly attitudepropaganda the and discourse official authorities’ Romanian the that aspect One of the Romanians towardsto achievethisgoal. the Anglo- bombingterror on Romania, as an moreadditional and farcynical instrument persuasion Hlihor, p.165 88 The 73 CEU eTD Collection 1993, p.58 90 89 same”. moral dignity and great they with nation a are respectRomanians The alarmed. are you the that show not ones do and caught], that are like them. Be are you [if calmimpulsively act not “Do and instructions: they in these mentioned willwas following be the the things, other Among captured. were they case in behave should they way the about local embarkingspecial peasants.Before the on mission, their got pilots instructions gendarmes in the rural mostly authorities, areas, military Romanian the by custody into the taken being Before Americanscome as ‘friends’ and andare stripping Romania bare of all itsthe food and oil.” British werenow have and countries, conquered treat can Germans them as only war andtreated last first capturedthe in enemies as country their to came who Germans, by the loathe They the Russians. the fear they and Americans the and British the French, the like They strangers. to hospitable and friendly,kindly honest, are peasants, the in particular and people, Romanian The ” Romanian thingsmentioned Amongpeople. other thefollowings: study the the moment of the air strikes as well as the culture, mentality,feelings and interests of the of madeRomania, pertinentobservations regardingthesocial background of Romania at internal military usage as it served informto the American pilots about the social realities violence stopped. British, all or Americans were they understanding after Immediately Anglo-Americans. when the locals did not treated incidentsthem violent in occurredonly with Theonly stages, dignity. the early know if the pilots they found on their fields were Russians or Mircea Pietreanu, Prizonierii americani înva americani Prizonierii Pietreanu, Mircea TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 170/1943, p.48 90 Generally, the accounts of the Anglo-American prisoners mention that the locals the that mention prisoners Anglo-American the of accounts the Generally, Ġă limba român limba ă , in “Magazin Istoric” nr. 2(311) of February 2(311) nr. Istoric” “Magazin , in 89 74 CEU eTD Collection cât s two opposite sides found at a war with each other. between these paradox imagological of positive indicatethe asymmetry seem to accounts Anglo-American pilots too had Becausethe simple peasants. to down authorities from high state the prisoners, American a good impression of their Romanian enemies,These all statements these also confirm the attitudecomfortable since I came here to bomb these people andof now Ifind them sothe kind tous Romaniansvery feel don’t I well. very us towards treat and good are doctors the the hospital Anglo- the “In (Cap. James E. Mann) prisoners to the Romanians,everybody not toand theequipment medical Germans,best the treated here have They hospital. Romanian anda in am “I this us is asa great ifso friendly with their enemies” advantage(Lt. John Roades).we were for theirme” “The Romanians are indeed splendid people. I would never believe that ownthey can be (…). Romanians.You have of perception their and prisoners toBritish and American the by know enjoyed detention of that we are (which werereadand copiedby services). intelligence Romanian the home sent Alliedprisoners the that letters in the written were stories These gendarmes. alcoholic “ritual” Romanian And drink). only peasantscalledin this after the the 92 91 and food at the table butvery with were put served they clean, and poor houses, simplepeasant to invited were they that recounted Americans Many TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 360/1944, p. 427 (also in Cornel Marandiuc, Notes onRomania, in Festung Ploie ă cuprind What follows are some fragments from their letters reflecting the good conditions 91 ă cerul patriei , Cluj-Napoca, 1995, p.67) ú ti, p.176-177ti, Ġ uic ă (atraditional Inimi 92 75 CEU eTD Collection since Romania couldhelpnot doing whatitdid. Even if in June 1940, GreatBritain said through spreadterror by defended not aim theirsaying thatthey themselves did to raids Romanian bombing. side thesemilitary asterror considered Theactions English pilots bombardments on Ploie on bombardments night own their of results the with confronted were prisoners British The remained embarrassingly silent. at the time of this military since odd Union, arequite from Soviet the prisoners against Anglo-American the coming aggression on Romania, warintobroughtinhabitants. houses These Romania’s the the harshcritiques of all the great democracies of the world 93 of Bessarabia, northernBucovina and the Her Moreover, they criticized several external actions of the Soviet Union, such as the seizure message. anopposite warcarried the madeduring Anglo-American prisoners the of declarations the Romania, on control full have a to Union Soviet the allowed America in a historical perspective. Whatis strikingforme is the contradiction between facts and statements, analysed While after them. towards thebenevolent war, Great Britainmake more Romanian authorities to in the by order superiors whattheir they were taught and the United States haverepeated may Alliedmanner. The well atin bemust andcontextual looked a relative of statements all these I consider that account, into them Taking enemy). the of perception their casualties, civil (objectives, Romania on missions military their of aspects several concerning they explanations since interestingoffered wereextremely Their declarations manner. informal and in relaxed interrogated were Anglo-Americanprisoners The Notes on Romania, in Festung Ploie ú ti and Bucharest. and ti ú ti , p.175. 93 The interrogators told them that the Ġ a region in 1940,atragicthat event 76 CEU eTD Collection 94 perceptions Romanians’ mentality and the of collective the extent status the a great to Romanian or pilots, studies the madeby about services showed people Alliedmilitary the Anglo-American the of accounts the records, historic the coverage, press The non-belligerentvictims and used insteadadifferent bombingmethod. frequently if their own superior commanders had shown some concern for the faith of the so occurred have not would casualties civil such that admitted they Therefore, low. very wasstill bombardments of the precision the conditions, these under execution, perfect to miss their targetsa small They explainedthat only delay of coulda fewseconds launched bombs causethe and destroy the leadersbombard of that meter altitude.military them from 7,000 theirordered to who surroundings of butthetheirnot responsibility saidthis was that Allied the pilots cities, areas of Romania’s designatedcivil on bombs of quantity area.large a threw they why reason the Even about asked When with a as possible. warasfast the of out be taken must Germany, which of Nazi interests the served because those network communication andthe oil Romanian destroy the were to forces Allied of the objectives military strategic the statements, these to According purpose. only their this was was the liquidation of Germany. objective their declared further members crews’ The Anglo-American captured air The missions on Romania were aimed at this, insanity.”was a“pure Pacific the Ocean and to River ended and Dniester from the started madethat byacountry this gesture said that and did nothing supportRomania to of infrontthe attack; Soviet Britishthe prisoners Ibid 94 77 CEU eTD Collection cities of the country, was significantly determined by perceptions,morale and interests.other and Bucharest free to army, Romanian the with together Germans the fought that forces in many patriotic the of civilians The enrolment followed. that military operations success the psychologicalcontributing ground wasalready greatly of prepared the to sudden military occurred, likechange the coupd’etat of 23 didn’t influence themilitary for any involved. operations parts of the a However, when aspectslogy conflict various military of the imago moralecivilians’ ortheir regarding the warproper, the experience. During historical thepast couldn’tbut erase present the on relied that reality by a shaped was Germans the of image the way, same the In Bucovina and Her (Bessarabia, of Romania part eastern the seizureof cynical and the communists of the itsRomanian positive feelings Anglo-Americansshowed towards enemy. publicfear The about war and enemies. Among all the crimes committed by the regime, the average Ġ a) preserved abadimage of Russiansthe all warandthe through after. rd of August of 1944, the 78 CEU eTD Collection in 1941 (when Romania war).This enteredthe demographic dynamicsand the modernization. inhabitants up The numberof continued togrow approximatelyto 90,000 and its development carry on years and to Depression Great the during setback recorded mostlyDuethe powerto of theoilindustry, Ploie allturned evolutionthis intoinvolution. growth of the city. The progressive urban animpressive them generated whichflourishedaround rest of activities economic destruction of the city duringoverpopulated rural regions of the country.the The building of 15 refinerieswar together with the by air-strikes capital, also bringing with it alarge number of immigrants, mostly from the Ploie social impact. the dataabout andofferedonly occasionally military problem aspect of the part, the most for the covered, works These sources. secondary of from multitude a data relevant urban history World Warby during evaluating andcritically Two all gathering the information taken from primary sources, this thesis has aimed to contribute to the field of the to In addition social.economic and military, components: onseveral was approached a micro-analysis city.from macro-history This to basedon passage a given study case Allies bombing campaignsuch event as the majorhistorical of a account aclose-up thesis same way,offered the on a relatively small industrial subject,the which is in historiography, traditional the Romanian social At to the one. and urban area of the Ploie Conclusions ú ti. It brought wealth to the city and attracted like a magnet Romanian and foreign The oil industry boosted the development of thedevelopment boosted of industry The small the 19 oil The current thesis aimed to redirect the research focus from the military of military side from the researchfocus redirect tothe aimed thesis The current ú ti succeededti overcometo the th -century trade town of town trade -century 79 ú ti CEU eTD Collection Romania having a in interestclose TheAnglo-Americans this aspect. particular in plans military their made conflict in the involved parts the All Two. War World Ploie of people the of destinies the shape to continued factor oil The military RomaniaAntonescu. the Ion during of dictatorship its surroundings). They alsosubjected general were tothe policies of anti-Semitic and, therefore, they were removed Ploie community of from the Romanian oil fields ofthelocal members valuable Loyal and Jews. theRomanian were most suffered the area (from the city and War Two. The greatest“golden inter-ethnicage” of into cohabitation averyturned dark experience during World part of the foreignersPloie in the the open andheart showed Moise”), andvarious institutions wisdom the religious of city was expelled.life of Thethe city,ones thethat economic inthe minorities the of integration the However, existence aspects. socio-economic the of ethnic schools almostJews represented 10.000. (such as the JewishPloie boys schoolin group ethnic largest second the Jews, of number “Lucasignificant a as well as Transylvania from mostly coming Hungarians many of case is the It environment. social and business settled here in ethnic an down andstarted economic open groups and positive 95 In the interwar period, Ploieincreasedhowever,this vulnerability. city’s the development buildings benefits broughtWhen out, numerous peace time.broke during war the consolidation of the down-town of the city with numerous administrative and commercial Geal ú ú ă ti ti community, also interested in the further capitalist development of their city. This 90.000 people forpopulation of about the atotal Romanians.1940’s the In after ti, , Istoricul cultului mozaic din Ploie ú ti, they were considered unreliable by the Romanian political regime political by Romanian the unreliable ti,were considered they 95 The city keptits prevalent Romanian character in all ú ti was a multiethnic city; representatives of different ú ti , p.21 ú ti during ti 80 CEU eTD Collection one takes into account the instrument of the universal suffrage. However, in instrumentaccount the the However, 1940s, universal onethe suffrage. takesintoof Romania’s leaders would and their policy havehasimportant political if consequences, city. the upon bombardments heavy of context in the duties its on carried Ploiesti. This of life economic minimal a and was administration local the in function possible kept authorities due to war legislation institutions. militarization of civil andstate decision, Romanian this Bytaking the and a central military command that human lives of cost the total limited considerably regions authorities citiescountry, orthe other of in Ploie bombing campaignas well. allowing biggest the By part of fleecity’s dwellers to towards this of effects social the influenced authorities Romanian the of response The inflicted damage on civilian buildings as well. this of military of attack areas. Besides and industrial method the targets, annihilation the paidbombed but at ahighby and country’scost of infrastructure civilians the the of the damage1944 bombing Romania,on succeededto campaign abig oil partof the refineries in system,extensively the bombing” usedbythem military The“carpet the approach. up itslossin achange inEurope semi-failure all raids to then),their air and in promted by recorded Anglo-American the forces “Tidalwave”after in operation 1943 highest (the authorities adopta to differentmilitary Thetactics. huge bothin cost men and planes oil the industry or by by sabotages a fewisolatedairblows, led military theAlliedhigh civilians.As it has been shown, the failure or the ineffectiveness of all attempts to destroy victims among produced that element is dynamic it the since importance isa particular of mechanism,which military destroy it, a they developed to order warmachine. In German evenunderstood before warthehuge the importancethe Romanian oil would havefor the In normal and democratic circumstances, the perception of the people regarding ú ti. However, at the end of 1940 a decree was adopted for the 81 CEU eTD Collection associated with the West and the ideal image of Western culture that the Romanians had Romanians the that culture Western imageof and ideal the with West the associated Germans. the imageof retain enemy the Romaniansto the for reasons were other economy Romanian of the and front economicexploitation Eastern the onthe soldiers Romanians the image in minds the hearts of and Romanians.the The unfair behaviour of Germansthe to negative totheir of Germans the contribution was another ruleHitler, the of time under Second ViennaAward (30august1940) instrumented by German same the state, this Germans stopped and their offensive. Themutilation Romania’sof by territory the 0ăUăúHú the German army during the First WorldWar atM legends German First the army created andduetothe during the behaviour of of the asmainly a boy”“bad reflection a wasperceived The German ally World WarOne. of experience based historical on the feelings, negative had Romanians paradox sincea determined was this Romania shown, has thesis As the enemy. the of perception was older its change in alliance with a state about which the largest part Antonescu regime. the on population the of dependency of the presence of Germansthe in Romania uptothe summer of 1944, andthe economic that stoppedreasons.mutiny No began against the military theregime of the country, and the main causes massesby pragmatic in wasshaped regime, particular, Antonescu to the campaign bombing and to doAllied the to and this generally, war, the to response mass the circumstances, such Under were: the Sovietdictatorship and thrown by a chain of unfaithful events intothe blaze of World War Two. danger,military a of mechanism infernal in the trapped themselves found Romanians the the significant military The Americans remained “the good boys” even as attackers because they because were they boys”as attackers even good “the remained The Americans Regarding the imagological aspect, in Regardingaspect, the imagological 1940s the not Romanian did the population ti and Oituz, the fortification line where the Romanian army had defeated the Romanian haddefeated line the army fortification where the ti and Oituz, ăUăú 82 ti, CEU eTD Collection for the most important element of historical science: the human beings. human the science: historical of element important most the for its and consequences reveal therealcausesof phenomenon a historical on to case studies, based micro-analysis with must bebalanced literature historical war of post approaches strategic and military general The under-researched. remains its allies of those on or Reich Third the to belonging cities the on bombardments Allied of topic The people. Romanian Romania, left no chanceby for thethe Russians NKVD madethere executions to countless the massacres, border collective lands,the several these presentand themselvesfrom element theRomanian the of Siberia to deportations massive the extremelyideologists), Stalin’s in a better light to the1/3 of Romania’s territory, loss the of million of Romanians “Moldavians”credible(renamed by on imperialism. attack followed inJune neutral by the The Romania 1940, of seizure the perspectiveThe Romanians overlapped its shallow and unclear identity with the image of the Russian of an invasion ofTransylvania in 1918. the entireincorporating the Romanian inhabited provinces of Bessarabia, Bucovina and by buildingendits state process chanceto the Romania as agave consequence, and, Powers of Central defeat tothe contributed decisively who Americans the been had itfact FirstWar, World during that, that the was added Tothis forheld themselves. up One enemy that remained a fierce enemy was the new type of man, the Soviet. 83 CEU eTD Collection 96 Appendices TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 170/1943, p. 21 1. attack of of 1 attack The targets of Alliedthe planes in southern Romania during the low-altitude August 1943and leveltheir destruction of 96 84 CEU eTD Collection 97 TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 170/1943, p.20 2. of 1 The route of the Allied planes in southern Romania during the low-altitude attack August 1943– Operation “Tidal Wave” 97 85 CEU eTD Collection 98 3. The disposal of the refineries around Ploiesti city Eugen St ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 98 ú ti, p.145 86 CEU eTD Collection 99 raid after the bombing 4. „Concordia-Vega” refinery Eugen St Eugen ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 99 ú ti , p.149 87 CEU eTD Collection 100 5. Internal damage at„Creditul Minier” refinery Eugen St Eugen ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 100 ú ti , p.155 88 CEU eTD Collection 101 6. fuel refinery Destroyed„Concordia Vega” inside tanks Eugen St Eugen ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 101 ú ti , p.146 89 CEU eTD Collection Antonescu,file no. 94/1944,p.253 102 TheNational Archives of Romania, fond “Presedin alliance with Nazi Nazi Germany alliance with 7. Leafletdropped by Alliesthe asking the end Romanian people to Romania’s 102 Ġ ia Consiliului de Mini ú trii - Cabinetul Militar Ion 90 CEU eTD Collection Antonescu,file no. 94/1944,p.252 103 TheNational Archives of Romania, fond “Presedin alliance with Nazi Germany in order to shorten war the shorten to in order Nazi Germany alliance with 8. Leafletdropped by Alliesthe asking the end Romanian people to Romania’s Ġ ia Consiliului de Mini 103 ú trii - Cabinetul Militar Ion 91 CEU eTD Collection no. 89/1944, p.179 104 The The National Archives of Romania, Prahova County branch, fond “Prefectura Jude labor force of Ploie 9. Information airabout raid andinstructions warnings as whatciviliansto andthe ú ti ti should do during air raids. 104 Ġ ului Prahova”, files 92 CEU eTD Collection 105 TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 170/1943, p.48 essential Romanian words andphrases. words Romanian essential instructions for the local Romanian population to help the Allied pilots and some pilots. locals handed leaflet 10. Anglo-American Itcontains bycaptured to the 105 93 CEU eTD Collection 106 TheMilitary Archives of Romania, fond 948, file no. 170/1943, p. 44 Romanian society Romanianand attitudes. society people’s 11. Information from trainingthe program Anglo-Americanthe of pilots regarding 106 94 CEU eTD Collection 107 Eugen St Eugen 12. A instreet Ploie ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ú ti Worldduringti War Two. ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 107 ú ti , p.176 95 CEU eTD Collection 108 Eugen St Eugen 14. A bombarded house in Ploie ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ă ú nescu, ti 108 Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie ú ti , p.178 96 CEU eTD Collection 109 Eugen St Eugen 15. A ruinednear hotel building adestroyed ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 109 ú ti , p.171 97 CEU eTD Collection 110 16. Down-town Ploie Eugen St Eugen ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ú ti. Pia Ġ a Obor, Halele Centrale ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 110 ú ti , p.168 98 CEU eTD Collection 111 Eugen St Eugen 17. A street in Ploie ă nescu, Gavriil Preda, Iulia St Iulia Preda, Gavriil nescu, ú ti ti during the Allied air raids ă nescu, Petrol ú i bombe la Ploie 111 ú ti, p.170 99 CEU eTD Collection Ed. MilitarEd. Eugen Bantea, Eugen în Festung Ploie / Romanian extractive industryDevelopment andmodernization between 1933and1940. Ion Agrigoroaiei, Ion Bibliography: 1944 “Universul”, LXI, no. 97 of 7 “Timpul” nr.2562 VIII, of 25 June1944 Periodicals: - Cabinetul Militar Ion Antonescu,files 94/1944,96/1944 no. The National Archives of Romania, Bucharest, fond “Presedin fond Bucharest, Romania, of Archives National The Prahova”,files 89/1944, no. 91/1944, 93/1944 The Archives National of Judebranch,Romania,fond County Prahova “Prefectura 170/1943 The Military Archives of Bucharest, fondRomania, 948,files no. 1798/1945,360/1944, Archives: sources and Bibliography ă , Bucure Miza petrolului învâltoarea r ú ti, vol.1, Printeuro, Ploie vol.1,ti, Industria extractiv ú ti, 1983 April 1944,no. 99 9Aprilof 100 1944, no. of 10 April ă întreanii1933 ú ti, 2003 ti, ă zboiului/ ú i 1940.Dezvoltare The oilstake inside war’s fire, Ġ ia Consiliului de Mini de Consiliului ia ú i modernizare Ġ ú ului 100 trii , CEU eTD Collection 1944, Dennis Deletant, Ploie1, Printeuro, JewsRomania’s Carp, Matatias Special Operations Executive (November 1940 – January 1941) –January (November1940 Special OperationsExecutive (Noiembrie 1940–Ianuarie1941)/TheRomanianoilinthesabotageplans of Ioan Chiper, World WarTwo, Romanian oilindustry Romania’s integrationinthemilitaryin theeve operationsof of integr Gheorghe Calcan, Gheorghe 2001 Oppression and resistance in the history of the RomanianJewry Oppression andresistance inthehistoryof Lya Benjamin, Lya factors Risc Dana Beldiman, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2006 ă rii Românieiînopera , in Festung Ploie Petrolul românesc înplanurile de sabotaj aleSpecialOperations Executive , HolocaustFacts inRomania.anddocuments on theannihilationof Festung Ploie Prigoan 1940-1944, Valea Prahovei 1940-1941. Factoriderisc/PrahovaValley 1940-1941. Hitler's ally: Ion Antonescuforgotten 1940- andhisregime, Romania ú ti, 2003 ti, Aspecte ale evolu ú ă i rezisten i Florida, 2000 Safety Harbor, ú ti, vol. 1, Printeuro, Ploie Ġ ú iunile celuide-al doilea r ti, vol.1, Printeuro, Ploie Ġă Ġ iei industriei petroliere române în istoria evreilor din evreilor înistoria România.1940-1944/ ú ti, 2003 ú ti, 2003 ă zboi mondial/Aspectsthe of , în Festung Ploie Festung în , , Hasefer, Bucure , Hasefer, ú ti înpreajma ú ti, vol. ti, 101 ú ti, CEU eTD Collection Bucure Mircea Ioni Mircea on Ploie asupra Ploie Hlihor, Constantin World War Two Dinu C.Giurescu, Ploie Laura Cristina Geal Laura Cristina Jewish comunity inPloie Laura Cristina Geal Laura Cristina 2006 York, Jorg Friedrich,Jorg Dwight Eisenhower, PotomacLondon, 2002 Inc., Books James Dugan, Carroll Stewart, Carroll James Dugan, ú ti ú , Ploie ti, 1993 ti, ú ti, p.162, in Festung Ploie Ġ iu, ú tilor/ Theimageof“theOther” during theAnglo-American bombardments ú ti-Mileniul III, Ploie The Fire. The bombing of Germany, bombing of Fire. The , AllEducational, Bucure Amintiri Imaginea “Celuilalt”în timpul bombardamentelor Anglo-Americane România înaldoilear ă ă Cruciad , , Istoricul cultului mozaic din Ploie Istoricul cultuluimozaicdin Istoricul comunit ú ú i reflec ti, Hasefer, Bucure ă înEuropa Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August1943 Ploesti: TheGreat Ground-AirBattleof Ġ iuni/ Memories and remembrance ú ú ti, vol. 2,Printeuro, Ploie ti, 2004 ăĠ , Ed. Politic ú ti, 1999 ti, ii evreilor dinPloie ă zboi mondial(1939-1945)/ during Romania ú ti, 2008 ă , Bucure Columbia University Press, New Press, University Columbia ú ti/ The history of the Jewshistory of in ti/ The ú ti, 2004 ú ti, 1975 ú ti /Thehistorythe of , Ed. Enciclopedic , Ed. 102 ă , , CEU eTD Collection Online at: on 3.04.2008 http://www.itcnet.ro/history/archive/mi2000/current2/mi43.htm Two XXX, learn Romanian, Mircea Pietreanu, Mircea Hans Erich Hans Erich Nossack, Cornel Cornel Marandiuc, Simmel Simmel on Individuality and Social Forms, Chicago,1971. Simmel, Georg 1937 Româneasca, Cartea Mihail Sevastos, Destruction W. G.Sebald Alan J. Levine, Ratchets andAnti-Aircraft Artillery XXX, . Raport leu-dolar inaintede razboi/ Exchange rate leu-dollar before World War Istoria artileriei , New York, Random House, 2003. , “Air War and Literature (Zurich lectures)” in lectures)” (Zurich “Air WarandLiterature The StrategicBombing Germanyof “Metropolis andMental Life” in “Magazin nr.2(311) Istoric” of February 1993 Monografia ora Prizonierii americani înva Inimi câts The End:Hamburg1943 ú i rachetelor antiaerieneromâne/i Romanian TheHistoryof ă cuprind ú ului Ploie , Ed. Modelism, Bucure ă cerul patriei, ú Ġă ti/ ThemonographofPloie , University Chicago Press, 2004 of limbaromân in Donald Levine(ed.and Georg intro.) , Praeger , Praeger Publications, London,1992 Dacia, Cluj-Napoca,1995 ú ă ti, 1996 / TheAmerican prisoners On theNatural History of ú ti city, Bucure 103 ú ti, CEU eTD Collection Sybille Steinbacher, at Ploie Eugen Eugen St ú ti ă , Printeuro, Ploie, Printeuro, nescu, Preda,Iulia St Gavriil Auschwitz. A History A Auschwitz. ú ti, 2003 ti, ă nescu, , Munich, Verlag C.H. Beck, 2005 Petrol Petrol ú i bombelaPloie ú ti/ Oilandbombs 104