Communist Takeover

Abstract

On 20 August 1944, the Soviet Red Army crossed the Prut River into Romania in an assault on retreating German and Romanian forces. Within three days, Romanian King Mihai capitulated and Romania joined the Soviets in their drive into the Balkans. Like dominoes, each Balkan Axis-allied state fell before the onslaught. Communist partisan forces swiftly moved to gain political control while their overt partnership with the Soviet military eased the way. Many Slavs inhabiting the states through which the Red Army pushed considered the Soviets “Russians” (rather than “Soviets”), and “Russia” possessed a certain popularity because of historical Orthodox religious and Slavic ethnocultural associations. Traditional nationalist images of Russia as friend and Great Power protector enjoyed widespread resonance. Many romantically believed that, just as Russia once helped free the Balkans from Ottoman rule, it now was resuming its “national liberator” role by saving them from fascist Axis domination. A good deal of such Romanticism rubbed off on the native Communist partisans, who operated in obvious coordination with the Soviet Red Army.