Antonescu, Marshal Ion

Antonescu, Marshal Ion (1886–1946),Romanian Army officer, minister of war since 1932, was appointed prime minister by King Carol (1893–1953) in September 1940. Carol then abdicated and Antonescu, modelling himself on Mussolini, established a Fascist-style dictatorship in conjunction with the Fascist Iron Guard organization, which he later used the army to suppress. He fought alongside the Germans when they invaded the USSR in June 1941 (see BARBAROSSA). He recaptured Bessarabia and northern Bucovina, promoted himself marshal, and when Odessa was captured in October 1941 the port was renamed after him. But as the war progressed the Romanian Army suffered terrible casualties and Antonescu's popularity waned. He started to negotiate for peace after the Axis defeat at Stalingrad in January 1943, but the negotiations foundered as he could not accept the Allied terms of unconditional surrender. He continued to prevaricate until, in August 1944, King Michael (b.1921) had him arrested and an armistice was signed. Eventually he was tried and executed for collaboration. See also Romania, 3.