Hungary and the Hungarians - Corvinus Library - Hungarian History

gary, Rumania wished territorial conquest. Not content with the return of Bessarabia
general Antonescu on October 18, 1941, declared that Rumania was annexing what
he called Transnistria, that is, the part of the Ukraine between the rivers dniester
and Bug with the port of Odessa as capital. Many more Soviet soldiers died at the
hands of Rumanians than as a result of Hungary’s intervention, but when Stalin
fixed the new boundaries after the war, Rumania was again the winner because imperialistic
interests, not good or bad behavior during the conflict, influenced his
decision. He was certain of Rumanian subservience, but knew that Hungary was a
hard nut to crack.
The policy of Russia’s allies was affected by the trend of her relations with these
small nations. Britain and the United States acted upon the principle that Russia’s enemies
were also their enemies. The Soviets did not reciprocate our loyalty. On december
6, 1941 the British government declared that from the following day Britain would
be at war with finland, Rumania and Hungary because of their refusal to cease hostilities
against Russia. The Soviets declared war on Bulgaria and Japan only when the
fighting was over in order to determine the conditions of peace.
It is interesting as well as important that neither the United States nor great Britain
were ever officially at war with Slovakia or Croatia although both countries declared war
on the two English speaking powers immediately after Pearl Harbor. Washington and
London refused to acknowledge the existence of a state of war with these two little nations
because they were not recognized as sovereign states: A declaration of war coming
from Hitler- made Slovakia or Croatia was like a challenge from a gymnastic or choral
society. This procedure, however, should not be allowed to cloud our political judgment
and sense of justice. The Slovaks, according to the official Czech fiction, were part and
parcel of the Czechoslovak nation. I mention this not because I am advocating that all
Czechoslovaks be blamed for the deeds of the Slovaks, or yugoslavia for the action of
Croats. However, the fact that we were not at war with Croatia and Slovakia while we
were with Hungary should not influence our attitude toward the latter.
Actually, although Hungary declared war on us, it was illegal since it was not approved
by parliament or the Regent.
I was not in Hungary on december 12, 1941, when Prime Minister Bardossy announced
that Hungary’s diplomatic relations with the United States was severed. Bardossy
called up the legation and informed them that a state of war existed, but he insisted
it was not a declaration of war. He was asked to put this statement in writing, but
was reluctant to do so. Upon being informed that no attention would be paid a verbal
statement, he sent a letter of confirmation. In this letter he reiterated that it was not to
be regarded as a declaration of war, but that the Hungarian government considered a
state of war existed between the two countries. Apparently Bardossy realized that he
could not get the consent either of parliament or the Regent to a formal declaration of
war. When the first secretary of the legation, Mr. Travers, made his good- by call on the
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