Ion Antonescu

Ion Antonescu (June 15 1882, Pite?ti – June 1 1946, near Jilava) was the prime minister and conduc?tor (Leader) of Romania during World War II from September 4, 1940 to August 23, 1944.

Early life and military career

Antonescu was born into a bourgeois family with some military tradition. He attended military schools in Craiova and Ia?i, and graduated the Cavalry School as top of class in 1904, then, in 1911, the military academy.

Related Topics:
Craiova - Ia?i - 1904 - 1911

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As lieutenant, Antonescu took part in the repression of the 1907 peasants' revolt in and around the city of Gala?i. In 1913, he participated in the Second Balkan War against Bulgaria, winning Romania's highest military decoration. During Romania's involvement in World War I (1916-1918), Antonescu acted as chief-of-staff for Marshal Constantin Prezan. In this position, he was the architect of the Romanian army's successful defense against the attempted invasion of Moldavia by German troops headed by Field Marshal Mackensen, in the second half of 1917 (the rest of Romania had already been occupied by the Germans in late 1916).

Related Topics:
1907 peasants' revolt - Gala?i - Second Balkan War - Bulgaria - World War I - 1916 - 1918 - Constantin Prezan - Moldavia - Mackensen - 1917

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Antonescu had the reputation of a very skilled and practical military commander. His ruthlessness gained him the name Câinele ro?u (the red dog).

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Between 1922 and 1926 he was a military attaché of Romania in France and Great Britain. After returning to Romania he was the commander of the "?coala Superioar? de R?zboi" (Upper School of War) between 1927 and 1930, chief of the Great Headquarters of the Army between 1933 and 1934 and Defence Minister between 1937 and 1938.

Related Topics:
Military attaché - France - Great Britain

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