Catalogue description ROUMANIA

The activities of the Special Operations Executive in Romania commenced shortly after the outbreak of war in the form of sabotage of oil trains proceeding to Germany. SOE's main object, however, was to attempt to achieve Romania's secession from the Axis and to this end, contact was made and maintained with Dr Julius Maniu, leader of the National Peasant Party and opponent of the Antonescu Government, in the hope that he and his colleagues would bring about a political and military coup d'etat. In the event, this was not brought about until Russian forces were within striking distance.