Antonescu, Ion

Antonescu, Ion (1882–1946) Romanian dictator during the World War II era As dictator of Romania during World War II, Antonescu aligned his nation with the Axis. He was born in Pitesti, Romania, on June 15, 1882, and served in the Romanian army during World War I. Antonescu, Ion 65 After the armistice, he remained in the army as military attaché in Paris and then in London. Returning to Romania, he became chief of the general staff in 1934, then minister of defense in 1937. After King Carol II created a new dictatorial government in 1938, Antonescu was dismissed as minister because he was associated with the Romanian fascist party known as the Iron Guard. But in 1940, it was Antonescu and the Iron Guard who came into power following the June–September partition of Romania among the Axis powers and the Soviet Union. Antonescu consciously emulated Adolf Hitler in setting himself up as absolute dictator of the remaining portion of Romania, and he vowed allegiance to Germany. When his own Iron Guard instituted a reign of terror and corruption during 1940–41, Antonescu successfully suppressed the group, then recovered widespread public favor by instituting a program of domestic reform. He brought the country into World War II on the side of Germany, pouring massive numbers of troops into what became the lost cause of the Russian front. There is no question that Antonescu was a fascist tyrant, yet he was substantially less brutal than Hitler or the leaders of other Axis regimes. Nevertheless, as Romanian war losses escalated and the civilian population suffered, support for Antonescu eroded, and the nation's new king, Michael, led a successful coup d'état against him in August 1944. Deposed, Antonescu was imprisoned, then tried by officials of the new communist regime in the Romanian Communist People's Court. Convicted of war crimes, he was executed near Jilava on June 1, 1946. Further reading: Dragan, Iosif Constantin. Antonescu: Marshal and Ruler of Romania, 1940–1944. Timosoara, Romania: Europa Nova, 1995; Watts, Larry. L. Romanian Cassandra. Boulder, Colo.: East European Monographs, 1993. ANZAC ANZAC is an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a military formation created during World War I, in December 1914, by combining the Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Expeditionary Force stationed in Egypt under the command of Lt. Gen. William Birdwood. It is believed that the acronym originated with Sgt. K. M. Little, a New Zealand clerk in Birdwood's headquarters, who needed something that would fit on a rubber stamp. Before the end of World War I, Anzac was used as a label for any Australian or New Zealand soldier. A new Anzac Corps was formed during the World War II campaign in Greece in 1941, and the acronym ANZAC was loosely applied to Australian and New Zealand forces throughout the war, while Anzac continued to serve as a familiar name for Australian and New Zealand troops, much as G.I. served for Americans.