Page 465 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

465
ActA
to apply this formula, taking prisoner some of the Romanian forces that had ceased
the hostilities. But the operative needs and the conduct of the large Romanian units,
which managed, partially, to thwart Soviet intentions, eventually led to cooperation at
command level before the signing of the Armistice Convention.
The operation unfolded in a large area, basically on the entire territory under the
authority of the Romanian government. The concept established by the General Staff
under dramatic circumstances was adequate to the situation created by the political
decision, demonstrating strategic flexibility and vision, the missions being established
according to priorities. The operation comprised complex actions, given the deployment
of Romanian and German forces, in which all the components of the Romanian military
body were involved – land forces, naval forces (river and maritime), air forces and air
defense forces. Its main characteristics were: the absence of a continuous front; fighting
in “hotbeds”, for certain targets; high maneuverability; large freedom of action for the
bottom chain of command; the use of tactics and methods specific to urban warfare,
26
etc .
The military actions in the period August 23-31, 1944, by their features, area, forces
involved and consequences over the unfolding of the conflagration, represented the
largest combined operation of the Romanian army during the Second World War.

26 A.M.R, fund 948, file no.856, p. 23-25.