Resisting on the FNB line, in August-September 1944!

There were the "little things" called German 8th and 6th and Romanian 4th and 3rd Armies to capture.

The Germans (8-th Army) were not on the direct way of approach (what is now the E-85 road, from Bacău to Ploieşti) and the Romanians were not opposing the Red Army anymore. Perhaps the Soviets were in no hurry

I think resistance on FNB line could have been possible for some time (don't know how long), but this would not have allowed Antonescu to obtain better terms. SU did not want to negotiate, and they had to reach the Balkan states at a certain moment. And once they were in Romania, nothing could have stopped them to get what they wanted. So from my point of view we were supposed to become communists anyway.

That was clear! The time which FNB line "would have resisted" couldn't be too long, as the Soviet superiority was extremely high! The fact that Antonescu wouldn't have obtained better terms is somehow arguable - the theory according which Stalin preffered Antonescu seems quite plausible, as well as the fact that the "coup d'etat" was a surprise! This goes off-topic

Parts of the 8th Army and the 6th Army were surrounded and the bulge needed to be cleared. Other parts of the 8th Army were retreating towards Transylvania and needed to be followed through the passes. The Romanian troops, although not resisting anymore, were numerous and needed to be captured and interned in POW camps.

Last, but not least, the road network was probably satturated by retreating and advancing troops of all nations, refugees etc.

Things were much more complex than you assumed them to be.

Yep! Probably, the Red Army wasn't in such a hurry either - no "photo op's" policy like in the west (freeing Paris and Rome). Otherwise, I guess a "quick force" of some sort or even a paratrooper detachment could have been used (even if the Germans still had radars, flak and so on) to "liberate" Bucharest.

This post has been edited by MMM on April 18, 2009 05:29 pm

The idea for Romania was not to resist on the FNB line, romaninan army and german forces in the region where not that strong but to delay the rus advanced in order to achive some sort of armistice whith the Soviet Union, at least to stop the rus takem thousant, s of romanians prizoniers. In the end a even bigger blow to the romanians armys from the Moldova front was given not only by the soviet ofensive but by the Coup d,etat from 23.08.44. Any potencial chance to rezist was blown into the air by the 23.08.44. The act of 23.08.44 only served the soviet intensions allowing them to advenced anoposed to conquer Romania and the Balcans. For the romanian army the 23.08.44 was another Stalingrad whith thouthent,s of men and vital military equipement beeing captured by the soviets. Those military equipement where badly needed for the west front ( many times some romanian,s regiments faiting in the west suffered great casualites from luck of proper artilery suport the guns being lost in Moldova). To defeat the soviet was in the end imposible but to save the romanian army of such a desastrous defeat was posible, only if the leaders where juging the situation in diferent maner.

I'm sorry to tell you that, but many of the Romanian leaders really believed in resisting on the FNB line - like undefinitely...
The rest of what you're saying is slightly off-topic, as the thousands (remember, thus: 1000 = one thousand ) of Romanian prisoners taken might have been very well thousands of dead soldiers by the end of the offensive. The 23.08 actions are not the point of the discussin here - but we should just ask ourselves one question: why did the whole of the Romanian army turned so fast against the Germans, without hesitations or second thoughts? Of course, except Chirnoagă's captured 4-th division...

Antonescu had good relations with Manstein. Manstein was approached about participating in the coup of 7/20/44 and declined to participate. But he knew about it and did nothing to stop it. Wasnt it possible Antonescu knew as well and that if Hitler was killed and peace in the West was achieved, then the FNB line would be the frontline in the continuing war against Bolshivism with possible British, American and fresh German (not Hitlerite) support!

This is too far out, man! How do you know all about Manstein?

Google Erich von Manstein.

So I did! No place and time for such wild speculations - we should not forget a couple of facts:
1. He was a German general, thus officer of the Army; a very dignified follower of the Prussian traditions;
2. As a soldier, officer, general etc. he swore an oath of allegiance to the Fuhrer, aka Adolf Hitler - and this simple fact prevented him, as did with many other German soldiers, officers, generals etc. from any traitorous actions against Hitler;
3. It is most absurde, preposterous, ridiculous, and whatever name will you call it, to presume that US Army and the English Army and their allies - except USSR - could and would turn loyalties just as if they were Romanians
4. Do you really think the Red "liberation" Army would have stopped there? And don't you think that - as far out as that speculation seems to be - it would have left the whole Moldavia to the Soviets - as permanently as the "Republic of Moldavia" now?! I bet you didn't think at that!

This part is true and recorded in several works and articles.
Manstein allegedly replied (I am paraphrasing from memory): "A prussian feldmarshal does not participate in political coups d'etat", or something along those lines.

I think his clever, yet non-committal reply made it clear that he wanted to remain focused on the military and entirely neutral to politics. He was obviously not given any details about the conspiracy by its participants.

Indeed! That is exactly what he says in his memories - thus, the speculating should have stopped here!

Look: If Hitler was killed on 7/20/44, the plotters would have arrested most of the Nazi leadership. The Army realizing the disaster in the east would have tried to make peace with Roosevelt and Churchill. As to whether this would have worked or not who knows? But Antonescu's plans almost seemed to incorporate a new situation in the summer of 1944 way in advance of it happening.
As for Manstein he would have followed the leaders of Germany regardless of who they were. He might have actually have held more power if Hitler was assasinated.