Poland’s perspective on Anglo-French security arrangements for Romania (April-August 1939)

The study analyzes the diplomatic dynamics surrounding Romanian-Polish relations and British-French guarantees to Romania in 1939, as Europe approached World War II. Poland was hesitant to include Romania in the broader Anglo-French security architecture, fearing this might push Hungary further into Germany’s sphere of influence. Despite British and French efforts to forge a stronger military alliance between Poland and Romania, these initiatives largely failed. Poland’s foreign minister, Józef Beck, argued against formal security guarantees for Romania, citing concerns about maintaining good relations with Hungary and the weakness of Romania’s military. Additionally, Beck believed that Poland did not need to be bound by additional obligations, as its focus was on its own security. Romanian officials, led by Foreign Minister Grigore Gafencu, initially supported a westward reorientation of their alliance but hesitated to provoke Germany. Despite discussions about transforming the Romanian-Polish alliance into a broader defense pact against all aggressors (erga omnes), no concrete actions were taken. Both Romania and Poland were reluctant to commit to mutual defense against Germany, leading to the collapse of Western efforts to establish a stronger security framework in Eastern Europe. The failure to implement this strategy contributed to the vulnerabilities both nations faced in the early stages of the war.