Like so many people in the West - then as today - British and US politicians were unfamiliar with conditions in east-central Europe and did not really understand the driving forces behind Hungarian politics. This is demonstrated in a conversation that is said to have taken place between a US State Department official and the Hungarian chargé d'affaires on the occasion of Hungary's declaration of war on the US, as recorded by Galeazzo Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister:
"Is Hungary a republic?"
"No, it's a kingdom."
"Then you have a king?"
"No, we have an admiral."
"Then you have a fleet?"
"No, we do not have any sea."
"Do you have any claims, then?"
"Yes."
"Against America?"
"No."
"Against England?"
"No."
"Against Russia?"
"No."
"But against whom do you have these claims?"
"Against Romania."
"Then you will declare war on Romania?"
"No, sir. We're allies."
From the introduction of Krisztián Ungváry's "Battle for Budapest - 100 Days in World War II" (2003)
Highly recommended book!
Krollspell
"Wie es eigentlich gewesen ist"
Leopold von Ranke (1795-1886)
Well, that's the problem with Eastern Europe--over the centuries, who is to claim what land????? By the way, who would really and honestly want to fight over Transylvania?????
Much better to do what the Africans tried to do, and simply take the arbitrary boundaries imposed by their former European masters as sacrosanct, in order to avoid continuous warfare.....
Bestens,
~D, the EviL
Death is lighter than a Feather, Duty is heavier than a Mountain....