With his Division, he fought bloody battles against the Soviets, including the Battle of Țiganca in Bessarabia and the Siege of Odessa (1941). Dăscălescu had distinguished himself and was promoted to lead the 2nd Romanian Corps, which was part of in the Third Army. His Corps was present at the Battle of Stalingrad and was overrun by numerical superior forces during Operation Uranus. The remnants of the Corps were withdrawn to Romania to be rebuilt and to protect the northern border.