page_title: Axis leaders of World War II
section_title: Kingdom of Romania (1940–1944)
hierarchical_section_title: Axis leaders of World War II / Kingdom of Romania (1940–1944)
caption_attribution_description: English: King Michael of Romania and the head of Romanian Army - Gen. Ion Antonescu - at the border of river Prut watching through a military binocular Carl Zeiss the deployment of army.
context_page_description: The Axis leaders of World War II were important political and military figures during World War II. The Axis was established with the signing of the Tripartite Pact in 1940 and pursued a strongly militarist and nationalist ideology; with a policy of anti-communism. During the early phase of the war, puppet governments were established in their occupied nations. When the war ended, many of them faced trial for war crimes. The chief leaders were Adolf Hitler of Germany, Benito Mussolini of Italy, and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. Unlike what happened with the Allies, there was never a joint meeting of the main Axis heads of government, although Mussolini and Adolf Hitler did meet on a regular basis.
context_section_description: Ion Antonescu was the Prime Minister of Romania and the Conducător (Leader) with dictatorial powers from 1940 to 1944. He was sentenced to death and executed in 1946.
  Michael I was King from 1940 until 1947. He was installed by Antonescu to replace Michael's father Carol II. He did not have much power. He led a coup to overthrow Antonescu and switched sides to the Allies in 1944.
  Ion Gigurtu was the Prime Minister of Romania from July to September 1940, right before Antonescu. A committed Germanophile, he took the first major steps for the integration of Romania into the Axis, including the withdrawal of Romania from the League of Nations (11 July) and the enacting of a local version of the Nuremberg Laws (9 August).
  Carol II was King from 1930 to 1940. He named Gigurtu and then Antonescu as Prime Ministers, being forced to resign by the latter after giving him dictatorial powers.
  Constantin Sănătescu was the prime minister 1944.
  Nicolae Rădescu was the prime minister 1944-45.
  Petre Dumitrescu commanded the Romanian Third Army on its campaign against the Soviet Union.
  Constantin Constantinescu-Claps commanded the Romanian Fourth Army.
  Emanoil Ionescu commanded the Royal Romanian Air Force.
  Ermil Gheorghiu commanded the Royal Romanian Air Force.
  Horia Macellariu commanded the Royal Romanian Navy.
  Horia Sima was head of the pro-Nazi "government in exile".
caption: King Michael I (left) and Ion Antonescu (right)
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