selama akhir tahun 1930-an, pendirian politiknya membawanya dalam konflik dengan raja rumania carol ii. antonescu bangkit selama krisis politik tahun 1940.
ia bersekutu dengan jerman nazi dan blok poros.
segera setelah rumania bergabung dengan blok poros dalam operasi barbarossa, merebut kembali bessarabia dan bukovina utara, antonescu menjadi marshal of romania.
ia bertanggung jawab atas kematian lebih dari 400.000 orang, kebanyakan yahudi bessarabia, ukraina dan rumania.
selain holocaust, rezimnya juga melaksanakan pogrom dan pembunuhan massal, seperti pembantaian odessa 1941 dengan pembersihan etnis serta deportasi sistematis.
dengan kekalahan di front timur perang dunia ii, antonescu melakukan negosiasi dengan sekutu.
koalisi politik dibentuk di antara raja muda michael i. michael menggulingkannya dalam kudeta 23 agustus 1944.
setelah berada di uni soviet dalam waktu singkat, antonescu diserahkan kembali kepada rumania, dimana ia dieksekusi.
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