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In the light of orders from the Axis, it was surprising that this week Bulgaria concentrated troops on both the Rumanian and Turkish frontiers while insisting that she would wait and press her claim on southern Dobruja peacefully. There was another miscue when Hungarian troops began trading shots with Rumanians at the Transylvanian frontier. Budapest, which would not normally act against Germany's orders either, announced that Rumania was "on the point of collapse" and issued a Foreign Office communique stressing Hungary's "historic mission" to defend "Western Latin civilization against any attacks coming from the East." It began to appear that Rumania might lose even the two provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia that became the Kingdom of Rumania in 1881. Throughout the Balkans conviction grew that Russia was not merely seeking to adjust an old frontier grievance, but was making a daring move to snatch the southeastern corner of Europe out of Germany's hands.
In spite of denials, Berlin seemed to be coming around to this point of view. Budapest announced that if Russia came any farther, Hungary would fight with Axis backing. In Budapest it was also reported that Russia had asked Turkey for the right to help defend the Dardanelles.
Back of Russia's moves was undoubtedly the fear that she would be next on Hitler's Blitzlist. Of late Germany has been backing Ukrainian separatism, which she renounced after last year's non-aggression treaty. The German attitude toward the Ukrainian problem has for years been the best barometer of Russo-German relations. Furthermore, British Ambassador Sir Richard Stafford Cripps has been working overtime in Moscow since he got there last month. Hard-pressed, Britain might consider pan-Slavism in the Balkans a cheap price to pay for a Russian stab in Germany's back.
A Russian push west across Moldavia to the Eastern Carpathians would give the U. S. S. R. a much better defense line for the Ukraine. Control of the Dardanelles would realize an old Tsarist dream and make Russia impregnable to sea attack. Behind every aggression that Russia commits lies a psychopathic fear of attack. How far she might go this time was something no one outside the Kremlin knew. As one diplomat put it: "He who prophesies what the Russians will do merits no respect, for the Russians don't know themselves."
*Use of these five-and-seven-ton tanks carried by big transports may have been a sly warning to Britain of what to expect from Germany.