The Cabinet meeting of the German Government was intense. Albert Speer had just finished delivering his views of the economic consequences for the Reich if the Ploesti oil fields were damaged or even destroyed in the current fighting between Romania and the Soviets. Ribbentrop then reported the Turkish threat of war which further concerned the Cabinet. Despite German attempts to pressure Turkey into backing off their support of Romania, the Turks remained committed and were calling up there reserves. Ribbentrop then announced that Mussolini was pressuring Yugoslavia into giving Italy transit rights to reach Romania with supplies and weapons. Further Mussolini had authorized 3 "volunteer" divisions to be recruited to aid in struggle against Bolshevism.
Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels then said "Our Fuhrer Adolf Hitler warned us of the Bolshevik threat! If we do not act we will lose Romania and Romanian oil to the Bolsheviks! We must attack the Russians!" General Von Brautisch then countered " Fuhrer Goring the Heer is still in France and the Low Countries. It will take time to transport these troops east, not to mention the equipment that needs repair or the garrison we will need to leave behind. We are not in position to attack Russia. Any attack will meet with defeat." Goring paused for a moment before wondering aloud " The British will not want the Soviets in Turkey near there Iraqi oil wells maybe they will compromise?" "Ribbentrop send the British a memo offering peace so we can both focus on the Bolshevik threat."
London, England
The British War Cabinet was equally concerned with the latest turn of events. While they had been willing to abandon the Romanians to their fate, Turkey was a totally different question. After rejecting the Ribbentrop memo out of hand, the Cabinet fell in a fierce debate on what to do on the Turkish issue. Finally Winston Churchill the Prime Minister who had been quiet spoke. "Gentlemen these are trying times and the Soviets have placed us in a impossible position. We can watch them swallow up another free nation as they swallowed Eastern Poland, the Balts, part of Finland, and Northern Romania. However Gentlemen the British Nation, I feel we must stop appeasing the USSR just as we stopped appeasing the Germans. I ask the Cabinet to declare war on the Soviet Union and continue the war against Germany and Italy."
The Cabinet after several more hours of fierce debate agreed.