The 2nd Romanian-Hungarian War, also known as the Transylvania War, is an inevitable conflict between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Kingdom of Romania, fought between the disputed region of Northern Transylvania, which has been controlled by Hungary since the end of World War II, but is considered an integral part of Rumania by its constitution.
History[]
The buildup to war (1920-1945)[]
Transylvania had resided under the control of the Austria-Hungary, specifically as a region of the Kingdom of Hungary prior to the outbreak of the First World War. Following the conclusion of the First World War, Transylvania was granted to Romania in the Treaty of Trianon, in recognition of it's contributions to the Entente in fighting the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This annexation, largely regarded as a humiliation to many a Hungarian, worsened already pre-existing and long-seated tensions between the two nations.
It was not until August 1940, when the Kingdom of Hungary, under the stewardship of the Regent Miklós Horthy, that the resurgent German Reich turned it's gaze toward the disputed region. In a move to secure the loyalties of Hungary, the German juggernaut applied pressure and leverage, to force Romania to surrender a portion of the hard-won Transylvania to the Hungarians, specifically the Northern half. This acquiescence to German demands, coupled with similar concessions to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, saw the Romania government ousted, with the Iron Guard rising to power under the leadership of Prime Minister and Conducător, Ion Antonsecu.
Despite however swearing to restore Romania territorial integrity and avenge Romania's humiliation, the Guard government saw fit to side with their opponent and backer, joining the Axis as a member state. This somewhat unusual decision saw the Kingdom of Romania and the Kingdom of Hungary fight side-by-side in the lightning campaign of Operation Barbarossa, securing territory for Romania, though securing little for Hungary in terms of land acquisitions from the rapidly folding USSR. This triumph saw the fortunes of the Kingdom of Romania seemingly improve somewhat, with the land that Romania occupied, formally granted to them by the Reich, along with the accolades of a triumphant military power in the Balkans, securing the Iron Guards position in Romania. Though less tangible benefits were seen in Hungary, the state emerged with much the same prowess and accolades as their Romanian counterparts.
With the common foe of the Soviet Union seemingly vanquished and the ever-fraying Axis alliance finally shredded at the behest of Germany, Italy and Japan in their pursuit of more concrete spheres of Influence following the conclusion of the Second World War, Romania and Hungary once again began feuding over the disputed territories, the implied threat of German intervention being the one hurdle to hostilities, which neither regional power could ever hope to match on the field.