Operation Margarethe II

Planning for Margarethe II began in January 1944, some months after planning for Margarethe I, the occupation of Hungary. The draft plan is dated 26 January. ==1944 coup d'état and the battle of Bucharest==

On 23 August 1944, a coup d'état led by King Michael overthrew Antonescu. The coup took the Germans by surprise. Hearing the news, Hitler issued the order to execute Operation Margarethe II without delay. Although there was no time to fully implement the plan, Hitler's order called to immediately arrest Michael and his "cabal of traitors", suppress the eventual uprising, and form a new government presided over by a pro-German general if Antonescu was not available. Gerstenberg took control over the airports of Băneasa and Otopeni. From the two airports, Luftwaffe aircraft began bombing the capital while German troops began fighting the Romanian Army in the city. In the early morning of 24 August, Bucharest was overflown by ten Bf 110 fighters. As a response, the Military Command of the Capital ordered the Romanian anti-aircraft units to open fire on any German aircraft in the air. Starting from around 11 AM, Bucharest was attacked by Bf 110, He 111, and Ju 87 bombers covered by Bf 109 fighters. The first raid caused heavy damage to buildings and houses, killing 89 civilians and wounding another 90. The raids continued into the night at 30–40 minute intervals. German resistance in the capital had also been reduced, and a front was established against Gerstenberg's forces. The next day, on 26 August, a bomber force of several hundred B-24 Liberators destroyed the German positions in and around Băneasa and Otopeni. The Germans were further defeated on the ground near the Pipera Airport, and Romanian troops eventually occupied the airports, ending the German attempts to take the capital. ==Aftermath==

Between 24 and 26 August, over 100 civilians were killed and over 200 were injured. City infrastructure and many buildings, both military and civilian, were destroyed or damaged including the Royal Palace, the Filantropia hospital, the Romanian Athenaeum, and the Romanian Academy. In the defense of the capital, the Romanian fighter pilots claimed 22 German aircraft destroyed in aerial battles and another five on the ground. The anti-aircraft artillery claimed a further 23 airplanes shot down and 6 damaged. Romanian Air Force losses amounted to four aircraft shot down (including one friendly fire incident), and another 30 destroyed on the ground. The ending of the bombardments also allowed for the repatriation of Allied prisoners of war during Operation Reunion. The Red Army reached Bucharest on 28 August and entered the city on 31 August without encountering resistance. The surviving German units began retreating to Ploiești but were caught by retreating elements of the Romanian VI Corps at Gherghița on 28 August. Gerstenberg and Stahel were captured and later taken by the Soviets. About 7,000 German soldiers as well as 14 generals were taken prisoner around Bucharest, while the Romanians suffered 1,400 casualties. ==See also==