Hungarian Forces

Hungarian Infantry Recovers Ruthenia, 1939

LIFE

The province in question, situated in the NE corner of old Great Hungary dismembered at the Treaty of Trianon, even today does not have a well established name. In the course of time, it has been referred to as Ruszinko, Ruthenia, Karpatalja, now as Subcarpathian Ukraine, and even quite a few more. As the Hitlerian drive to the East began, Czechoslovakia became one of the first targets. With the German occupation of Bohemia and Moravia in March, 1939, Slovakia had a chance to become independent as well. The province's Ruthene majority tried to do the same , which the local Magyars contested. Besides, Hitler decided on a hands-off approach, thereby giving a chance for action by neighboring Budapest. For the Hungarians, an occupation of Ruthenia seemed like a natural development, that of recovering a lost province. Besides the region had strategic importance vis-a-vie the Soviet Union and to some extent in regard to Poland as well. The Hungarian public at home welcomed these course of events with great jubilation, while Regent Horthy proudly took credit for his "first territorial recovery."