On this day, 81 years ago, August 31, 1944 (July 13, 1944 in the lunar calendar), the Soviet army occupied Bucharest. On August 31, 1944, the Soviet army swept through Romania and occupied the capital Bucharest and several important oil fields in Ploiesti. The fall of Romania was a blow to the Nazis, and the loss of these largest oil fields in Europe would cause the German army to lose its will to fight. A week ago, Romania changed its stance on the war and began to declare war on Germany. Hitler was furious when he heard this and immediately ordered the bombing of Bucharest and the arrest of King Michael, but the king had fled to Switzerland. Developments saved a number of Jews in Romania from the Nazi gas chambers. Adolf Hitler could have prevented this from happening, but he refused a request by Romania military leader Antonescu to withdraw Romania troops from the Soviet front.