Romanian Campaign of 1916.The Invasion

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(General Averescu inspecting the trenches in Casin Valley-1916)

(Barbedwire fence nets-1916)

(Heavy Winter ,the soldiers are cleaning the snow from the trenches-1916)

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(The soldiers sit in the trenches on heavy winter-1916)

(Stakeout soldiers ready for fight-1916)

(An observer climbed with the telephone in a tree-1916)

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(Wood made apparatus simulating the noise of a machinegun in action)

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Different solution were proposed to escape this catastrophe situation .They have been examined and discussed in the councils of ministers together with the Commanding Generals of great units at 20th of December and 3rd of January ; at the examination of the situation and of the possible soluutions it was taken into account a judicious referat made by the chief of the operations bureau from the Great Headquarter of the Army,lieut colonel Ion Antonescu(which became the nazi Romanian dictator in WW2).

Thhe simplest of the hypotesis presented ,was to imitate the gesture of Russia.Using the burning desire of the central powers to obtain as soon as possible a peace on the Eastern Front ,we could enter tratatives with the enemy,in the aim of closing of a separate peace ,with some spearings ,without waiting for an authorization from the Allies part.

The material advantages of this solution were evident.It was saving for the moment,the existence and independence of the country.It was saved,especially,from destruction the Army and a great part of the war material.And this thing was of great importance ,because only with their help we could keep at respect the Russians and stop them from destroying all in their disordered retreat .The Romanian State ,still having an Army,could wait with trust and to use the circumstances that woud appear on the future ,because especially from Basarabia were signs announcing important events.The disadvantages of this solution appeared though even greater than the uses.First,it was an odios act ,lacking the most elementar moral duty face to our Allies.The holly word closed with them must be kept ,no matter how great would have been the trials to which we were subjected.The pretiousness of our sacrifice would have been as great as the sufferings were increasing which we endured of free conscience for the commune cause .This beautiful attitude ,full of sacrifice ,of loiality and tenacity in the midst of trials of all kinds ,imposed the respect and admiration of the Allies .A great French newspaper was writing:"Romania has remained as an island of honour in this ocean of mud".

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And then ,even in these moments ,tragic, we needed more the support -moral today,material tomorrow-of our great Allies.The breaking of the aliance connnecting us by them could be qualifiead as an act of treason ,which would have sealed our forehead forever with the stigmat of dishonour and would have kidnapped also any right to their help ,now or in the future.We had to keep intact the creance which we had draw over our Allies and of which aquital was conditioned by the respecting of our reciprocal obligations.Only in this way we could present at the Peace Conference ,to reclaim there the fulfilling of our revendications ,in case of peace by tranzaction .In this way,we would have been let in absolute mode at the discretion of our enemy ,enemies,which could impose us any conditions they wished ,no matter how burdening and humiliating ,without having the right to think ,at least to the future ,to an appeal in front of the poliitic tribunal of the great powers of Europe.Insteead of realization of the ideal for which we entered the fight and for which we have suffered so much ,we had to accept to become a Romania melted ,humiliated and brought to peverty ,smashed between a hungary and a bulgaria victorious ,strong and insolent,a country which would llive her life of slavery ,as long as the mercy or interests of the neighbours would want to.

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A second solution would have been the continuation of the fight with our own means .The examination of the rapport of forces proved imediately the absurdity of this solution.Our Army had eighteen Divisions of Infantry and two of Cavalry of which,mostof them weakened in the wake of the great fights during the summer.To stretch these troops along in the length of the Front of 400 Km from North of Bucovina to the Danube and to try to resist with this line ,thin,and with the both flanks uncovered at the enemy attacks ,which had in the first line 20,5 divisions of infantry and two of cavalry ,and in the second line another 13 divisions of infantry and two of cavalry ,would have meant to expose at the sure breaking of the Romanian Front , in the first point in which the enemy would have strike with concentrated forces.It would have been the repeating of the catastrophe of November 1916 ,with more exterminating proportions and,this time ,without place for refuge and shelter.The fact that our back was not defended by an army or by a friendly country , and because ,by a surrounding move ,made from the enemy part by North or by South of Basarabia ,or by a accomplice act from the Russian's part ,we could have been attacked from all parts ,gave to our situation a character of tragedy.

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"The death triangle" or wandering into the unknown

The solution of disolving and scattering ,simply, of the Army ,either if it was being made from the position in which she was on the fighting Front ,or after the retreat ,step by step ,between Siret and Prut(rivers) ,has been rejected categoricly.Firstly,for technical reasons ,about the organization and subzistence:between Siret and Prut there were no food deposits not even for a day;how was then possible to let the men go.Then,was a cowardice solution and of catastrophe.Better would have been then to be made a going out towards the enemy ,to at least enid it heroicly.

This ideea has germed in the disperate solution of retreat of the Army ,Romanian,and closing in ina a position of resistance and of sacrifice ,the celebre triangle of death ,between Siret River and Prut River making face to the enemy which would have attacked it from all parts ,to sucombe in a heroic manner!

This suicidal solution was met with a lively desaprobation.The consequences of this "beautifful gesture ", would have been an inutile sacrifice of other few thousands men and the unavoiidable capturing of the Army with the entire material.Romania had to cease ,for a while which could not be foreseen ,to exist as free country ;the entire wealth would have fallen in the hands of the enemy;Moldavia would have been completely devastated ;her pupulation decimated and empoverished.Without Army ,our country would have had to receive any condition of peace imposed .So,this solution ,which would have given a satisfaction to the cavaleresc formulae of saving the honour ,would have meant the iremediable physical ruin ,social and economic of the contry.

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For some time we have been connected by the ilussion of connstituting of an independent Ucraine ,favorable to the Entente ,so a pretious ally.The Powers of Entente thought that they will be able to reconstitue a Front ,Ucrainian,formed of a fabulous number of divisions which,together wit the Romanian Army and with other troops from the South of Russia ,enemy to the bolsevics,to continue to oppose a resistance and give a protection of our back.

The scepticism of Romanians ,in this matter ,received quick the confirmation ,and the ilussions of the Entente scattered soon.The Ucrainian Army bolsevized and desagregated same as the Russian one ,and the Ucrainian State proved a himere.As some of her creators wear dealing with the Entente and seemed that they reached an understanding and that us ,rennouncing to the absurde pretention over Basarabia ,others -and these ones seemed the most numerous -were inclining towards the central powers.France was to far ,as germania could make felt the power of its army ,which was descending from Bucovina .Caught in the arms of a Civil War ,before even she could register her birth certificate ,Ucraine calls in for help of the austro-german armies and went ahead of the Russians ,hasting to subscribe the first to separate peace with the "centrals" ,which were constituting a great blow ,material an moral,given tto the Entente and to us.No hope of help could not be expected ,so ,from this part*.

A part of the solution ,supported with great conscience by some of the circles of our Allies ,was that the Romanian Army ,together with the King and with the Government ,refusing to close the separate peace ,to cross the Prut River and Nistru River and to retreat in Southern Russia ,to unite with the Cossacks Army of Kaledin [1],and to continue the fight for the cause of us and our Allies ,there where the circumstances would ask.It was presented as a solution resembling to the one adopted by Belgium and by Serbia ,after their military dezastres.

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The situations did not resemble at all .The governments and armies of Belgium and of Serbia ,abandoning their countries ,could be received in the friendly arms of France and lead in places of rest and remaking ,to reenter then back into the fight ,framed by friends ,in the corners of the countries they still have left.We were awaited,however by a grave peril :it was the situation in Russia ,the politico-social chaos birthing in this country ,the attitude of the new regime ,clearly hostile to the War ,towards us and to the Entente.The solution comported a terible risk ,even more,the clearness of sure failure.It was the jumping into the unknown ,the abandoning of the country to take the road of drifting without a precise gooal.The starting of te Army during winter time ,without provisions and equipment ,without comunications roads ,safe, through a country ,not only foreign ,but already enemy and prey to anarchy ,to go some 1000 km ,to shake hand with the himeric Army of Kaledin ,in a point or on a line which noone could indicate to us in a serious way ,would have been the fatal march to catastrophe.It was a solution of adventure ,tragic.The concur of the Entente was illusory ,because she herself was on the way to be thrown out of Russia [2] and did not had anymore no sure means of comunication with our Army and with the territory on which she might be.

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*Badly informed and in a bad mood for Romania ,Clemenceau pronounced with severity and envy:"never the situation of Romania had been better!!They are sure that they will not be attacked by the germans (??).They arre sure that will be well received by Ucrainians(??).

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On the fatal incline

A concerning phenomenon started to appear .The moral strength of the country and of the Army,the support of the resistance,was starting to diminish.The situation tragic of the country could not escape to observation.Surrounded and threatened by enemies ,isolated by friends ,which were not able to give us anything else but encouragement words ,no escape coud be seen anywhere.

The material sufferings were greater all the time.The replenishments were missing.The civilian population and the two armies were meeting difficulties more and more in finding the food ,especially since the chaos in Russia disorganized the services.Long hours of waiting in front of bread shops ,to get a bread ,insuficient and desgusting ,the meat rationalized more and more rare,the dearness of combustible ,the total lack of clean clothes and of coats,were bittering and depressing the population and the soldiers.The visible contrast between the sufferings of the great masses and the easy living ,even luxury of a handful of privileged,in tight connetion with the replenishment services ,was desgusting the spirits of the many and was breaking the feeling of social solidarity ,the only condition of an effective resistance ,national.The discrete propaganda ,insinuanting,of the foreign elements ,in direct or indirect connection with the enemy ,with those beyond the Front,or with those in Russia ,made possible by the exchange of correspondence ,by the contraband of publications and of merchendise of small volume ,which was practiced with the concur of the enemy ,were contributing at the demoralization of the population.The peace ,the calmant of the pains ,was starting to be wished by all of those which could not imagine the existence of another way out.

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The combative force of the Army was weakening as well .The long suspending of the military action,occupaying of the Front without a precise goal ,the wear and tear of the material which could not be replaced ,finishing the deposits which could not be filled back ,was overwhelming with concern the leaders of the Army.The army was wearing out spiritualy by inaction and material by the cutting of the connection with her replenishment bases.

A decission must be taken.

The solution which seemed the most rational and which was gaining terrain was formulated with the folllowing face:if the Allies have got the belief that Russia is entirely lost for the commune cause of the Entente ,tat they must give up any illussion over Ucraine and that Romana ,abandoned by Russia and without-because of the geographical circumstances -of any means of help from the Allies part ,could no longer resist and would be condemned to a sacrifice with no use ,there is no other solution but closing of the peace with the enemy.The peace must only be closed with the authorization of the Allies which,recognizing the circumstances of major force which impose us this solution ,to let us out of their own initiative ,ina sincere way and leal ,by the duties which we have to them ,without them to consider themselves untight by theirs towards us .The interests and aspirations of Romania ,not being able to be sustained by our own forces ,will be given into the hands of the Allies .From their spirit of justice and their chevalliery ,we will wait the satisfaction of our rightful revendications.

Romania,betraied and abandoned ,is forced to put down arm,with the pain in the spirit that she can't do other way ,but with the conscience in peace that,as long as by her sacrifices hanged the smallest use of the commune cause ,she did not step back.Forced to enter tratatives with the enemy ,she will continue to follow the same interests .She will seek to preserve as much as possible of her military strength ,as many as possible of the organs of this strength for that,when the much awaited turning of the War will produce ,to reenter under the flag of her friends .After the expression used by the partizans f this solution ,it will be dealt "with the hand on the sword".The circumstance that the enemy is in a great hurry to obtain the peace ,gave hope that by a clever resistance to be able to reach , to not be imposed to us to difficult conditions, and so we are able e to remain with a reserve of forces in the interest of the commune cause .

And our voice of desperation has found listening.

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The representatives of the Entente at Iasi(which was now the Capital of Romania in Moldavia),witnesses of the eforts and fibrilatios of Romania ,were noticing in a collective note signed by Barclay,Wopicka,Saint -Aulaire and Fascotti ,that it is "a duty to recognize the extent of the sacrifices which the Romanian people and her heroic Army ,united around their hearted King and government ,have endured with so much faith for the commune cause of Romania and of the Entente".If the trial to make a new Front together with the Ucrainian armies and to organize the retreat of the Royal Family and of the Government would not succeed ,then "The Entente will have to recognize as her Ally has fulfilled with leality the engagements".

In the French chamber Pichon,the Foreign Minister of the French Republic ,was expressing his sympathies for "the noble and missfortuned Romania,threatened even with her existence of military capitulation organized around her on the Russian Front" and was making the important declaration :"I have intervened at Iasi to aknowledge the Romanian Government that all engagements taken in the moment of her entering in the War ,will be maintained".

As the leaders of the country were fighting in examining of the circumstances ,difficult,in which we were dragged and for the fnding of the best ways to follow ,Russia bolsevic ,started the separate peace tratatives with the central powers.Soon we will be faced with the unavoidable.

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2. The Tratatives Of The Separate Peace

At Brest-Litovsk

No other state has hidden better its goals of War than Germania.Although it was clear for everyone that the german empire was making War for increasing the territory of its patria by annexions and for the political and economical domination of the World,still the german governors were keeping a very prudent silence.Because the War was not carried only on the fields of battle ;next to the fights of arms ,was given the fight of ideeas.The spirits of states were agitated by new ideeas ,or by new formulaes of the old ideeas .The seed thrown by the generous ideeas of Wilson[3],the President of the United States of Northern America ,as well as the Russian revolution ,has caught on the terrain spilt with blood and has produced a strong turmoil of the spirits of all nations.The german government had to take into account this public oppinion and to not tilt it by the brutal unveiling of its annexionist desires.

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The most chieftain ideeas of the times were:peace without territorial annexations and war compensations and autodetermination -the right of states under foreign domination to gain independence and decide over their fate by themselves .The formulaes were tempting and the popular masses ,which were carrrying the hard of the War were simpathysing with them.

The central powers have exploited with hypocrisy the situation.To produce confussion in sprits and weaken the resistance of the states of the Entente ,Germania has patroned the ideea of a international socialist congress at Stokholm ,which tended to make out of the ideeas of the Russian revoluton the program of revendications of the working masses from entire Europe .The states of the Entente ,relising the moves of the german politics ,have refused to give to the delegations of the socialist parties passports ,necessary to the participation of this set up of german social-democracy ,which had all during the War, a suspect role.The preparation of the conference,which has failed,had for us so much importance ,because the delegation of the bulgarian socialists has presented the request of annexation of Dobrogea to Bulgaria as a desannexation ,hypocrit formulae ,which was supposed to conciliate the annexionist appetites with larrge ideeas ,which Germania was making belief to be ina accord with.

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This hypocrisy manifested more characteristic with the occassion of the famous motion/document in the favour of a peace of understanding also against violent territorial annexations ,voted by the german "reichstag" at 19th of July 1917[4].How sincere was this resolution ,may be seen from the fact that ,at the bulgarians protestations against the motion/document ,which would have crushed their annexionist(territorial) plans, Erzberger,the proposer himself of the said motion ,hasted to calm them down by the declaration that the goals of war of bulgarians does not mean territorial annexations ,but the completion of a politic of the bulgarian state/people!229.

Assigning the intentions ,imperialist germans, and of the recklessness of the bulgarian ally was done complete though in the light of tratatives of peace at Brest-Litovsk.The russian government proposed the peace based on the renunciation of the beligerant powers at any annexation of the territory occupied during the War and the one of the freedom of states to choose by referendum the form of government /state as well as the form of rapports with other states.The central powers received ,just as make belief,the proposal and the tratatives begin.Soon though are seen the real intentions .austro-hungary receives the right of autodetermination ,but for the other states however ,not for the states of the monarchy.germania receives the formulae but keeps the Baltic states:Curlanda,Livonia ,Lituania and,under the form of a ratification of border,razes half of Poland[5].The bulgarians do not want by any means to give up to Macedonia and Dobrogea in their historic frontiers (?) and at the Serb territory up until Morava;they do not sign the answer towards the Russians ,until they obtain from the chiefs of the delegations of the central powers ,Kuhlmann and Czernin ,a declaration ,written ,by which these ones confirm again that"the conventions signed by germania and austro-hungaria remain ,and the respective governments oblige themselves to fulfill them"229.

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The tratatives at Brest -Litovsk advance hard.Caught in the leash of revolutionary dialectics of trotki ,the germanians are forced to confess in the open the annexionist intentions;general Hoffmann[6] throws on the green table of the conference the sword of the winner .The discussions reach a dead point.

Then intervenes Czernin.austro-hungaria is at the end of endurrance .In a few weeks time she is threatened by starvation[7].It must without a doubt to be closed a peace to give her the bread for the next day;otherwise,Czernin closes the separate peace .It is invented Ucraine and,in the face of this problematic state ,about nothing positive is yet known,not even if the Capital , Kiev ,is or not in the hands of the government which took the rigth to represent the country.austro-hungaria makes important concessions and obtains at 9th of February the first peace in the Great War.Illussory peace,because to master the Ucrainian wheat ,the central powers must make a war expedition ,in which to conquer military step by step the territory of the country with which they have closed the peace.

The next day after the closing of the peace with Ucraine ,trotki breaks the tratatives and,with an unconscious gesture ,naive or murderous ,orders the general dmobilization of the Russian Army.But the germans were not sensible at chevalliery gestures.On the contrary .They take advantage of the occassion that they don't have in front a redutable enemy and push their armies until the heart of Russia ,capturing imense deposits of material of war.In such circumstances ,the bolsevic government of Russia ,lacking the power of any resistance,signs the peae imposed by the germans[8].

Even during the time in which took place at Brest-Litovsk the enervating discussions with the bolsevics and with the Ucrainians ,the central powers found that it is time to corner Romania with the somation to close the peace.

germania must have free hands in Orient.

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Diplomatic wheeling and dealing

The austro-german circles did not agree over the position they must assume over the matter of peace with Romania.Two different currents were pronouncing .

Under the influence of the politicians from the occupied territory ,ahead with Carp and Beldiman ,the germans were asking for drifting away of the King and of theRomanian Dinasty and the formation of a new government of the devotees of the germanophil politics.

In this sense were the first indications which the official send of the Romanian Government ,the reserve Major Mitilineu ,has received from the german general von Morgen,the representative of Mackensen marshal.Putting on the road the Romanian Dynasty or at least of King Ferdinand and of princip Carol ,was pretended by the germans as punishment for the Romanian attitude of the Romanian sovereigns ,considered by the germans as treason from the duties which Hohenzollern Dynasty should have towards the mother country.From the need to treat the peace with a docile government ,which asked also the drifting away of Bratianu government .And about the Romanian Army ,the germans considered that they will not impose it any humliating condition .A condition ,to be fulfilled was however,giving up Dobrogea ,which Morgen left to be understood that it will be only partial ,leaving us a way out to the Black Sea ,because it would be the interest of the central powers itself to have a strong economic Romania and assured politically.

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The austro -hungarian government was seeing things differently .Interested together with germania at a closing of a fast peace ,to liquidate the Eastern Front,austro-hungaria had also another separate motive special and very pressing one ;the needs of alimentation ,the hunger knocking at the door.The chief of the great austro-hungarian general staff ,Arz was asking to Czernin that,as late as 22nd of February ,the tratatives of peace to be started with Romania ."From the military point of view -declares the generalisim -as well as f.t.p.o.v. of replenishment ,the peace with Romania seems to me more important and urgent than with trotki and lenin"7.

That is why Czernin was ready to any compromise which have contributed to a quick understanding with Romania .Based on the informations received from the heads of the austro-german armies from Romania ,Czernin considered as absolute false the oppinion of some that Romnia would be at the end of her strengths and that ,because of this ,it could be imposed to her any conditions ."The Romanians were placed in very strong positions ;the moral of their Army was admirable and ,at the last great attack of Marasesti ,the troops of Mackensen had suffered bloody losses*.This success encoraged the Romanians and in the ranks of the Romanian Army were many voices authorised ,which have crossed on the side of those reclaiming the fight a autrance[9].They did not counted on a n effective victory ,but were having the hope to be able to resist for some while now in defensive positions ,until the Allies from the West would repute the decissive victory"63.

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Beside this ,the casting away of the Romanian Dynasty would have produced a weakening of the monarchic ideea in general:"the idea of monarchy would have suffered a new depreciation by casting away of new kings on the European market".It would also have produced a breaking of the country into two camps and the peace would have been closed only with the fraction which would have approved the detrhronation .Only with a legitime chief of state could the peace be closed quick and legal.Undoubtfully that the sneaky austriac diplomat was after another target as well :he was seeing with bad eyes the strengthening of the german politic influence and was aiming ,that by a more conciliant attitude about some of the matters ,to get ahead of the germans.

*,,...bei dem le izien grossen Angriffe von Maracesci hatten sich Mackensen Truppen blutige Kopfe gehot"63.

Under the influence of his minister ,the Emperor Carol of austria decided to make a way ,which meant a breaking in the diplomacy of the central powers.At 4th of February appeared at Iasi the austrian colonel Randa ,the former attache ,military, of austro-hungaria at Bucharest,in a secret mission from the part of Emperor Carol.The colonel assured the Romanian Government that a proposal of peace ,coming from Romanian part ,would have been received with good will by the central powers and especially austro-hungary ,interested to a future colaboration of the two countries against the revolution and anarchy ,international,will put to Romania honourable conditions .In this way the matter of ignorring the Dynasty matter has been taken out of the program of the peace of the central powers.The german politics suffered a first defeat ,and the action of Carp-Beldiman has been brought to an end.

The germanophil romanian politicians from Bucharest were protesting noisily against "the lack of resolution" of the Government at Iasi ,which was not hasting to profit of the wish of the central powers to close a peace ,which to make the greatest concessions and accord us the most favourable conditions.It was set a pretious price on the peace with Romania because ,country of order and with legal government ,the peace would have impressed more than a peace closed with Russia ,anarchic or with the problematic state of Ucraine .Marghiloman was in a haste to send to the Government at Iasi the advice to close the separate peace before Russia and Ucraine ,assuring this one that he will obtain"golden cnditions".

But the Government at Iasi(the Romanian Governmnt) had different conceptions.He considered the closing of the peace as the most missfortuned of the eventualities ,to which it could decide in the last extreme situation and was not at all in a haste to put his neck in the rope no matter how golden it looked.It had ,for this ,a threatening pressure from the part of the enemy .It took place at the beginning of February (1918).

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The german ultimatum and the retreat of Bratianu government

Towards the end of January 1918 ,the Romanian Supreme Commander received an invitation from the part of the commandment of army of Mackensen to force Romania to peace.Mackensen used as pretext ,the fact that the political circumstances and military ones ,which mastered at the closing of the Truce of Focsani ,have changed and pretended to begin new tratatives at Focsani for reviewing of the Truce ,to put it in accord with the new situation.An examination of the military situation have reached the noticing that a military resistance was not possible.The proposal of constituting of three new Divisions ,to be send in the North of Moldavia ,from where could be expected the attack ,was unpractical.The disproportion of the forces was to great.It has been decided to make contact with Mackensen to see which are his intentions.

At 4th of February ,the Romanian military committee of the Truce ,under the leadership of General Lupescu ,presents at Focsani .In the name of the supreme commandment of the enemy armies ,general Hell ,chief of general staff of marshal Mackensen gave reading to a declaration by which was shown now in fact ,a state of War between Romania and the Russians ,that the Russian troops are leaving the Front and they can strengthen now other sectors of the Northern Front ,that the Romanian troops have been moved part in Basarabia ,part in the empty space of the Russian troops left to maintain the order in the country,so , many things which step over the dispozitions of the treaty of Truce.From these facts ,the germans were thinking that the Romanian Front is weakened ,the rapport of forces between the two adversaries has now been changed in the advantage of the germans and if ,however ,they are not using this occassion to enterprize a military action ,is in the interest of the future of Romania.As,though,from purely strategical reasons ,the situation must be clarified ,from the military point of view as politically ,the Romanian representatives are asked to give to the german delegation an orientation over the oppinions of the Supreeme Commandment and of the Romanian Government.

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The Romanian delegation ,having the empowerment to discuss only military matters which flowed from the adapting of the treaty of Truce ,only answered to the accuzations of stepping over the truce by the transport of troops in Moldavia and Basarabia ,showing that it was about a simple operation of police and of protection of the deposits and of the communication lines .In their turn ,the Romanians have imputed to the austro-germans the the numerous moves of troops to the Western Front ,the occupation of the trenches left by the Russians by austrian soldiers and the action of exciting of the german agents amongst the Russians.

Not the matter of the Truce (of Focsani) was what interested the enemies ,but the political one.Not the intentions of the Romanian military Commandment ,but the ones of the Romanian Governemt .That is why ,breaking at once the conventions of military order ,at 5th of February the german delegats gave to General Lupescu a note ,by which the Romanian delegation was "asked to go back to Focsani in four days ,together with the representans of the Romanian Government ,the Commandments of the Allies being forced to find out now ,in anay case the future intentionms of the Supreme Commandment of the Romanian Government".

The invitation was clear and categoric ,it had the character of an ultimatum.The Romanian military Commission was sacked to make room to a delegation to treat the peace.

In the colaboration Government of Bratianu-Take Ionescu it produced a disagreement about the attitude which must be taken about the german ultimatum.Both political leaders considered it as an axiom of our War politics ,keeping intact of our alliance with the Entente.One essential condition of the Alliance was fulfilling at every point of all the obligations of it,among which was also the resistance against closing of a separate peace .But in the circumstances presenting now ,reduced to our only forces ,which were 20 Divisions of Infantry and Cavalry face with 45 of the enemy ,was it possible the resistance and continuation of the War?The two political groups could not reach an accord over the measures which must be taken imediatelly.Two councils of ministers and a Crown Council ,held in the days of 6th,7th and 8th of february ,have accentuated the disagreement and put an end to the government of colaboration.

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Take Ionescu was of oppinion that the truce must be closed imediatelly;the King ,the Government and Parliament must retreat through Southern Russia and the Army to remain in the country and oppose to the enemy resistance .Bratianu opposed to this solution ."My conscience-said the Prime Minister-do not allow me to give the order to the Army to fight ,and us ,the King and the Governmen ,to run away".If it is given the order the the Army to fight ,it remains that Take Ionescu to form the Government;Bratianu will make no opposition and even ,will not stop any of his friends to enter the Government.He dose not admit either the solution of an imediate peace ;in the case in which it would become indispensable ,it cannot in any case be fulfilled by the Colaboration Government ,but must be constituted another government.The solution proposed by Bratianu is then of temporization;entering negotiations ,long ones with the knowledge of the Allies.The advantages of this solution would be several .Are unmasked the real intentions of the enemy .It is gained time ,in which may appear circumstances more favorable ,being given the grave situation in which is austro-hungaria and the events prepared on the Western Front.Ther will be mad also preprations -such as deposits in Basarabia ,with the troops -,in the case of an eventual retreat of our Army .These negotciations could even be carried on by the actual Government .Bratian declares that in any case he will not make separate peace ,and cannot advice to closing of a peace ,which would not respect three essential conditions :the King and Dynasty ,the integrity of the terriory -admitting the discussiononly for new Dobrogea -,the independence and the honour of the country and of the Army.

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Negotiations with the enemy ,to gain time is the formula of the prime minister .Misu ,the Romanian minister at London ,called few days latter to lead the tratatives as a Foreign affair minister in Averescu's cabinet [10] ,is adviced by King George of England ,by Loyd George and by President Poinicare to extend as much as possible these tratatives .Take Ionescu is however ireductible .He is afraid that entering in negotiations means the open way to separate peace;only the Army 's resistance can keep our creance towards our Allies.Bratianu affirms that the Allies have accepted that Romania has completelly fulfilled her duty and invites Take Ionescu to mke contact with the representatives of the Allies ,to assure us that they do not withdraw their trust if pushed by necessities we will have to enter tratatives .An authorization,formal,could not be requested ;Sannino ,the foreigm minister of italy ,declared to our minister at Rome that there are acts which the Church will not approve beforehand ,but absolves them,afte they have been made .He asks the Conservatives to not make difficulties ,foreseeing the resistance.

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The discussions have not been continued further ,everyone remaining at their point of view .The crisis has been declared .The Government resigns .In the Crown Council ,held at 8th of February ,the King has declared that he cannot leve his Army because it will be dug between him and the Army an abyss,which he does not know what might fill it.He declares himself for the politics of temporization but regrets that the political parties ,with which he has made the war do not support him till the closing of the peace .That is why ,he sees himself forced to address besides them ,to form up a new government.

In this way came to an end at 8th of February 1918 ,the Colaboration Government Bratianu-Take Ionescu said also the Naional Government ,constituted in the said days of retreat ,in the last days of 1916 .its target has been the concentration of all the forces of the country ,without preocupation of the small matters of normal times for organizing the energic resistance against the enemy ,in close contact with the Allies ,for acomplishing the commune masterpiece.From the moment in which the tragic fate wanted otherwise and the arm had to be set down ,the National Government had no meaning .Making face to the painful necessities of the moment ,it was needed a government uncoloured politically,which to have inside the country the concur of everybody ,without any political ideea ,and towards the enemy to be able to extend the peace negotiations ,without being suspended from the first day.

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The Chief of the new government has been found in the person of General Alexandru Averescu ,the Commander of the II-nd Romanian Army.Assigning this militar with a great reputation answered to a double matter.In the interior ,the former goverment got the impression that gains terrain a pacifist propaganda ,born from the ideea that any extenssion of the resistance would have been ,from now on,unuseful and even bad for the interests of the country ;in the Army ,this current seemed to organize itself around General Averescu.Handing to him the task of forming the government which will deal the peace ,was obstacled the separation of the Army into two camps.Towards the enemy ,the presence of the General ahead of the government will give the impression of a force.It will show that Romania will not receive dishonouring conditions and that she will now if needed to resist till the end of her strengths.Transmitting the power ,Bratianu gave the General the advice "to not leave the sword in antychamber for such negociations".Averescu Cabinet has been constituted from men which have not been part till then to any government,and some ,not in any political formation.

Asking from the adversary the extenssion of the fixed deadline for that the government to have the time of orientation in the grave situation in which it took the lead/breaks ,marshal Mackensen gives 48 more hours ,meaning till 12th of February ,but hopes that in the new minister will not be members from the former one.At this date ,the newly constituted government announces that it is decided to enter tratatives with the enemy and that it has send delegates to give the requested explanations ,by the enemy, by the ultimatum of 6th of February and t know the bases on which the enemy would have the intention to place the peace negotiations.

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