Romania and the Great War
The First World War was a conflict of unprecedented proportions in the history of mankind. Both the Triple Entente as well as the Central Powers suffered from atrocious human tragedies, as the ambitions and pride of a handful of leaders made over 10 million men pay with their lives in this war of attrition. While countries from the western front were fairly balanced military and politically-wise, in the east the elimination of Russia and Romania from the conflict resulted in a strategic victory for Germany. The United States became involved in the war after being, to some extent, provoked by the Germans, who started an underwater war by attacking American vessels. In 1917, the American Expeditionary Force, led by General John Pershing, set foot on European soil. By August of 1918, the Entente had already reached the German borders, which they managed to cross in less than two months. The armistice signed between Germany and the Allies on November the 11th of 1918 marked the official end of the war, as well as the beginning of a new European order.
Romania had entered the war in 1916, determined to unite all Romanians in one nation-state. Romania entered World War I in August, 1916, alongside the Entente. After the defeats suffered later that year, the Romanian army and authorities fled to Moldavia. After the frenzy of the early 1916, a military disaster occurred, followed by the psychological collapse of 1917-1918. In the spring of 1918, Romania was forced to sign a peace treaty with the Central Powers, sealing its fate for a disastrous future. But as tables turned, military-wise, in the summer of that same year, Romania went back to the side which eventually won the war.
After the revolution of October 1917, which resulted in the Bolsheviks' seizing power, Russia was forced to sign the peace treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers. This left Romania alone on the Eastern front, and with no capability to deal with another offensive by the Central Powers. With practically no other choice, the Romanian Government, in agreement with the Entente, signed a separate peace treaty between our country and the Central Powers. Nevertheless, the treaty was never ratified by King Ferdinand, and was therefore null and void, according to the Romanian legislation. When favorable circumstances arose in October of 1918, Romanian forces went back to the front as the Government declared that the previous peace treaty was signed while two thirds of the country were under German occupation, and had no validity. Romania therefore took back its natural course.
Bulgaria was the first country within the Central Powers to sign an truce, on September the 29th, 1918. On October the 30th, the Ottoman Empire also laid down its weapons, and on November the 3rd Austria-Hungary raised a white flag by requesting an armistice from the commander of the Italian troops. The terms of Austria-Hungary's surrender were negotiated through telegraph with the Entente's authorities in Paris. A revolution in Germany led to the proclamation, on November the 9th of that same year, of the German Republic, and the end of the Second Reich. The end of World War One was marked by an armistice signed between Germany and the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiegne in France. The war officially ended at 11 AM.
Romania had no contribution to the signing of the armistice, as when the country went back into the war, conflicts on Romanian soil had already ceased. Judging from a wider frame, and taking into account the effective participation of Romania in the war between 1916 and 1917, it would be right to affirm that the country played a part in aiding the Allies and holding back the armies of the Central Powers, especially in the battles of Marasti, Marasesti and Oituz of 1917.
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