Romanian Campaign of 1916

Chapter I

Over Carpathian Mountains

1.Romanian Offensive in Transilvania

Crossing the mountains

"In the night of 14/27-15/28 of August our troops have attacked the Austro-Hungarian frontier".With this sober sentence the first official communicate of the Great Romanian Hedquarter anaunced the event,epochal of crossing the Carpathian Mountains.The dungeon wall,which closed half of the Romanian nation,was demolished.The Carpathians were no more!Through the valleys ,eighteen centuries ago,passed the legions of great Roman Emperor Traian ,to bring the Latin civilization and Roman order in the country of simple and heroic Daci,through the same valleys were three centuries ago,have crossed the flags of the most heroic and unhappy Romanian voievod,to unite the sons of the same nation under the same scepter ,on the same routes was passing now the army of King Ferdinand,determined to make for eternity what Traian wanted,and Mihai the Brave has made only for a brief moment.

The covering Romanian troops occupied for some while the ridges of the mountains and the passes from Virciorova to Dorna.In the day of 27th of August they received the order that at 9 in the evening to cross the frontier and to attack the Austro -Hungarian troops ,which they will meet.In points of bigger circulation,like Predeal,Ghimes,the first detachment wich set foot cross the frontier had to begin by cleaning the terrain of the guards at the border,which was acomplished fast and with insignifiant losses.In other parts,the advance begun without encountering any resistance;only aftera few kilometers ,in the enemy country,the enemy appeared.The surprise have been complete.In this first night of our war ,fell ,as first victims ,amongst the officers;Lieut-Colonel Poenaru Bordea G.,the Commander of 30th Muscel Regiment,hit by an enemy bullet in Bran mountain Pass and Lieutenant Macarie N.,of 13th Stefan Cel Mare Regiment,in Oituz Pass.

The entering in Transilvania was made through 18 points.The resistance opposed by the Austro-Hungarian troops have been defeated very fast;the ROmanian troops were advancing impetuosly towards the fixed goals.This resistance was made in the beginning by small detachments,of one battalion at most,mostly they had numerous machineguns,nested in trenches and shelters ,hidden carefuly through the most narrow parts of mountains defiles,behind corners,at roads junctions,near the waters and under the mined bridges.Their aim was to make big gaps in the rows of our troops,and slow their advance.But the elan of the Romanian troops knew no obstacles.The cover Austro-Hungarian detachments,more and more numerous,were either crushed,or set to run away,either captured and the advance of Romanians was made without dificulty.
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Firsts objectives were quickly met.Tuesday,29th of August,in the afternoon,in less then 48 hours from the beginning of the war,the Romanain troops entered Brasov.In the same time ,on Jiu Valley.they occupied Petrosani,important industrial city,the center of mining industry in this valley.In the angle of Carpathians has been occupied Tirgu Secuiesc,and the whole Sesul Secuilor.Three days after war declaration,we were in front of Orsova and Sibiu,beyond Brasov,close to Miercurea Ciuc.All the mountain passes of Carpathian Mountains were in our hands;their heights were behind our front.We have taken from the enemy over 4000 prisoners.
The hurricane advance of the Romanian Army made a delirous enthusiasm in the Kingdoom and consternation between the Hungarians.The cities neighbour with Carpathians are quicly evacuated by the authorities.The Romanian elite,especially intelectuals,preasts and teachers,are arrested as hostages and dragged in the Hungarian prissons.Together with the authorities,runs away the wealthy Hungarian population and Saseasca,of which consciousness had some blame to make ,for itself.Ardeal(name of Transilvania) begins to know the tragedy of exod of population in front of the entering which,of the most happy provinces of the Central Powers ,under this aspect,than the states of the Antant,only Oriental Prusia and Galitia had known.The roads and driveways are full with the populaation of Hungarians and Sasi(German minority of Transilvania),which have left their homes,carrying in the carriages the own,loaded in haste,and sending ahead the herds of thousands of animals,running for fear of Romanian advance,which they think vengeful and plundering,when in reality is a silence and respectful one of life and own.*
The Romanian columns advance cheerfuly,in a highness of soul easy to understand.It is the day of triumph,of millenar sufferings.And the victory seems easier than hoped for,our boys,handsome in their beautiful new uniforms.Not thoughts of plunder and violence close the minds of these enthusiast and gentle liberators;they are content with the thankfulness of the soul of victory.Because in the Romanian villages they go,people come their way with tears of joy,and the priests rise hot prayers to the sky"four our wellhigh King Ferdinand I" and for the victory of his soldiers!

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War Declaration.

After the famous second Crown Council on the morning of 14/27 August 1916,presided by King Ferdinand, at 4 in the afternoon the decrete for the state of siege was on the streets of Bucharets.By evening the pedestrian geandarms announced the general mobilization(of the army).
At 9 in the evening ,our minister at Viena presented himself at the Pallace of Foreign Ministry in Ballplatz,and in the absence of the minister ,he put in the hand of the service-men a document of extreme importance.It was the war declaration which the Kingdoom of Romanian was making to Austro-Hingarian Empire.The declaration made the entire process of connections with the Triple Alliance,numbering the deceptions and vexations endured ,the entering of Italy in war against Austro-Hingary,which implicated the obligations of Romania,talked about the barbar treatment of the Romanians and attempts of breaking the Romanian Nation in the A-H Monarchy,inspite of the alliance and friendship of the two states...etc"From these motives ,Romania considers herself ,from this moment ,in a state of war with Austro-Hungary"

The army

Getting on foot of war in the night of 27-28 August, 1916,our army mobilized 833 758 men of troops,commanded by 18000 officers.Made out of 378 Infantry battalions,299 Artillery Batteries and 104 Cavalry Escadrons,281 240 Horses.The reserve was made of 416 000 men.So the total was 1083000 men called under the flag,representing 15 procents of the poulation of the Kingdoom,the totality of men between 18-45 years of age.All these forces mobilised 23 Infantry Divisions,and two Cavalry Divisions.Divisions 1-10 were old Divisions,with active officers ,strong divisions:made out of three Brigades of two Infantry Regiments each,at wich it was added a Hunter Regiment,a Brigade of two Artillery regiments with qiuck firing ant other troops of services.Divisions 11-15 were new units,made in 1914-1916,by transforming the old teritorial commandments.they were made of two Infantry Brigades,made of reserve-men,with a weaker artillery-a Regiment for each Division-and reduced services.Divisions 16-23 made of Regiments taken from old Divisions,from the fourth Battalionof the Infantry Regiment and with some new Units.These Divisions were weaker;Reserve officers mainly,their artillery made out of old cannons of 87 and 75 with slow firing-very reduced services.Divisions 1-10 one machine gun section per battalion,11-15 one section per Regiment,16-23 some of them not at all.
So Divisions 1-10 were good Divisions
Divisions 11-15 were medium Divisions
Divisions 16-23 were weak Divisions
Cavalry -made out of 22 Regiments which made two Independent Divisions,in six Rosiori Regiments each, with mounted artillery,75 mm batteries and cyclers.The Calarasi Regiments which were weaker as combative value have been united two by two,making five Brigades ,one for each Army Corps.

The number of officers was increased in 1916,from 8500 to 20000.

The Artillery
227 batteries(one battery=four cannons) of heavy and light :one Regiment of mounted artillery,25 Regiments of Light Artillery(75mm),Five Regiments of light Shells(105mm),one Regiment of Mountain Artillery 63mm and one divizion of 75mm;four Regiments of heavy Artilley

The Plan of Military operations.

A.The Carpathians Front
the I-st Romanian Army....134000 men
the II-nd Romanian Army....127000 men +the general Reserve 51000men

B.Southern Front-the III-rd Romanian Army-Western Group(in Oltenia)-20000 men,Central Group(between Olt and Arges) 50000 men,Eastern Group(Turtucaia Silistra and Dobrogea Detachment) 72000 men

Enemy countermeasures

The enemy was watching with unrest the unfolding of the events in Romania.The raports of their official representatives or spies ,the public opinion and the failure of tratatives ,did not leave any doubt over the end.Still,the governments and the headquarters hoped for a delay ,provoked by the terithorial offers of Austro-Hungary,in which time a favorable turn on the Eastern Front to change the situation.The Hungarians,the most direct and grave threatened ,took airs of bravade.Count Karoly[151] declared in the Hungarian Chamber that Romanians attacking Hungary,would find in Carpathian Mountains not soldiers,but tigers ,to defend it,and Tisza assured that the Romanians would not put their hands not even on a Hungarian tree.In reality the weaknes of the forces-engaged in totality on the fighting fronts-the dificulty to find new forces ,to be opposed to the new enemy,made the rulers of the Central Powes to wait with great fear the threatening decission of Romania;in the case in which it would be unavoidable ,it was expected arround the end of September .

When our war declaration arrived,unexpectedly ,in the evening of 27th of August,it has produced a considerable emotion at headquarters of the enemy armies.Especially in the conducting circles of Germany it was thought that "it is impossible that a Hohenzollern to attack another Hohenzollern"."over Emperor Wilhelm-writes General Cramon-this news fell as a lightning strike out of blue sky"*.

The grave turn,which the situation was taking ,critical enaugh,of The Central Powers,imposed to the German rulers heroic measures.The first one was replacing the the Chief of the Great German Headquarter .Falkenhayn,which came to the Supreme Command of the German Army,in the wake of Marna defeat ,and which have conducted the war for two years ,lost his big post,because of entering of Romania in to the war.He was accused that he has not foreseen our entering in the war,and has not taken all the measures of precaution for this eventuality.In reality a coalition of adversaries risen against the overpowerful generalisim.The ruining offensive at Verdun it was imputed to him as a grave personal failure.The strong adverse current asked to bring in the head of the German Army of Marshal Hindenburg[152],which had in front of the German soldier and public something which touched idolatry.The Romanian declaration of war gave the Emperor the awaited ocassion .Hindenburg was named chief of the Great German Headquarter in the place of disgratious Falkenhayn.Ludendorff[153],the inseparabil mate of the old Marshal,was atached to him ,in the function of "prim-quartier-maistru.Germany was breathing again;her trust came back.
In the day of 29th of August ,second day after the war declaration made by Romania to Austria,the German Government invoke the Federal Council of the Empire and,in the same day,Germany calls back her Minister at Bucharest,and declares war to Romania.Germany acomplished to Austro-Hungay the role of accomplice.In front of Romania was rising the formidable military power of the Two Central Empires .Our war declaration surprised the Central Powers;it hasn't arrived all by surprise though,and did not find them unprepared.The Austro-German espionaj managed to track down the tratatives, Romanian-Antant-ist and Count Cezerin could announce in time ,with a small edge of error,the decission of Romania,as well as the aproximative date of entering the war.These informations were considered,at the headquarters of the enemy,as exagerate;especially it was beleived that Romania will not enter the war before the harvest,meaning end of September.

Still,at 29th of July,exactly a month before our entering in the war,was held at the German Headquarter of Pless(Silezia),a conference between Falkenhayn and Conrad von Hotzendorf,Chief of the Austro-Hungarian Headquarter and Colonel Gancev,Bulgarian military delegate,pretaining of the eventuality of entering of Romania in to the war against Central Powers,and of the measures to be taken in this situation.It has been closed a military convention at which adhered after seven days also,Enver-Pasa,in the name of Turkey.the lines of this plan have also been kept by Hindemburg-Ludendorff.It was forseen that our offensive will aim the thick of the Romanian Army to Carpathian Mountains.The line of Danube River and Dobrogea will remain uncovered,thus.based on this judicious hypothesis the plan of the enemy was scetched:he will respound by attacking our back in Dobrogea ,and defending in Transilvania,till big forces will be brought there too.So as Makensen was available due to occupying of Serbia,he has been detained at Sofia,announced that he will use all the Bulgarian,German and Turkish forces available in the North-East of Bulgaria.In the same time Austro -Hungarian General Arz von Straussemberg was tasked with dfending Transilvania frontier.
*Princess Blucher,on of the intimates of the Court in Potsdam,writes:"Somone who happened to be at his Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm,in the moment when Romania declared war and also that when the news of the American war declaration has been known,assured us,that about Romania,the Kaizer came into the room agitated ,white at the face as a piece of papier ,with the knees shaking and said:"Everything is lost,it would be better for me to abdicate imediately" as about America,even the ones arround him were joyful"no problem,because America would never be able to transport her troops ,because of the submarines".Princess Blucher,>>An English Wife in Berlin,London,1920.

The Romanian Intervention saves Verdun

Painful sacrifices and of other nature were imposed to the enemy.The offensive against Verdun have been stopped.In this way,the Germans were sealing one of the biggest failures suffered on the Western Front and they were giving up at the battle on which they made so many hopes ,but which gave them after six months of bloody fights,imense piles of dead bodies.
The situation of the imense fortress has become ,lately,critical.
At 17th of August 1916,the French Ambassador at Petrograd,Paleologue,asked the Foreign Russian Ministry that the Russian Government to quicken up the decoration of city of Verdun with St,Gheorghe Cross,because ,"he has received from his government,informations which made him consider the fall of the fortress as possible in the actual moment".So the decoration of Verdun with the Legion of Honor and other foreign decorations ,could take place ,finally at 13th of September.And in a few days the French were starting the offensive against the weakened German forces.Mangin[154] reconquered in a great attack ,Daumont[155]."in four hours -says beautifuly Joffre-our troops have reconquered a terrain for which the Germans fought four months to take it,from us"
In this time ,though,the ceremony of giving the city the French Legion of Honor ,which was supposed to take place at 31st of August,with a great assistance,by the President of the Republic,with the Ministers and Military Chiefs,was suspended,as to not celebrate the defense of a fortress ,of which fall was probabil.
Verdun was saved by the intervention of Romania.The effects of our entering in the war have started to be felt ,even from the second day.The French were relieved by one of the biggest burdens.Romania was stepping in the bloody arena ,giving France ,in a supreme moment a priceless helpping hand.It was the first proof of gratitude ,which by our martyr,we were bringing to our noble sister nation.Five German divisions of infantry and a cavalry division,taken from the Western Front and from the Eastern Front,with powerful modern means of fighting-heavy artillery,aviation,a.s.o.-have received the order to embark in trains even on 29th of August,and to start towards the new Front of Ardeal(Transilvania).Germany was starting the role of stalk for her rotten ally(Austro-Hungary).

Constituting of the great commandments

The geographic conformation of our mountaineous frontier has imposed the Romanians,from the beginning a strategic dispozitive very disadvantageous and risky.The ROmanian Army was spread through all the parallel valleys of the mountains.So it was needed that the gathering of the columns and focusing them in units to be made before the enemy could have gathered suficient forces as to organise its defensive and -maybe-even offensive.This was the task of the great commandments which,after a few days from entering the campaign,have received the command of their units.The isolated and ,here and there ,columns ,had to advance with energy,get out of the mountaineous region in to the field one,defeating the enemy resistance and to focus,establishing connections between them,as well as with the Russian left flank.
In the initial campaign plan,it was established that at the back of the covering curtain,which occupied the passes in Ardeal(Transilvania),the concentration of the thick of the army to be made ,exactly ,in the mountain passes .Face with the weakness of the enemy,the Great Headquarter ,decided at 31st of August to push the covering groups further,such as the concentration of the units to be made even in the enemy terrain.This strategical operation has been tough criticized by General Averescu,which considered a big mistake to combine the cover of the mobilising with the unfolding of the operations;the result was that,befor the strategical operation to be plotted ,our army in the mountains has found herself stretched on a continuous cordon,without availabilities in the depth.
At 1st of September ,the situation of the Romanian troops on the Carpathian front was as follows;from Virciorova to Arges water flows was stretched the I-st Army(General Culcer) with the Headquarter at Craiova.This army had advancedth 1st Division in Cernei Valley and she was founding herself in front of Orsova;with the 11th Division on Jiu Valley,were she has occupied Petrosani and Merisor Pass;with the group Lotru-Olt-latter the Divisions 13th and 23rd-has went out of Olt Defile and spread in Sibiu field.As reserves of the I-st Army,were destined Divisions 2nd and 12th.

At the center,the II-nd Army(General Averescu),after occupying Brasov,has prepared to cross Olt River to advance in North -West direction,towards line Fagaras Mountains -Sighisoara.It was the most compact group which,thanks to the terrain,could concentrate in a bundle the divisions in its composition.They were;3rd Division at the left,4th Division at the center ,Divisions 5th and 6th at the right side.As reserves ,formed in the back Divisions 21st and 22nd.

At the right wing of the Romanian front ,was the IV-th Army(Northern Army),General Prezan.Through the transversal valleys of the Carpathians of Moldavia advanced in continuous fights towards the superior valleys of Mures River and Olt River,Divisions 7th,8th and 14th,rejecting continuously the enemy;on the left of the army,was advancing the 2nd Cavalry Division,trying to connect with the II-nd Army.
It hasn't yet been established a connection between the three Romanian armies ,neither between the Romanian front and the Russian one.
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The enemy forces

The enemy forces which were trying to opose the Romanians advance,were those which constituted the I-st Austro-Hungarian Army,Commanded by General Arz von Straussemberg,of sas(Germans in Transilvania) origin,from the surroundings of Sibiu.The I-st Army was part of the Group of armies of archduke inheritter Carol,and was in foundinf herself along VII-th Army(General Koevess),which occupied the Galitian and Bucovinean Carpathian Mountains.The forces that Arz disposed in the first days were not numerous.In the first line were 30 infantry battalions and Landstrum[1] ,three battalions of militarized miners, 12 battalions of stage,8 escadrons and 18 batteries.The reserve was made of 6 battalions of stage with four and a half batteries ,2 escadrons and 5 batteries concentrated between Alba Iulia and Sebesu Secuiesc,as an atom of the 51st Division,on way of reconstituting herself.Every day,though,Arz was receiving reinforcements,Austro-Hungarian and german ones.Even from the first days the Germans send few commandments,then troops begun to arrive,so it can be said ,that even from the beginning,the commandment of the troops in Transilvania (Ardeal) was in the hands of the Germans.
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The greatest resistance has been organized by the enemy from the beginning,towards the Moldavian Carpathian Mountains were it seemed to them the most threatened sector,because the neighbouring with the Russian front and of the danger of turning the Galitian front.Here was constituted the North-East Group,under the Prusian General von Morgen,Commander of the I-st Reserve German Group.Morgen was considered a good soldier.He has commanded a division in Tannenberg[2],and then the I-st Reserve German Corps in all the battles given on the Russian front,from 1914 to 1916.After the end of the campaign against Romania ,we find him in France at Lile and Cambrai,in the generar deroute of the German armies.From Morgen Group were:the 61st Infantry DIvision Austro-Hungarian in the Norther sector,and the 71st Division a little to the South;between them was a Husar Brigade de Landstrum.Morgen Group stretched in Dorna region ,until the region between Sighisoara and Brasov.
In the Southern part,Morgen Group continued with the Southern Group,Commanded by Prusian General von Staabs,Commander of the XXXIX-th Corps of Reserve.This group was ,in its turn,made out of two parts:at its left wing,stretching to West of Sibiu,was a group made out of 1st Austro-Hungarian Cavalry Division,3rd German Cavalry Division,brought from the Russian front,the 143 Austro -Hungarian Brigade and 51st Hanovezi Division.Commander was the German Cavalry ,Count Schmettow.A little to the right,in Hateg land,opposing to the advance of our troops which were comming from Jiu Valley,was the 144 Austro-Hungarian Brigade.Behind this one ,were arriving from Vosgi front[3],even from the first week of the war,the first elements of the 187 German Division.At Orsova was the 210th Brigade ,changed after few days with 145th Brigade of reserve,strenghtened with the so called the Danube Group(Grupul Dunarii),made out of 5-6 companies .Important units of help were disembarking every day in Cluj,Deva and Timisoara,from where they were send to the fighting fronts.For Morgen Group,were destined the 37th and 39th Hanovezi Divisions,72nd Austro-Hungarian and 89th Prusian,brought from Lithuania;Morgen remained with the command of the right wing,and the command of the left wing was given to Austrian Feldmarshal Fabini.For Staabs Group were destined:the 76th German Division,called from Curlanda,the Bavarian Alpine Corps,brought from Verdun,and the Mountain Brigades 2nd and 8th Austro-Hungarian,from the Italian front.With this face ,the adversary was strenghtening every day that past,such that,after twoo weeks from entering the war,the Austro-German forces from Ardeal were up to 11 Infantry Divisions*,two and a half Cavalry Divisions,ballancing the Romanian forces almost Division by Division.
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* The 143 Brigade from Sibiu has enterd later in the made up of the 72nd Austro-Hungarian Division,which belonged organically

A program which cannot be acomplished

As the military situation presented itself at the beginning of the war declaration,the Romanians possesed in Carpathian Mountains the advantage of initial superiority.The greatest part of the Romanian Army was on the front line ,as the enemy needed time to bring the forces from other European fronts .Will the Romanian succeed ,that by an energic action to profit from this superiority and give the enemy big blows ,disorganize their covering forces and to obstacle him from making necessary concentration of forces,acomplishing in this time the Romanian one?By this depended the success of the first campaign in Ardeal(Transilvania).
Two causes came to make in an unfavorable manner the rapid acomplishing of the Romanian operatios plan.First,the Romanian columns ,flowing through the numerous mountain passes ,were parted one of the other, by mountain massifs ,which were sometimes 100km thick.Fighting with the heavy terrain ,but also with enemy resistance,before he could concentrate its forces,our detachment have to construct resistance positions over the mountain ridge and strenghten within them,untill the arrive of the thick of the army,by the fear of eventual attacks by surprise, with superior forces ,from the enemy.The difficulty of convoys arriving,made tougher by the destroys made by the enemy,have forced the troops to advance with precaution,such that the enetering of the Romanians in Transilvania did not had the thunder character ,manifested in the first two days.To this,came the second cause more determining than the first one.The unfortunate events,happened at the Southern border,made their effect quick.Important forces ,destined to the Northern front,have been turned from their way and send South.This causes have paralized from the beginning the elan of the ROmanian offensive in Ardeal and compromised the entire campaign.
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2.The operations of the I-st Army

The isolation of the I-st Army

Of the three Romanians armies on the Carpathian frontier ,the I-st Army was the most isolated.By the II-nd Army ,she was parted by the formidable massif of Fagarasi Mountains,which is the thickest and has the highest peaks from the whole chain of Romanian Carpathian Mountains .The isolation was not only towards the neighbour army,but also the own units were parted themselves by mountain massifs of over 70-80 km thickness.The three groups ,disposed on the mountain frontier,Virciorova,Jiu and Olt could not communicate on the sides and direct;the connection between them could be made only by big going arrounds,on the railways and driveways of the Kingdoom.
The fourth group-20th Division-was stretched along Danube River ,from Virciorova to the mouth of Olt River,with the mission of guarding the Bulgarian shore and to reject the eventual crossing attempts over the River.
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The Fights of Cerna Group

At the left extremity of the I-st Army and of the entire Carpathian front,was "Cerna Group",made up of the troops of the 1st Division ,Commanded by General Dragalina.From Banat,starting his career as officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army,Dragalina was to Command the army to liberate his birthplace.
The mission of this group was from the biginning limited ,to a local action,because of the pivot role of the great strategic move which had to be acomplished, by the army of operatons, in Transilvania,as the operations plan.It was also imposed by its excentric situation,alltogether outside the operations zone,but also because of the very bad terrain,made out of a mountains succession,high,parted between them by steep valleys ,altogether improper for unfolding tactical operations.That is why,the Division has only to occupy solidly the Northern shore of the Danube River and Cerna Valley,were she flows into the Danube.,to make impossible a passing through here of the enemy,which would have threatened the left flank of the I-st Army dispozitive.With this face,it was also completely stopped the traffic on the Danube.This mission have been acomplished with success by the troops of the 1st Division and by her eminent Commander.
The fights in this region will be very difficult because the lack of roads and special equipment for transporting the provisions,food and munition.They were brought from big distances ,by small mountain horses ,mounted with samare,on narrow and serpent paths,with many rocks.Transporting the cannons constituted a real problem of ingenuity and forcings for both human and animals.Even more penible was the evacuation of the wounded at the sanitary posts and from there to the hospitals ,organised in the first poor small villages(smaller than a village),at the mouths of the valleys,far and away from the operation lines.
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The hostilities have begun in this sector even from the first day.The Austrian auxiliary monitor "Almos",comming from Cladova,on Danube,has bombarded the city and the military commandment ,making small damages then retreated to Orsova.The troops of the 1st Division have occupied the heights of the frontier ,giving heavy fights for Tudor,in front of Toplet.The position was conquered by a hurricane assault given by the soldiers of the 57th Mehedinti Regiment,which in the fever of the first attack given by them in this war,were pulling by hand the poles of the barb wire fencees,in the middle of the bullet rain of the enemy machineguns.
This operation made possible for the Romanian Commander to notice that the Hungarians have constructed a system ,strong,of strongholds on the heights over the frontier.The central of these strongholds was Alionu Mountain .It is a dear Mountain to the Hungarians .At his feet,in 1848,the partizans of Kossuth[4],after the smashing of the Hungarian Revolution,have hidden the crown of Saint Stefan[5];on this spot have build later,Emperor Franz Joseph a chapel.Alion ,together with the heights that follow towards North,Ozoina and Drenecul,were very heavy strenghtened;concreted trenches and covered disposed on levels,nets of barbwire fence,on metal frames.The reconnaisances and the information of the Romanian Commander ,have priced at three to four battalions the troops occupying the position.In truth,Colonel Fiebich,the Commander of the enemy sector,had four and a half battalions,a cavalry escadron and four batteries of the 210th Brigade.Obviously,after receiving other reinforcements the position would have been very hard to take.And this was indispensabil for mastering Cernei River Valley.
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The fight for conquering Alion Mountain was given in the day of 1st of September.General Dragalina has send a secondary group to attack North of Padesul hills and Padeglava hills-which was executed without success-keeping under his command the thick -seven battalions-for the principal action.So,as at 5 in the morning,four batteries installed on Duhovna Hill have started the bombardment of enemy positions,the infantry attacked on several columns.In the center of attack,the soldiers of the 1st Hunters Regiment have taken with assault Culmea Ozoinii,the key position.In the middle of the furious bombardment,beaten by the enemy machineguns,the Hunters have to cut with scissors the barbwire fence,row by row and through them,to make space to advance with the bayonet ahead.Many remain hunged between the nails of the wires,many are thundered by the explosions of the underground mines.But one by one heights 287 and 314 fall in to the hands of the Hunters.At 2,30 pm the whole position is conquered.
The column which attacked Drenecul has been held on place by the strongholds of wires ,which our artillery did not break;the hunters ,though ,have surrounded Drenecul by South and managed to occupy it by evening.In the same time ,the soldiers of 17th Mehedinti Regiment,with the help of a Hunters Company,have conquered Alion Mountain.The romanian troops pursued the enemy without stop up to Cerna Valley,taking him out af all the strong positions and running him away in disorder.The Monitor "Almos " has tried to intervene,bombarding the Romanian troops ,without effect,but was set on the run by the batteries on Duhovna.
The Austro-Hungarian defeat was decisive;they have left in the hands of Romanians 9 officers and 645 soldiers,prisoners,ahead with Major Wolff,the Commander of Alion sector,as well as an imense material:seven cannons,machineguns,horses,a reflector,ammunition and provisions in great quantity.
Pursuing with energy the enemy beaten,Romanians have occupied at 4th of September Orsova and both shores of Cerna,close to Ieselnita;to North they have occupied the localities on the left shore of Cerna:Coramnic,Toplet,Birza strenghtening on positions on the heights which domminates the shore,close to Mehadia.
After occupying Orsova things have quiet on Cerna.At 1st of october,Colonel Szivo,the Commander of 145th Austro-Hungarian Brigade (seven battalions,one escadron ,six batteries),which occupies now the sector ,thought it is the moment to reconquer Orsova.Well informed that the Romanian troops have been weakened,by sending two Regiments(1st Hunters and 57th Jiu),he has attacked on the whole front from Toplet to Orsova,helped on the right side on Danube River also by three monitors.The enemy attack had in the biginning whatever success;at the left side the enemy has occupied Birza and Toplet,and at the right side he managed to enter the Western partof Orsova.In the afternoon of the same day,the Romanian counterattack,eecuted with troops of the 17th Mehedinti Regiment,has repulsed the enemy back on his starting positions,reconquering orsova by violent street fights,with hand grenades;have been also taken 165 prisoners.
To take revanch,after three days ,at 4th of Ocober,the 17th Mehedinti Regiment has attacked the enemy position by the front and from behind,surprising the Hungarian soldiers sleeping in the trenches and runned them away ,beyond Iesalnita and Orjadin,capturing 4 officers and 216 soldiers.All the enemy position near Danube RIver have been conquered.The enemy behaved by this unfortunate result of his attempt,has remained quiet from now on.
With all the thinness of the front ,because of lack of units,Cerna Group has acomplished the mission.The Romanian cannon kept under his firing range Danube Valley.The important way to the Orient was thus closed;he will not be a way for the enemy troops to reprovision themselves,anymore,on the Dobrogea border.
Cerna sector will be from now on a relatively quiet secor.Sheltered in their trenches,the two enemies will look eachother in the eye and not enterprise any action of importance.The enemy will give from time to time attacks for fixation,to away the attention of what is going on in the neighbour sectors.In time the effectives of the two adversaries have diminished more,by sending troops in neighbour sectors,mor agitated.
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Robert,
Thank you.
Andrei

First map "Romanian offensive in Transilvania";last picture in Marasesti Battle is taken on this map from N-W direction;Omu=Vf.Omu=Omu Peak
Second map"Theatre of fights at Merisor and Petrosani"
Maps legend: dotted line =successive lines of the Romanian front,the arrows=principal directions of enemy attack
D=Division,Vf=Peak,but also at the second map D is only for hill,example;D Bran=Bran Hill and Pasul=Pass ex. Pasul
Vulcan=Vulcan Pass(mountain pass)
small white circle=locality
triangles=also peaks and heights

Here are the maps, Andrei.

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Robert

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Jiu Sector

Another importance had Jiu sector.After the covering troops,Commanded by Colonel Cocorascu and made up by Gorjeni Regiments 18th and 58th,have occupied Petrosani,it was constituted the 11th DIvision,under the Command of General Muica,hahing 21st and 22nd Brigades,of infantry.The aim of this Division was that,by union with the divisions in Olt Valley,to form up the oak of the entire surrounding move,which the Romanian front was making towards West and North -West.That is why,the advance had to be smaller in this region,and the positions occupied near the frontier to be as much as possible strenghtened.The enmy had in this region 144th Brigade ,Austro-Hungarian with six battalions of infantry,with four Husari escadrons and with four batteries (Colonel Berger),at which it was added the three battalions of militarized miners ,from Petrosani and Lupeni mines,commanded by their chiefs and engineers.
The great Romanian Hedquarter has ordered the 11th DIvision to occupy the defensive positions North of Hateg.General Culcer ,the Commander of the I-st Romanian Army,counting this position as too advanced and risky,because it was leaving behind Hateg-Caransebes Defile,where it could have been turned(the front),taking into account also the enormous distances which separated him by the neighbour sectors,covered by strong mountain massifs and with very dificile communications,has decided to remain on a position less advanced,closer to the frontier.That is why the troops of the DIvision have occupied firstly Jiu Valley with important mining localities ,Vulcani and Lupeni,cleaning it entirely by the enemy.After this,the Romanians entered towards North-West of Petrosani,occupying solidly Merisor Pass.
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In Merisor Pass

Merisor Pass is a long corridor,tightened between Hateg Mountains (Muntii Hategului) ,on the left side and Sebes Mountains(Muntii Sebesului) ,on the right side.Through it,you have to cross Banitei Valley,afluent of Jiu River,which flows to South -East,in the valley of Strei River,afluent of Mures,which flows North-West,through Hateg Field.The dividing place of the two flows of water form the culminant point of the defile,of almost 1000 meters high.
At 7th of September ,the troops of the 11th Division,were in the defile,leaning on the near heights;Bran Hill,at South and Baloi Hill ,at North.The enemy made an attempt in the second day,at 8th of September,to take out the Romanians from these positions.With all the strong bombardment of their artillery,he did not succeed and was repulsed by the troops of Regiments 18th and 36th,which took over 300 prisoners,two cannons and other material ,as well.The Austro-Hungarian communicate ,describes this defeat under an eufemistic form:"...Our troops have send back the enemy at 4 km behind his positions;a new and strong enemy attack against the right wing ,of this group,determined us to reoccupy our start positions".The ROmanian line of resistance -almost perpendicular on the direction of the old frontier -was streched cross the pass from North to South,over the heights Angros,Muncel,Oboroca,turning then South-west,on the heights wich domminates from North Jiu,up to Fagetel Peak.The line was well strengtened .The Romanian avanguards have passed ,though,over the exit of the pass and have occupied in Streciului Valley ,villages Baru Mare and Baru Mic.The reconnaissance patrols descended to Crivadia and even close to Pui locality.They have come into contact at 10th of September ,with German patrols .There were the first troops of 187th Prusian Division and of the Alpine Bavarian Corps,brought from Verdun front.
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The German offensive
Battle of Merisor

The German commander was ,ofcourse,not knowing of the purely defensive Romanian intentions on this front.The advance of the Romanians was ,ofcourse ,considered to be extremely dangerous.It seemed that it threatenes with the entering in the Valley of Mures which,in this region,is closere than anywhere by the old frontier.Occupying this valley by the Romanian army meant the cutting of the most important line which goes along Ardeal(Transilvania),obstacling the concentration of enemy forces ,which was acomplished at Sasesc Sebes,and threatened in the back the principal direction of advance of the enemy to Sibiu.In front of this danger,the enemy decided that,before the complete arriving of reinforcements he was expecting,to attack us in the most periled point.Taking out the Romanians from Superior Jiu Valley would also had the great advantage that was giving back to Hungarians the possesion of the carbonifer pool of Petrosani,so pretious for the neighbour state economy.

For the planned counteroffensive,has formed in Hateg region a group,constituted ,outside 144th Austro-Hungarian Brigade,by adding six battalions of Divisions 187th and three battalions of the Alpine Bavarian Corps,in total eighteen battalions.A powerful artillery,comprising of heavy cannons and mountain cannons ,as well as an airplane squadron ,for bombardment,which were appearing for the first time in our war-and armoured cars ,have been put at the disposal of the said group;the Command was of German General Sunkel,the Commander of the 187th DIvision.Added to the superiority of the weaponry,the German commander had also excelent troops of Alpine Bavarians,especially trained and utilated for mountain warfare.
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The Romanian dispozitive front had the missfortune that the troops of the 2nd DIvision,were stretched in a cordon of 14 Miles,between Fagetel Hill and Baloi Hill,having only two battalions in reserve;was thus a line easy to breakthrough.
Battle of Merisor has started on 14th of September by a violent bombardment of heavy artillery.The Romanian soldiers had imediately the intuition,that they find themselves in front of another enemy than the one they were fighting.The strong bombardment of the ROmanian positions kept till 4 in the afternoon,when infantry attacks have produced.They have been given in front over the principal positions of Bran Hill and Baloi Hill,whic domminates the defile.The enemy attack has been repulsed by 18th and 26th Regiments;especially on Bran Hill,the fights have been very violent and made heavy cassualties both sides.Romanians had managed not only to repulse the enemy ,but a counterattack made by the troops from the left wing ,had successfuly pushed the Germans beyond Baru Mare.
In the attacks given by the enemy the following day,had the same insuccess.Bran Hill,for which ferocious fights have been given,went from one hand to another,remaining in the end in Romanian ones.In the third day of the battle ,after a very violent bombardment,given with all the calibers of the enemy,getting in to the line of fight all his troops,has succeeded to break the ROmanian front South of the Pass,between Bran Hill and Angros Hill.Retreating of the troops in here ,attracts also the evacuation of the position in the right side,of Baloi Hill.Merisor Pass was in the hand of the enemy.To protect Petrosani and the enter in Jiu Valley,are occupied positions in the right side and over to the left side of the metal road,on Fata(Girl) Hill and at Cetatea Bolii.The ROmanian front executes in its retreat,a conversion to the right .At the beginning of the battle ,the front had a direction almost North-South,mounted on the driveway Pui-Crivadia-Merisor.The driveway making in Petrosani region a n almost right angle,the new front of Banita has almost the West-East direction,parallel with the old frontier,covering Petrosani;the front leans,left, on the height of Tulisa and Oboroca,in the Valley of Jiu Romanesc.

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Fight of Banita and the retreat on the old frontier

In the next few days,the enemy continues the ferocious fight for taking the second Romanian line ,which would give him Petrosani.The attacks have been given on six columns,in two directions:one of front,from Banita towards Petrosani,along the driveway and railway;the second one ,in the flank of principal Romanian position,with North -South direction,facing Lupeni and towards Jiu Romanesc line.The columns of the exercised alpiners have succeded to make a surrounding move of the Romanian flank,on Tusila Mountain.To avoid the surrounding which was threatening,the Romanian Commander have ordered of evacuating Petrosani and retreating on the right side,towards the old positions on the frontier.With all the enemy pressure ,with all the pursiut he was making with his armoured cars ,the retreat was made with a lot of patience and with small losses.At 20th of September the German troops entered Petrosani.

By a mistake interpretation of an order given by the Commander of the 11th Division,the retreat of the Romanian troops was made to far behind,towards Bumbesti,leaving the ridges of the frontier weakly occupied.The enemy takes advantage of this situation and takes the more important peaks,occupying them,as well as the mouth of Vulcan Pass(Buliga) and of Jiu(surduc) Defile,together with heights Straja and Obirsia Merisor.Given the importance of these positions ,the Romanian troops had to give very violent fights ,to reconquer them.Especially Obirsia Merisor Peak have been taken and lost three times on 22nd of September until,arround four in the afternoon,in the wakw of a last attack made with the last available battalion,the peak remained to Romanians.With the help of a detachment arrived by forced marching from Cerna through Baia de Arama ,the situation along the old frontier has been reestablished.
After nine days of continuous and bloody fights ,the battle of Merisor and Petrosani came to an end.One part of the enemy troops were recalled to be used somewhere else.In the same time ,the Commander of the I-st Romanian Army was organizing his troops to begin a counteroffensive which will soon ,put him back in the possesion of Petrosani Pool.
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The battles of Merisor and Banita,although they were lost by the Romanians,and has brought with it the loss of the terrain conquered,has not been altogether a shameful defeat.The surrounding Manoeuvre,tried by the enemy,did not succeed,and the retreat,executed in time and with clever ,made that the number of prisoners and the pray made by the enemy to be insignificant.For the first time the Romanians were facing ,on the Carpathian front,with the strongest of their adversaries,and this encounter,with all the inferiority of their military prepare,has not alltogether been compromising.The adversaries have the ocazion to notice and addmit with sincerity their qualities and missgivings."The Romanians have showed themselves curageous and heroic adversaries ,which know how the use the smallest advantage offered by the bad terrain and steep of the mountains",writes K.Rossner."Because the adverse infantry defended bravely almost in all the points,she has suffered great losses ,especially on Bran Hill,where resisted longer.The numerous lively attacks prove tthe ROmanian infantryman it is a brave one",writes Ad.Koester.And the enemy Commander,General Sunkel,tells to General Falkenhayn,which comes to take supreme command,his impressions:"The ROmanian soldier ,as an individual,does not put a bad fight.The Romanian troop,however is resisting hard to veiling trials of the flanks and back,or to the concentrated artillery fire,probably,face with the command insufficiency ,feels without defense in such situations".
In the wake of the defeat suffered by the 11th DIvision,General Muica,a distinguished technician Officer ,but without the qualities and experience of a front commander,has been replaced from Division Command by General Cocorascu.
...

The Romanian counteroffensive.
Re-occupying of Petrosani.

The enemy did not joy to much by the result of his breakthrough.The German battalions ,which belonged to 187th Division,together with their commander,have been called in the neighbour sector,from Olt River,where the new generalisim needed all the available forces ,to give a decisive blow.At Jiu has remained the 144th Austro-Hungarian Brigade,strenghtened with two battalions of infantry and two German batteries,and with an Austro-Hungarian battalion,brought from Cerna;the troops were under the Command of Austrian Colonel Berger.

Mastering the defiles in Jiu region and Petrosani Pool,was indispensable to Romanians ,for the solidity of the left flank of the armyThe enemy,installed here,we were under constant threat of a runthrough toward South.That is why,General Culcer decided to give a counteroffensive,with bigger forces ,to regain the lost terrainOf the troops brought from Cerna,in forced marching,through Baia de Arama and Dobrita,is constituted at Birsesti,Scarlatescu Detachment,with the mission to operate a move in the flank of the enemy,while the troops of the 11th Division will attack frontal.The effectives of the group have been lifted to 18 battalions,of which took part in the actual fights 16 battalions,many of them with decreased effectives in the wake of battles at Bran and Obirsia-Merisor;the other have been kept in reserve or in the fixed points which had to be supervised.General Cilcer has personally conducted the operations of the group.At 25th of September have started the operations.Scarlatescu Detachment,crossing the mountain at Muncelu,over Scurtu Hill and Coarnele Zanoagei,rejects the Austro-Hungarian and falls ,mounted over Jiu Romanesc Valley,between Oborocea and Barbatenii de Sus(Upper Barbatenii),facing East.The German battalions which were occupying Jiu Defile,attacked in front by the troops of 11th Romanian Division,turned West through Jiu Romanesc Valley ,with the retreat line threatened,are forced to leave the positions and to retreat North of Petrosani.The ROmanian troops have reoccupied the old positions of Cetatea Bolii,and the enemy established on a line leaned over the heights of Tulisa-Oboroca.
The battle of Sibiu,which has started on 26th of September,reclaiming in that direction the atention of the German Commandment,Jiu action have been left on second plane.At the stubborn requests of reinforcements by the Command of the Austro-German troops of Jiu,Colonel Berger,Falkenhayn send him only one battalion of the troops from Cerna.Although the eventual advance of the Romanian troops was threatening the railway in Mures Valley,with all the great loss which represented for the Economy of the Hungarian State ,the loss of the mines of petrosani,the German Commander thought that no men should leave the principal operation of Sibiu,to be send in the secondary sector of Jiu.The decission was awaited from Sibiu;it could not be periled by passing and secondary as importance failures like the one in Jiu.Same considerations have determined the Romanian Commander to not follow the obtained success and,thankful with reoccupying Petrosani,to stop the fight in the day of 27th of September,remaining on the conquered positions.
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The enemy re-occupies Petrosani

Nor the Romanians have joyed for a long time by the victory;the raport of forces had to change again in the favour of the enemy.The 2nd Alpine Brigade ,Austro-Hungarian,brought from the Isonzo front[6],disembarked behind the front and has been imediately brought in Jiu sector.The enemy forces ,increased in this way felt,with special troops ,were put under the command of German General von Bussche,the Commander of Hedquarter of the 301st Division.
The fights restarted at 30th of September.The Austro-Hungarian Alpiners ,seated at the right wing of the enemy dispozitive,attacked left Romanian from the heights Fagetel-Oboroca,pressuring in the Romanian flank the same veiling movement,executed by ROmanians few days before,in inverse direction.Ferocious fights are given at this wing.The soldiers of the 1st Hunters Regiment succeed to reject ,by evening of 30th of Sptember,an enemy attack and take 80 prisoners.But at 1st of October the enemy attacks become violent;they are helped by a strong heavy artillery-which takes out of service our small guns-and axfixiant gas.The superiority of the enemy artillery is crushing;she makes behind our lines barrier ,thus making impossible the arrive of the reinforcements.A ferocious fight took place in the night of 1st-2nd of october ,on Oboroca Hill,between Austro-Hungarian Alpiners and the Soldiers of 18th Gorj Regiment.All night, dark as molasses and with thick myst,they were bloody fighting at bayonet.At 2nd of october ,face with the enemy superiority,left Romanian retreated ,in order,on the ridges of the frontier,after both adversaries have suffered heavy losses.For a week,day and night were given unstoppable fights for mastering of every hill and every height and every valley,till the ROmanians established along the whole front,on the ridges of heights on the frontier.Especially in the fights for Siglau Mountain and neighbour heights,Cornu Zanoagei and Muntele Negru(Black Mountain),1st Regiment of Hunters had bravely fought and suffered heavy casualties .Petrosani have been,for the second time abandoned in the hands of the enemy,after damages have been made at the installation of the coal mines,as to not be of any use for a while.
For almost a month ,Jiu sector has remained quiet.Violent clushes were permanently taking place for occupying or re-occupying of one or another domminat height;many bloody losses have suffered both adversaries on the heights beaten by winds and blown by snowstorms.Actions in great style have not taken place in this time;all the attention of the fighters was concentrated on the other sectors of the fighting front.
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Olt Sector

The strongest group of the I-st Army was the one occupying Olt Valley.It was formed,during the mobilization as:"The Group of cover Olt-Lotru"(Both river names),under the Command of General Manolescu;latter it has transformed by adding of a new unit,in "Olt Corps",constituted of 23rd and 13th infantry Divisions and one brigade of Calarasi(horsemen).The mission of this group was to put mastering on Olt River Defile and on the Sibiu Field(Cimpia Sibiului),in which opens up this Defile,and to solidly strenghten the occupied positions,acomplishing ,together with the 11th DIvision the role of pivot of the movements in Ardeal(Transilvania)
From the old frontier,at the fall of Vad River into Olt River,Olt Defile sneaks,like a long corridor of about 6.25 Miles ,narrowed between Cibinului Mountains and Fagaras Mountains(tallest in Romania over 2000meters),until it opens at Boita,in Sibiu Field.A massive tower ,painted in red-with the blood of the turks,killed in one of their incursions in Ardeal,says the legend-was staying as guard at the Defile enterance,which takes the name from it.Along the defile ,on the dusk(west) shore of Olt River,it is the driveway build on the old Roman road;on the dawn (East) shore ,is the railway.The Defile is easy to put a cap on it and to defend agains a frontal attack comming from the South.
The enemy had in this region the 143th Brigade(Commander COlonel Barwik),made out of eight battalions ,with few cavalry and artillery.In reserve ,was gathering ,North of Sibiu,the 51st Hanovezi Division(General Tanarky).
The Romanians have attacked Olt Defile by siurrounding moves .In the night of 27th-28th of August a Detachment of the 1st Regiment of Graniceri(borderarmy),under the command of the heartly Lieut-Colonel Cantacuzino,which occupied the ridge of the Coti Mountain,on the frontier,East of the Defile,descended the North inclines of the mountain,attacked a Battalion of Hungarian Hanovezi,between Sebes and Porcesti and occupied both localities.An armoured enemy train,which was entering Porcesti train station,was hit and lighted up from the first blow ,by our artillery.The Hungarian Battalion have left almost 100 dead and 100 prisoners in the hands of the Romanians;the rest is twrown beyond Olt River.In the same time ,the troops of Olt Group(Regiments 42nd and 44th),starting from Titesti,were crossing the frontier West of Olt River,to turn the positions at Turnu Rosu(Red Tower) and Boita through Valleys of Lotrioarei and Sadului,and towards the West,Lotru Detachment(Regiments 2nd Vilcea and 5th Hunters)were passing at Voineasa,on the superior course of Lotru River.
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At 29th of August the troops of Olt Group have taken after lively fight ,Boita,at the Northern mouth of the Defile.The enemy had strongly strengheten North of Boita,with three battalions and with a strong artillery,having well repered the space between the tower and Olt River,with the driveway,through which the attack troops could pass.By evening,though,the Romanian troops ,fighting without cannons and machineguns,have turned the right wing of the enemy and forced him to leave over the night Boita,with great cassualties.Boita in the hands of Romanians ,meant the pass opened .On the way,now open,passes now the thick of the troops and the long colums of artillery,the mountains,provisions,luggage,flowing in Sibiu Ield .The Red Tower Pass has been forced.
The pursiut continues also in the day of 30th of August for occupying the region Talmaciu-Vestem.Cantacuzino Detachment occupies ,at East of Olt,Racovita and Brad.Olt Detachment attacks the enemy at Talmes.To obstacle the advance of the Romanians,Arz send in to the fight few battalions of the 5th Division,to strenghten the troops of Barwik.Faced with these forces the troops of Olt Group could not advance anymore.
In Cisnadie Field the enemy troops have occupied a line Cisnadie -Vestem,leaned at the East wing on Cibin River.The enemy line have been defeated by the action of Lotru Group.At the left side of the Romanian dispozitive the troops of Lotru Group,operating in the mountain region and forested ,vere accidented(bad terrain),West of Olt River ,climbing ridges and descending valleys ,were advancing along Sadului Valley and occupied Sadu.At 30th of August,Colonel Mosoiu,Commander of Lotru Group,leaving from Sadu with the reserve of the group-three infantry battalions and two batteries for mountain-advanced along road Sadu-Cisnadie and attacked the enemy strenghtened South of this locality.After a short fight,but violent ,the small city,an industrial sasesc center ,but fluorishing ,was occupied by Romanians.Has fallen during the fight ,COlonel V. Popescu,the COmmander of 2nd Vilcea Regiment,as he was in the first line of shooters ,with the gun in his hands,as well as 60 dead and wounded.The enemy had big cassualties ;he has left in our hands one Captain and 104 soldiers,prisoners.The entire enemy dispozitiv,stretched between Cisnadie and Vestem,being now turned by the right wing,had to leave the fighting line and retreat to Sibiu.
The mission of Group Olt-Lotru,beeing considered as finished,the Romanian troops have received in the night of 30th of August the order to remain on positions,strenghtening thus ,as to form a bridge head,leaned at the left on the heights of Magura near Sadu,in the right on the heights of Brad-Roscovita,and in the center ,passing North of Vestern,in Olt Valle.This strenghtened line,permmitted the gathering,behind ,of the troops of 13th Division.
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The fights arround Sibiu

In the day of 31st of August presents ahead of Lotru Group a dellegation of Sasesc(German population in Transilvania) Magistrat from Sibiu,made out of a Sas ,the great comerciant Borger,the most hevy contribuabil of the city and a Romanian ,lawywer Preda.The dellegation knowledge the ROmanians that in the city was no enemy troop,and to avoid the bombardment of the city,have come,in the name of the population,to surrender it to the ROmanian Commandment.They declare that they guarantee with their lives that the ROmanian troops will not be exposed to any agression from the part of the enemy.The dellegation was presented in front of General Castris,the Commander of the 23rd Division,which took dispositions for occupying the city,intervening at the Great Hedquarter ,to obtain the approval of this action,which was not written in the operative orders of Olt Corps.The operation was mant to be made with troops from Lotru Group which,advancing to the West wing ,had to surround the city and to occupy the heights of Sura Mare ,north of Sibiu,and with a Detachment of Graniceri(frontierarmy) which,advancing from South,had to enter Sibiu at 2nd of September.

In the day of 1st of September the Graniceri patrols,closing in to Sibiu,have been greeted with cannon shots by the Austro-Hungarian artillery,installed on Gusteritei Hill,by gun shots and machinegun,fired from the Southern edge of the city and by an armoured train.The Romanian Detachment,made out of two battalions of Graniceri,with a little artillery and cavalry,have not advanced to SIbiu,but remained in Selimbar Village,from where an order of the Commander of Olt Group,have called it back,on the line Vestem,"the role of Olt Corps not being offensive,but deffensive".Selimbar is the old historical locality where,317 year before[7],the briliant victory of Mihai the Brave over Andrei Bathory decided,for the first time,the faith of Ardeal(Transilvania).Over the night ,the Romanian soldiers have been attacked by the Sasi(German minority population of Transilvania) inhabitants of the locality wit revolver shots,shooted over the windows of the houses.The attacke repeated in the next morning,as the troops left the village.It was noticed ,that in the village have nested enemy patrols and a number of armed villagers.The detachment suffering whatever losses,the Romanian Commander,leaving the village have applied a severe repression.
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With all the defensive role which was imposed,the Romanian troops have executed operations meant to better the positions they occupied,especially that the enemy,encouraged by the Romanians inertia and thus interpreting it on a wrong manner ,was indeed very active ,bombarding the Romanian positions and making dear incurssions of patrols.At 4th of September ,Colonel Mosoiu has attacked the troops which were concentrating at the left Romanian wing and occupied Rasinarii,the big Romanian village,poplaca and Gura Riului,throwing the enemy to Orlat and Cristian.At 9th of September ,Olt Corps has enterprised a general movement on the whole front,to push the line of the avanposts further to Sibiu.It was ,necessary to occupy the villages ,which remained between the Romanian line and the enemy one and which have become nests,were numerous attacks were always prepared and started .The Romanian troops have occupied villages Selimbar,Bungard,casolt,Rosia,Nucet,Cornatel widening the occupation zone arround Sibiu,fixing on the heights between Olt Valley and Hirtibaciului Valley,East of Sibiu,along the driveway and narrow railway Sibiu-Sighisoara.The enemy retreated alltogether on the lines of heights North of Sibiu.The Romanian Cavalry occupies Avrig and Sacadate on Olt.In interval,Olt Corps have become the 23rd Division,under the Command of General Castris;in the back begun to gather the units of the 13th Division,destined to form the East wing of the Corps,of which Command was of General Manolescu.
The enemy activity has manifested continuosly by surprise attacks.At 13th of September ,he attacked with numerous artillery the left Romanian wing at Orlat,trying a turning of front at Gura Riului.In the ferocious fight given here,the violent counterattack of 5th Hunters Regiment has produced heavy cassualties to the enemy,taking also 130 prisoners of the 305th Infantry Regiment,Austro-Hungarian.A Battalion of 2nd Vilcea Regiment,and a Cavalry Escadron have intervened into the fight and throwed definitely ,back th aggressor.The Hunters occupied Orlat.The Cavalry Escadron has made an incurssion until close to Saliste.From the pretor of the region,Romanian by origin,the commander of the Detachment found out that at Miercurea(=wednesday),near Sebes ,disembark and gather German troops .There were prepared serious events.the Commander of the Olt Corps,feeling the need to strenghten its right,withdraw the 5th Hunters Regiment from Lotru Group,which makes Orlat to be reoccupied by the enemy.
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During the night of 15th-16th of Septemner,the enemy has executed an attack by surprise from Gusterita -Cornatel direction over Casolt Village,occupied by troops of the 42nd Regiment.The Romanian positions have been bombarded very violently by artillery with the help of reflectors.The enemy soldiers closed in the Romanian trenches ,cheating the guards with shouts"Don't shoot brothers we are Romanians of the Kingdoom!".Once near the position,begins the game of rockets ,machineguns and grenades.Taking advantage,then,of the panic,by the darkness and of the rain whichwas falling,the enemy sneaked through the Romanian lines and rejected them off Bucatei Hill,which domminates Casoltu.Towards morning ,aquainted with the situation,the Romanians have passed to counterattack,aided also by the troops of neighbour units.The fights,very ferocious,body to body,were given against the enemy,which was away-ed from the positions he has occupied and pursued up to Daia Saseasca.This fight has cost serious losses ;42nd Regiment had two Officers and 72 Soldiers dead,three Officers and 164 soldiers wounded.But the enemy had even bigger losses;only on the terrain he left 5 Officers and 150 dead Soldiers.

Now the circle of fire and metal of Romanians surrounds from dusk(West) from midday and dawn(East) Sibiu.The Romanian front is leaning at left on the heights South of Orlat,in Cibinului Valley,goes parallel with the valley and with the line of the metal road Sibiu-Saliste-Mures,passes South of Sibiu,through the cemetery of the city and the exercises field,surrounding by North, Mihai Viteazu Colina ,then makes an elbow toward Nort-East near Gusterita Hill,solidly occupied by enemy artillery,crosses La Fintina Rece(At the Cold Fountain) Forest,heading then by a large curve in South-East direction,near Daia,Cornatel,Glimboaca and the two Porumbace,to lean with the right flank over Fagaras Mountains.At this wing,the Romanain front was weaker occupied.
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Romanian interaction at Sibiu

Sasi(German minorities of Ardeal) metropol,in the same time intelectual center of Romanian life,it is at the Romanians dispozition;we only have ot reach to take it(Sibiu).The city is deserted;the authorities and all the people contained of Hungarians and Sasi,angry ,they left it.Under the intersected fires of the two artilleries has been made the methodical evacuation of the archives and wealth of all kinds ,of the city.Its occupation is waited ,any day now;even the enemy has retreated to the North.Sibiu is situated between two fires ,but remains untouched ,cared by the today master and by the tomorrow one.
The enemy Commander,as well as the foreign war correspondents,are starting to wonder, of why the Romanians have not yet occupied Sibiu.In truth,fixed on their positions which,at South,touched the edge of the city,the Romanian troops have not advanced one step,since 9th of September.The enemy explained this un-action,by the fear which Romanians would have,that the city is occupied by strong enemy forces.We know the real cause of this attitude;it was in the strategic plan of the Romanian campaign.Still,the order of operations of the Great Romanian Headquarter,was to occupy a defensive position North of Sibiu;in this way ,the city would enter in the occupied zone.But General Culcer ,the Commander of the I-st Army,has judged that,by this dispozitive,would have remained behind Olt Corps,the superior valley of Olt River,difficult to observe ,risking an attack by this side and veiling.That is why,he prefered to remain on a position a little behind-as he did in Jiu sector-calculating that in this way the pivot of the general movement woill be more solid.Anyway,the Commander of the I-st Romanian Army was embarresed by his moves and obstacled in the realisation of the mission given to him,by the weakening of the forces he has received in the beginning.The painful events which were taking place on Dobrogea front,forced the Great Hedquarter to take the whole reserve of the I-st Army ,made out by Divisions 2nd and 12th ,tu use them on the Southern Front.Reduced only to the units engaged on the front,the Commander felt obliged to maintain close to the frontier,enssuring solid the communications line with the Kingdoom,by fear of attacks which simptoms made to be foreseen as iminent.In truth,behind the thin curtain of Austro-Hungarian troops,the trains were bringing in ,day and night troops from all European fronts.A strong German army was gathering and organizing ,for a great action.The Romanian inertia ahead of Sibiu,made by reasons purely of prudence ,permitted to the enemy to execute in quiet the troops concentration moves.

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3.The Offensive of the II-nd Romanian Army

Towards Brasov

The II-nd Romanian Army was in the middle of the Romanian dispozitive,in the most inside part of the Carpathian Mountains arch.The importance of this sector came from two circumstances.Her were,on a relative small stretch,most of the mountain passes:Bran,Predeal,Bratocea,Buzaul and these are only the most important.Secondly,this sector domminated the most direct and comfortable route ,which goes from the capital city of the Kingdoom in Transilvania.She had 16 Miles of frontier ,Brasov ,important not only as population and comercial center,but as a communication node of numerous railways and driveways which conver to this point from the whole South-Eastern region of Ardeal(Transilvania) .Because of its central situation,the II-nd Army has to advance quickly,to connect the two armies in the right and in the left,closing an unic and strong front.
The operations have started just in the night of 27th of August.At quarter past eight in the evening,the troops of "Predeal covering Group" have occupied Predeal train station and the slopes which descend towards Timis Vallei.On all the driveways which converg to Brasov,are startting to move the troops of the respective covering groups.On Bran driveway advances 30th Muscel Regiment and 22nd Dimbovita.On Timis Valley descends 6th Hunters Regiment and 6th Mihai Bravu Regiment.From Predeal and Bratocea start,through the valleys of Doftanei and Tarlungu,the troops of "Bratocea Group"(Regiments 7th,9th and 32nd);from Tabla Butii 8th Regiment.On Buzau Valley,the road of Mihai the Brave(Mihai Viteazu) in 1599,are going the soldiers of 10th Putna Regiment and 11th Siret.Through Putna valley are passing the troops of 24th Tecuci Regiment.
The enemy had in the region Brasov-Oituz the 71th Infantry Division,Commanded by General Goldbach.the defense of Brasov has been especially given to 82nd Regiment,made exclusively of Secui,the local Hungarian population,inner-ed like a feather along the Moldavian carpathian mountains ,between the masses of Romanians .The Regiment took part at the Austro-Hungarian desastre from Volinia[8],in June 1916 and now,remade,was brought to carpathian to defend his small "ancestorland"against the "conquerer".Along this regiment,the Division had three battalions of infantry and four battalions taken from the local stage troops.
At 28th of August the resistance have been defeated along the whole line.At left ,Magura Branului ,strongly attacked by Musceleni,have been evacuated by the two Hungarian battalions which occupied it.Bran belonged to Romanians.
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At the center the enemy resistance was very live one.
In the evening of 27th of August a short fight,but violent,in custom and train satation Predeal,makes the Romanians masters on the enterance in Timis Valley.the Romanian troops advanced without big obstacles.The Hungarians,in their emotion and haste,have deranged the the installations of the cables which lead to the mines set under the tunnels and in different points of the driveway,so they could not make the big distructions planned.Only the bridge at Dirste has been blow up.
The first serious resistance has been organized by the enemy a little to the valley,at Hanovezi Monument,between Upper Timis (Timisu de sus) and Lower Timis,few meters ahead of Marienof penssion.It is the most narrow part of the Timis Defile.On a mount in the edge of the railway ,the hungarians have build a Monument for Hanovezi,which tried at 1848(revollution) to stop the advance of the Russians of General Luders,called in by Austrians and by Saguna.
The Hungarian position at Hanovezi Monument was strong,especially by its natural position.It barriered across the road through the Defile which here was very narrow,like a corridor,leaning in the right and in the left on the rocky walls almost vertical of Postavaru and Pietri Mari(The Big Stone).This position could not be turned ,and could only be attacked frontal.A ferocious assault has been thus ,given in the day of 28th of August against the enemy position by first Romanian troops ,which have crossed the border ,formed by detachments of Regiments 6th and 21st of infantry,6th Hunters and 2nd graniceri.Sustained also by a battery of obusiere(shells),the Romanians acomplish,aftera few hours of battle and with felt losses ,to conquer the strong position and to put on the run the rest of the hungarians,which escaped alive.By evening ,the Romanian troops were in Timisu de jos(Lower Timis).
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On the right side ,the enemy is swepd like dirt by storm.A whole Hungarian battalion ,taken out of the trenches on Beldiei height,is surrounded and captured in Buzau Custom,with all its tresures.Groups Predelus,Bratocea and Tabla Butii get out of the Defiles;at 29th of August the 5th Division occupies Sacele.
Threatened at south by the advance of the II-nd Army ,threatened also from East by the advance of the Northern Army through Oituz,Goldbach retreats on the Eastern heights of Persani Mountains.Pursued ,though,by the troops of the Bran Group,after he tries to resist at Zarnesti,retreats more to the North;threatened here ,as well,by a turn of the Northern wing,left entirely Birsei Country and retreated on the strongholded positions on North-West shore of Olt,in Homorod sector-Fagaras.At 30th of August,all the exits from the North of the mountain passes were in the Romanian hands .We are mastering Brasov Field.
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Occupying Brasov

Even from the night of 27th 28th of August,the news of declaring the war has been known in Brasov.In the morning of 28th of August the city has been taken by panic.The authorities have lost their heads.In waves the Hungarian and Saseasca(German mynority poulation was running in waves towards the train station,with the ownings that they could gather in haste ;amongst the first to leave the city were the military and civilian authoritiesIn the haste of the disorderly running are left in barracks yards convoys of filled up with luggage.Through the depozits of the train station remain great quantities of ammo ,food and other materials.At the train station were taking place terrible scenes amongst the people assaulting the trains.

The Romanian population was taken over by the joy of victory,which was announced by the voice of the Romanian cannon,more and more closely.,but consternated with the arrest of the Romanian intelectuals ,ahead with the Romanian priests from church ST.Nicolae and their families ,taken and dragged by the Hungarians, in their running.
Tuesdey,29th of August the decissive clock has ranged.The las Austro-Hungarians patrols were going qiukly through the city,running North.At 3,30 in the afternoon ,a dellegation of the city council,together with the Romanian Medic Dr. Baiulescu,solicited to join the dellegation,went out of the city,by foot ahead of the Romanian troops.At the junction of roads wich go to Dirste and Harman,the dellegation has been received by Colonel Darvari,the Commander of the 6th Mihai Viteazu Regiment,to which it was made the surrender of the city.At 5 ,the Romanian troops entered the old city,full of historical memories and linked by so many cultural and economic connections with the Kingdom of Romania.Enthusiastic aclamations and flowers have received the voctorious troops;the Romanian population was living a moment of the highest rising of the soul.The other nationalities associated at this celebration,out of respect for the armed force which brought order and inspired fear...In the Piata Sfatului(City hall Plaza),facing the Romanian Church in the Fortress ,the troops have listened to the prayer ,with their head uncovered .Then the public buildings were occupied and installed ROmanian authorities.Dr. Vecerdea has been named Prefect and Dr. Baiulescu Mayor,the firsts Romanians authorities ,taken out by the new purpose of things.Brasov has become Romanian.


Constituting the II-nd Army

At 3rd of September,General Averescu took the Command of the II-nd Army,constituted instead of the covering groups.It was formed by Army Corps II(Divisions 3rd and 4th) and III-th (DIvisions 5th and 6th).From the two Corps some units were taken out,with which was constituted Divisions 21st and 22nd.In advanced positions were to be found:at the wing-Persani-Sercaia;at the center was 4th Division at Feldioara;at the right wing was the 6th Division,concentrated at St.Gheorghe.The concentration of the other three divisions was made behind.
The hurricane advancement of the first few days diminished quickly.The missfortune turn of the Souther front influenced the operations on the Northern Front.The ROmanian Army received led in the wings.A sort of unrest and hesitation boyed in the the decissions of the superior Commandment.At 9th of September ,the Great Headquarter announced that because of the serious situation on the Southern Front it is suspended the general offensive in Transilvania;The ii-nd Army wil strenghten solidly on the occupied positions.It is the effect of desastrous situation at Turtucaia and Southern Dobrogea.
Under the power of emotion which overwhelmes ,to a certain extent, the conducting circles ,it is made a considerable movement of forces towards South of Bucharest(capital of the Kingdom),which seemed threatened.It is planned the retreat of the unit counted as available of the II-nd Army,to be send on the periled ftont.The 5th Division is taken out of the front and sent to Dobrogea(South-Eastern region of Romania).Even the Commander of the Army,general Averescu is sent to the Command of the III-th Army.His succesor is General Crainiceanu,officer with a rich career spend in thecnical services ,as well as Chief of Staff,and as a War Minister ;for a few years the General has passe into reserve and,during the neutrality,has been one of the most active interventionists,publishing in newspapers hedlines of outstanding authority.
Few days,the II-nd Army does not enterprise offensive actions,but only to consolidate positions.But the emotion of from the Big Headquarter disappear ,the Government and Commander get back the cold blood,operations restart.
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Battle on Olt River

To meet the army front in Transilvania and to enlarge its defensive power ,the supreme Romanian commander decided to push ahead the front of the II-nd Army.Occupying a shorter line of front ,it was ensured a better connection between the three armies(Ist,II-nd,III-rd Romanian Armies) which were operating in Ardeal(Transilvania).With this aim ,the II-nd Army received at 11th of September the order to enterprise an offensive action for mastering Olt River Valley and Homorod Valley,from Fagaras Mountain up to Homorod-Almasu,strenghtening then on the new positions,conquered.This offensive will be sustained at the right side by the Northern Army,which will attack -with the 2nd Division of Cavalry and with the 7th DIvision -in the region of Odorheiu.The action will be given for mastering the middle course of Olt River of Ardeal(Transilvania),with the convexity towards North;it is a real long Defile of 16 Miles,tightened between heights Baraoltului and Harghitei at North and Persani Mountains ,South, at the concavity of the arch.

The principal operation,the hardest one was, crossing the river,under the enemy fire ,which was occupying the opposite shore,which he strongholded in the main point of crossing,with trenches and barb wire nets.All the bridges were destroyed ,except the one at Hoghiz,which was strongly defended.The crossing has to be tried by surprise.General Crainiceanu seats the 3rd Division at the left side ,to attack the front of Fagaras until Highiz ;in the center the 22nd Division,has to attack in Homorod sector.At the right side .the 6th Division,comming from the dawns(East),from St.Gheorghe,has to surround the curve made by Olt River ,through the North,to fall in the flank and back of the positions attacked frontal by the 22nd Division.

The defense was made by the 71st Austro-Hungarian Division.general Goldbach left on Olt,in Fagaras -Homorod sector,only five battalions with artillery and cavalry,and the rest he has retreated a little to the North,at Cirt,to be able to entervene in the space between II-nd Army and Norther Army,Romanians,or against one or the other,as the need will be felt stronger.
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In the day of 14th of September ,the Romanian troops begin the aproaching march,towards the initial fighting positions.In the night of 14th-15th of September,at 3 in the morning,the trrops of the 3rd Division, positioned on three columns,have crossed Olt River.The right hand side column,made out of troops of 30th Muscel Regiment and 22nd Dimbovita Regiment ,have croosed through the strait of Crihalma,attacking by the front the enemy very strong strenghtened in this point.At crossing the Olt have died by the death of the braves ,Colonel Baltaretu,Commander of the 22nd Regiment ,hit by a bullet in his forehead.Upset with the death of their beloved Chief,the soldiers have attacked the enemy at bayonet,took him out of his trenches ,and well supported by artillery,run him far and away,occupying Daisoara.

The central column,constituted of troops of Regiments 30th ,29th Infantry and 2nd hunters,have crossed the Olt through Halmeag,without artillery because the steepness of the shores in this part.The croosing of the river in this region was due to the devotion of a young Romanian ,Maria Manciulea,from comuna(bigger village) Parau.From her own initiative,she presented herself to the Romanian Commander ,and showed him a favorable place for crossing undefended by the enemy.Lead by the heroic girl,the troops crossed the river ,falling behind the enemy which,formidable re-trenched and armed with plenty of machineguns,was waiting fir the cross attempt to be made through the only known strait,and domminated by him.For her patriotism and her bravery , Maria Manciulea was decorated in front of the troops with the "Military Virtue"(Virtutea Militara).
The left hand side column,operating in the region of Fagaras,has occupied the city in the morning ,crossing then Olt through Galati.After lively battles ,he away-ed the enemy installed on the heights of Calbor,occupying them.At the left of the Division,the 2nd Calarasi Brigade ,attacked by troops of the 1st Cavalry Division,Austro-hungarian,could not cross Olt at Voila and remained thus on the Southern shore.
In the evening of 15th of September,the whole 3rd Division was on the right shore of Olt.This success was payed with the loss of 12 Officers and 628 Soldiers,dead or wounded.The difficulty of the fightss came from where the enemy,hearing about the Romanians intention of forcing the crossing of Olt,has taken measures,such that the surprise did not succeed but only in part;the crossing was made mostly everywhere by fight,under the bombardment of cannons and of machineguns fire.Plus ,the troops did not have telephon connections ,such that the communications were made only by runners .Was missing completely the bridge material;that is why all the Infantry has crossed through the water,and the artillery remained on the Southern shore.Only at 16th of September,has arrived the bridge crews,which throwed a bridge between Venetia de Jos-Halmeag.The troops of the 22nd Division ,starting from Feldioara,cut the cord of Olt arch through the South,forcing the crossing at Hoghiz,as the 6th Division surrounds the arch of Olt River,to North.The two arms of the cracker has to unite in the region Cohalm-homorod.the enemy resist in the region of Homorod with a lot of artillery;Regiment 11th Siret,occupies Homorod and especially ,Almasul Homorodului;Regiment 12 Cantemir occupyes Cata.in the same time,troops of the 22nd Division have crossed the Olt through straits at Racosul de Jos and Bogata Olteana;32nd Regiment surrounds the enemy position of Ugra ,which force the Hungarian to leave Hoghiz;on this bridge crosses also the artillery.Now,Colham,attacked by Romanians from East and North,is conquered by lively fight .In the same time ,with the defeat on Olt,General Goldbach receives bad news also from his left:the 7th Romanian Division,starting from Miercurea Ciuc,has taken Vlahita and is marching towards Odorhei.The Hungarian General ,retreats the 71st Division towards Archita,retreating in the same time Szabo Brigade ,this side of Odorhei.
With this,the Olt Battle has ended.the II-nd Romanian Army has won the battle in the day of 15th of September ,she has made prisoners 6 officers ,seven Cadets and 750 men of troops.
Even in the evening of the same day,the 22nd Division is taken out from during fight,beeing called on the Southern Front,togeter with the 21st Division;the empty space between Divisions 3rd and 6th is filled with Regiments 2nd Hunters and 30 Muscel,which reestablish the connection.the next day,16th of September,the 4th Division starts marching towards Fagaras,to constitute the extreme left wing of the II-nd Army.Hearing the cannon at North ,towards Calbor,the division stops the march and sends two columns in the aid of the 3rd Division,engaged with the enemy at Calbor.The left column is stopped by the enemy artillery firing range from Cincsor,as she was crossing Olt at Beclean and manages to cross the river in the next day,at 17th of September.
The followed goal by the Commander of the II-nd Romanian Army was acomplished;the army receives the order to stop on defensive,strenghtening on positions,on the Northern shore of Olt.The army has been ,otherwise,weakened by retreating of three Divisions;the 5th ,the 21st and 22nd;she remained only with the othr three ,of wich the 4th at left in fagaras sector,the 3rd in the middle in Halmeag-Daisoara sector,and the 6th at the right side ,in Cohlam-Homorod sector.
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4.The Offensive of the Northern Romanian Army(a IV-a)

The IV-th Army and her operations terrain

the IV-th Army Corps ,made up of Divisions 7th and 8th ,strenghtened at the right with 14th Division and at the left with 2nd Cavalry Division,formed the IV-th Romanian Army,or Northern Army,destined to cross the Moldavian Carpathian Mountains along the frontier and to advance in Ardeal(Transilvania), from East to West.The lead of this Army was given to general Prezan.The role of the Northern Army was of the most important,and the battle ground(terrain) was one of the most difficult.In the strategical dispozitive of our fighting front ,the IV-th Army was the Advance Wing(l'aile marchante).As at the left ,the I-st Army ,solidly installed in Hateg Land and Sibiu,formed the oak of the movement,at the right ,the IV-th Army had to advance on a considerable depth in the enemy theritory,executing the axercise of moving the front to the left.She was also making the connection with the Russian Front of Bucovina with which,together,had to execute the movement,forcing by their advance the retreat of the VII-th Austro-Hungarian Army(General Kovess) from the Forested Carpathians(Carpatii Padurosi).

Moldavian Carpathians are strolled by a great number of passes ,which allows military operations.The most important are the passes of Bistricioarey Vallei(Prisacani-Tulghes),Bicazului,Trotusului,Ghimes,Uzului and Oituz.These transversal valleys ,which head from East to West,once crossed ,one arrives in a big geographical depression,with direction North-South,through which flows Olt River and Mures River,the first one heading South,and the second one North.The Valleys of Olt and Mures are populated exclusively by Secui(Hungarian minority),which have here the most important places:Gheorgheni,Miercurea-Ciuc,Tirgu-Secuiesc,St.Gheorghe.towards West the valley is edged by the second mountain wall which goes parallel with Moldavian Carpathian Mountains:they are the Mountains of Gurghiu,Harghita and Baraolt.In this way,the valleys of Olt River and Mures River are closed in a sort of long corridor,from which the two rivers escape,surrounding at South and North the Western montaineous wall.The armies which come from dawns(East) through the Carpathians Passes of Moldavia ,have to descend in the valleys of Olt and Mures,then to climb again and to descend the second row of mountains ,to reach the upper Valleys of the two Tirnave.These two valleys are together with Middle Mures(Mures Mijlociu) Valley-north of them-and with Olt Valley-at South-the four big ways of invasion in the heart of Ardeal Field.Through the Moddle Olt Valley was now advancing ,as we know,the II-nd Army;to the IV-th Army was given the missiom to master the other three ways.
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The first offensive of the Northern Army.
Forcing the passing in to Ardeal(Transilvania)

From the fist day of the war ,the northern Army has started the operations on the whole front of Moldavian Mountains.Long before the beginning of the operations ,the Austro-Hungarian Commandment could not imagine that Romanians will enterprise an action of importance in this mountaineous region,so difficult for military operations.The Austro-Hungarians brought here only the 61st Division of Infantry(General Major Grallert) with two brigades ,of which Brigade 19th-Colonel Szabo-in connection with the troops of the 71st Division,defended the entrance in Ciuc Pool(Uz-oituz) and the 16th Brigade of mMountain-Colonel Bernatzky-occupied Gurghiului Mountains,to close the Valley of Superior Mures River.

The fragile barrier was qiukly broken by the push of the Romanian flow.Oituz Group,made up of the troops of the 15th Brigade of 8t Division of Infantry(General Patrascu),passe like a storm through Oituz mountain Pass.In the day of 28th of August,13th Regiment Stefan Cel Mare was master over Sandru Mountain,from which Ardeal was unfolding like a panorama before the eyes of the soldiers ,deeply moved by it.At 31st of August,the small city Tirgu Secuiesc was occupied by Romanians.Through the wide open gate has started in this day the advance of the 2nd Cavalry DIvision,along the driveway of oituz.

Groups Uz and Ghimes ,made out of troops of the 7th Division-general Istrati-entered ,at their turn,in Ardeal,over the Mountains of Cincului,throwing Szabo's troops in Olt Valley.The Romanians have stopped then for over a week to organize their positions in the mountains;it was lost in this way pretious time ,and was given thus time to the enemy to strenghten.

Further to the north,the 14th Division-General Vasilescu Paraschiv-operating on two columns ,in a very accident-ed region(bad terrain),has crossed the border along the Valleys of Bicaz and Bistricioara,occupying Almasu,Tulghes and Bilbor.All the heights of the Massif Gurghiului,which domminates to the East the superior course of Bistricioara to the mouth of Glodului,are in the Romanian hands.A third group of the Division,Bistrita Group,starting from Brosteni,has occupied Almasu Height and all the heights over Bilboru.Because of the slow move of the Russians ,the connection with them to the right could not be made in time,so from the first days the enemy troops which formed the right extreme of the Austro-German front ,leaned on Dorna Mountains(Muntii Dornei),have entered on Neagra Sarului Valley and Calimanel valley and occupied villages Panci,Saru Dornei and Neagra Sarului,stopping on the heights Paltinis,Calimanel,barnarul,occupied by our troops.the inhabitants of these villages had to know from the beginning the pains of foreign occupation,of which they have been liberated only later.This occupation was also creating a threatening situation for the right side of the 14th Division.between 31st of August and 4th of September ,the Division rejecting the troops of Bernatzky,occupied the whole Massif of Gurghiu,mastering the last height which domminate the superior valley of Mures River,and the Western exits of the defiles.All the Passes of Moldavia in Ardeal(Transilvania),cross the mountain massif have been breached(forced).
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The second offensive of the Northern Army

Battle of Miercurea-Ciuc

At 6th of September ,General Prezan retakes the offensive movement of the Northern Army,on the whole stretch of the front, to master the Valleys of Olt and Mures(rivers).For six days ,6th-11th of September ,the Austro-hungarian troops have been dug out of their positions and rejected further.The most important actions took place at the two wings of the Northern Army.

At the left wing the Romanian troops attacked Miercurea -Ciuc,the most important center of Secuimii(Hungarian Minority).The city has been attacked in a veiling mode ,through the north of Ghimes Group,by the front of Uz Group,and at the South by the troops of Oituz Group.,starting from direction Tirgu-Secuiesc,have crossed river Olt and attacked the enemy by the flank and from behind.The fight was lively and the city strongly bombarded.by evening the enemy has left the city;Romanians,though,have not occupied it ,because the enemy artillery was firing over .They have remained at ant-posts ,at the edge of the city lightened by the flames of the fires made by the bombardment of the artillery of the defenders and by the fires of bivuacs on the surrounding hills.The next day(second) the fight restarted.In front of the veiling move at the two wings ,the enemy started to retreat ,after devastating the city and retreating at Vlahita.Miercurea-Ciuc has been occupied by Romanians at 8th of September.At the attack of Miercurea-Ciuc has died of the most pretious death of the braves Captain N.Vulovici.One of the poet rase soldiers,of Koerner and Petoffy,which if he did not equal in poetic genius ,surely he did not stand back as feeling and elan.He fell as he was commanding a company of the Avanguard Battalion of 15th Razboieni Regiment,hit by a bullet in the forehead.He died of the death he wanted to and which he called in his brave lyrics :

"If it would be that I die ,-You God,give me -a brave death
A bullet in the flower of my hat-in fight would hit me!
Don't wanna'die on bed-like all the commoneers,
On metal or ground-sleep for eternity the soldiers!

My poor body folded -in the cloth of three coloured flag(red yellow blue)
Will tear my trumpeteers -no mother,nor sister...
With helmet and weapons dressed-a groom chosen by death-
Not the cemetery men but soldiers carry me!
(...well something like that)

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At the Northern wing,a detachment of troops of the 14th Division,descended the slopes of Gurghiu Mountains ,attacked Toplita,taking out the enemy of all his positions ,very well strongolded ,without artillery could intervene.At the fall of the evening,the Hungarians arson the timber factories from the city,blow up the bridges and retreat in Calimanel direction.The detachment seized the exit towards East of Mures Defile,repeling the enemy towards interior ,then pursued him step by step,through the Defile,seizing also the ridge wich parts the field Miclausului-superior pool of Mures River-by the middle pool.
In the same time ,the troops of Bicaz detachment and the 4th Mixt Brigade ,operating between the two wings ,have entered in Gurghiu Defile and Tirnava Mici,which rove through the second mountain wall,of Gurghiu and Harghita,pushing enmy troops towards East covering thus the concentration of 8th Division which was making behind,in Bicaz region.At 7th of September Gheorgheni city havebeen seized by Romanians.

The enemy troops ,incapable of resistance ,were on the point of being repeled over the second montaineous barrier in field of Mures River.In front of this danger,von Arz sends all available troops which have arrived n the concentration zones,to sustain and stope the confusion of the troops of 61st Division,on all four directions of advance of the ROmanians .In Mures Valley he sends 72nd Division,Austro-Hungarian,of Infantry,which occupies positions at Lunca Bradului,stopping the retreat of Bernatzky Group.The column retreating through Gurghiului Valley towards Reghinu Sasesc,have been stopped and strenghtened at Fincel by the 39th Infantry Division.From Praid runs on Tirnava Mici valley a Husar brigade de Lundstrum and a Bosniac Regiment-Csecsi group-and behind Szabo Group ,which retreating from Miercurea Ciuc has stopped at Vlahita,was brought the thick of 71st Division.the mission of this division was to supervise on one hand the advance of the Northern Romanian Army,on the other hand,the II-nd Romanian Army to operate ,after need ,in the flank of one or the other.At 11th of September ,the Northern Army have stopped the advance move ,in which she succeeds to seize completely th superior valleys of olt River and Mures River and to master the entrances from the East of the second row of heights ,which separates this pool from the field of middle Mures River.
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The Battles in Calimani Mountains

The advance of the Northern Army opened beautiful perspectives for the neighbour Russian Army.This one,though,did not look to make them useful.The Russians did not advance through the Northern mountain passes of Moldavia which,by forcing them and occupying them by our armies ,stood at their disposition and they could have turned the positions of the Austro-Hungarian armies of Bucovina Mountains,which was in a dangerous situation.The offensive through which Russia obliged-by military convention with Romanai-to begin to cover the mobilization and concentration of the Romanaian troops ,was started only at 31st of August.Brusilov's forces ,weakened by the bloody fights which lasted three months,already,they were not capable to give that strong forcing,needed to break the Austro-German front.Much that ,in Bucovina Mountains,has formed of German divisions ,a new army,under the Command of General von Conta,by which the frontal attacks of the Russians crushed in a futile way.

The advance of the 14th Romanian Division on Mures Valley,to Lunca Bradului started,because the Russian insuccess,to become risky;it exposed the right flank of the Northern Army to enemy attacks;also there were signalls ,in Calimani Mountains,concentrations of enemy troops belonging to to the 37th Austro-Hungarian Division.To prevent this peril,the Commander of the Northern Romanian Army,constituted the "Covering Detachment Bistrita",under the Command of Colonel Colori,with the mission to cover the right flank of the army,in Calimani region.

The operations of this group were executed invery difficult circumstances .the soldiers have to climb in chest the slopes of the mountains towards Mures River Valley.Pietrosu Peak (2102meters) has been occupied by a battalion of the 16th Regiment at 16th of September,after a fight of infantry and artillery;Retitis Peak has been seized by a battalion of the 56th Regiment ,which rejected two companies of Hungarian Geandarms.The Southern part of the principal ridge of the strong bastion which forms the well known triplex confinium,the point of land between Moldavia,Bucovina and Ardeal(Transilvania) was in Romanian hands
Alarmed by the situation,Feldmarshal Habermann,the Commander of Dorna sector,has send numerous troops with machineguns and artillery ,of mountain,to repulse the Romanians,attacking them from Bistricioara Peak.Violent fights have been given in very difficult conditions ,on high plateaus ,on fog and rain,snow and snowstorms.The snowstorms froze the hands and feet of the soldiers ,diminishing the effectives of the fighters.Attacks and counterattacks have been given ,making considerable losses .In the fight given for seizeing Vf. Piatra Rosie (Red Stone Peak) a battalion of the 56th Romanian Regiment had 80 dead.The Romanians could not stretch their occupied zone,their attacks over Peaks Timaului and Strumioru have remained undecided but neither the enemy could dislocate us from Pietrosu Peak.The adversaries remained face to face on the high peaks ,beaten by snowstorms ,of Calimani and strenghtened their positions

At the right side of Calimani ,Bistrita Detachment ,making the connection with the Russians tried to fall in the back of the positions at Dorna and Calimani,attacked frontal by Russians.The enemy ,though,could not be taken out of his positions ,very strong strenghtened ,because they defended not only the principal position of Vatra Dornei-Iacobeni,but also the mines of mangan(coal) from this latter locality,indispensable for the war economy of the Central Powers.
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The third offensive of the Northern Romanian Army.
Odorhei Battle

The II-nd Romanian Army ,starting on 15th of September ,a vigorous offensive from Brasov with direcion Fagaras -Colham -Hamorod-which provoked the Olt Battle -the Northern Army received the mission to ease this offensive,attackimg the enemy which was in front of it.the plan of the action was made as follows:the left wing of the army will have the principla action;the 2nd cavalry Division and the 7th Division will operate in Homorod region,in tight connection with the II-nd Romanian Army,attacking the back of the enemyof this region;they will seize the heights which barrier the road Miercurea-Ciuc-odorhei.the 8th Division which in the mean time has concentrated and place d herself at the right side of the 7th Divsion,between this one and the 14th Division,as well as the latter one ,will fix the enemy by attacks ;the 8th Division will push strong detachments towards the exits of the defiles of Harghita mountains and Gurghiu Mountains towrds the flat of Mures,and the 14th Division wil supervise Calimanii.
The troops of the 7th Division have started the offensive at 15th of September ,having as ax of advance the driveway Miercurea-Ciuc-odorhei ,which rove along the depression between Harghita Mountains at North and baraoltu at South,it is the passing gate between Olt Valley and Homorod and Tirnavei Mari Vallei.Beyond the ridge ,Vlahita Village ,strongly defended is the principal obstacle .the village,attacked by the front and flank have been conquered bya ferocious fight,in which 4th Hunters Regiment distinguished ,especially.At the right side,troops of the 16th Regiment have occupied Capilnita and at the left,regiment 27th conquered Lueta Village.The 19th Mountain Brigade,Colonel Szabo,beaten has been forced to retreat beyond odorhei,occupying positions one side and the other of Tirnava.The 71st Hungarian Division,situated between Beia,Dirjiu and Archita ,cornered by the offensive of the II-nd Romanian Army,could not come in Szabo's help and had to retreat as well.In 18th of September ,the 4th Hunters Regiment have seized Odorhei,left by 82nd Secui(Hungarians)Regiment;the Mayor of the city have made the solemn surrender.

At the right side of the 7th Division,the troops of the 8th Division have started the offensive move in 18th of September.Advancing on three columns ,they have attacked the enemy troops ,made up of the 16th Mountain Brigade of the 61th Division-Colonel Bernatzky-strenghtened with troops of the 39th Division with a brigade of Husari de Lndstrum and a Bosniac Regiment ,making Gyergyo Group.The enemy have been threown in Tirnavei Mici Valley until Praid,and in Gurghiu Valley until Ibanesti.Alarmed by this situation,von Arz has brought in haste the 37th Division-general Major Haber-of calimani Mountains and placed it at Reghin,behind the 39th Division,to intervine in the fight ,as the Prusian Division ,89th,freshly arrived ,was placed at Tirgu Mures,as general reserve.
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The fight of Rastolita

In the region of superior Mures River,in the sector of 14th Division,the Romanian Commander observed ,that the enemy takes forces from Mures Valley and sends them to Calimani and Dorna for strenghtening the troops there.Rastolita Valley,afluent which descends from Calimani Mountains on the Northern side of Mures River,constituted the communication road used by the enemy troops for this circulation.The Romanian Commander decides to attack the enemy in this region,to occupy and obstacle the troops transport of the enemy.
The fight from Rastolita was given at 24th-28th of September and was extremely difficult because of the terrain on which it took place:the region very accident-ed (bad terrain) with quick slopes ,covered with forest,becomes mor difficult because of the tree trunks and branches remainded after forestier exploatation.The Romanian attack colums ,made out of Regiments 54th,55th an 67th,have fought hard with an enemy well strongholded.An armoured train ,with machineguns and with a reflector,which light up the firing range during the night ,gave the enemy a pretious help.The column of Lieut-Colonel Gherascu have taken with assault at bayonet ,in the day of 26th of September ,the redoubt on Salasel Mountain,very strong fortified.After a fiercly fight ,in the day of 27th of September,he seized the position solidly fortified at Tomoroaga and throw the enemy in disband toward Mures River.The fight of rastolita ,brought to 14th Division a rich war material,captured and a number of 10 officers and 300soldiers,prisoners;she was mastering now the whole defile of superior Mures River.Bernatzky Group-the 16th Mountain Brigade of the 61st Austro-Hungarian DIvision-was repulsed up to Deda at the exit from West of the defile into the field.
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5. The German Counteroffensive in Transilvania

Falkenhayn and the IX-th German Army

It was almost a month now,since the entering of Romania in the war.The Ardeal(Transilvania) campaign was entering a new faze .The situation was presenting with the following face:the Romanian front,in the shape of an arch of circle ,was advancing forward with the right wing(Northern Army),as the left wing(I-st Army) made,in the region of superior Jiu and Olt,the oak of this movement of conversion ,which tended to give the front the shape of a straight line,with the North-East direction -South -West.the forces of the three Romanian armies had to,as we know,concentrate,connected one by the other ,and brought on Mures River Valley.the advance was slow since the armies were thined ,by sending troops in Dobrogea and at danube River.The I-st Army-General Culcer-was made out of Divisions.1st,11th,23rd and 13th;the II-nd Army -General Crainiceanu-of Divisions 4th,3rd and 6th and the Northern Army -general Prezan-by Divisions 7th,8th,14th and 2nd Cavalry Division.The biggest advance was made by the Northern Army which ,at this epoch ,was fighting to cross the heights of Harghitei and Gurghiului.
Eased by the Southern menace,by estabilising of the Dobrogean Front,the Big Romanian Headquarter had turned attention to Transilvania.At 25th of September ,General iliescu addressed to General Joffre-by the intermedy of french attache Desprez-with the request to dispose that Lecitzky[9] to start the offensive move on bistrita line,with Sighet direction,so that the Northern Army ,with the right flank in the air,to be able to continue the advance,making possible same movement for the II-nd Army.It was necessary that before the arrival of rain ,the two armies to occupy the line Reghin-Sighisoara_sibiu,which shortened the front from 150 Miles to 81 Miles.With the troops taken out of this front it could be constituted a general reserve ,of which absence start to feel.It was very important that this action be through before the enemy troops concentration could succeed.Because it was not a secret anymore,that behind the thin enemy line,always rejected,the Hungarian trains were running under the biggest of pressures ,day and night ,bringing everything(troops and war material)which was not absolutely indispensable on other fighting fronts of Europe .The desperate scream for help of Austro-Hungary,badly cornered,has not remained unheard by the Big Friend of Riga ,Divina,from Volinia and on Stohod,from Isonzo,from Vosgi,from Verdun,from the fighting fronts ,as from recovery and rest camps ,Ludendorff was rising German Division and send them to Transilvania .Making use of the fact that the action of Romanians was evolving slow,and the Russians does not move,the enemy went ahead.At 21st of September,three weeks from the war declaration,the concentration of forces of the enemy was enaugh,to pass to offensive.
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The Situation of the Romanian armies in Transilvania in the eve of the German counteroffensive
Map Legend:Teren ocupat de romani=terrain occupied by Romanians,Limita ocupatiei romane la 1 octombrie=the limit of Romanian occupation at 1st of October,Corpul olt=Olt Corps,Grupil Jiu=Jiu Group,Grupul Cerna=Cerna Group,D23=23rd Romanian DIvision,DXI=1th Romanian Dvision,DI=1st Romanian Division,A. de Nord=Northern Romanian Army,Armata a II-a=II-nd Romanian Army,Armata a I-a=I-st Romanian Army,Mures=Mures River,DUNAREA=Danube River,Jiu=Jiu River,Arges=Arges River, Ialomita=Ialomita River; Siret,Bistrita=rivers,BUCURESTI=Bucharest,MAREA NEAGRA=The Black Sea

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General Arz's forces were disposed in three groups,corresponding aproximately to the three Romanian armies.In front of General Prezan was Morgen Group,mad out of Austro-hungarian Divisions 39th,37th,61st,71st,72nd and the Prusian Division 89th,as well as a Husar Brigade ,at the right wing.Morgen Group was stretching the front also in front of some part of II-nd Romanain Army,connecting in Fagaras region ,with Cavalry Group Schmettow,made out of two cavalry divisions.

At the right side,in front of the I-st Romanian Army ,was constituted the strong Staabs Group,made out of a Hungarian DIvision of Hanovezi=the 51st-three German Divisions :76th,187th and Bavarian Alpine Corps,and three Austro-hungarian Brigades ,143rd,144th,145th,at olt River,Jiu and Cerna,strenghtened with other small units,also.Two Alpine Austro-Hungarian -2nd and 8th-disembarked behind the front line.*

The enemy army was continuously retreating in the face of Romanian Army,finishing its concentration of forces.This retreat was maximum at Morgen's army,which although the most numerous,could not withstand the impetuous assaults of Prezan's army.In the region of Oltenia(Romanian region near Olt River),on the contrary,the advance of our troops has been the most reduced,for the pivot role of the conversion movement,but also because the enemy,thinking his communication line to be threatened ,from Mures River Valley,has started at 14th of September,Sunkel offensive ,which has pushed the Romanian troops in Jiu Valley,on the frontier line.in this situation,general Falkenhayn,ex-Chief of the German Headquarter ,arrived at 19th of September at Deva ,assuming the Command of the IX-th Army,which was in its birth.It was constituted ,for the time beeing,by Staabs groups and Schmettow.The North_east Group ,Commanded by Morgen has remained under direct Command of Arz,as The Austro-Hungarian Army.Both armies entered in the composition group of armies ,Commanded nominal by the inheriter of the AustroHungarian throne,Archduke Carol.
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....
In reality,the Commander of the "Romanian Front" of Carpathian Mountains was Falkenhayn,of which orders-conform with the dispositions of the two headquarters ,or beacause of spirit od comradery and colaboration well understood -listened also by General von Arz.The new German Commander has a choosen intelligence, good undertanding of facts,energic and methodical.As a militar ,he was backed by a brilliant career.He has been Minister of War of Germany and has prepared the army which entered the war.Two months after the breakout of the European War,in the wake of defeat of Marna,Falkenhayn received the inheritance of Moltke[10],as Chief of the Big German Headquarter -in other words the Generalisim of this army,because the supreme Command of the Kaizer was nominal(appointed to a certain person).In this quality,he has lead for two years the operations of the German Army.The failure of the offensive against Verdun and our entering in the war ,makes him to fall and be replaced by the duality of Hindemburg-Ludendorff[11].Touched in his ego,Falkenhayn has propesed himself to prove ,on the terrain,in his new Commandment,his military capacity.For the knowledge ,and his strategical cleaverness,the conduct of the war against the young and inexperienced Romanian Army,seemd an easy game.The mission given to Falkenhayn was to get imediatelly to offensive.The Dobrogea Campaign(against Romania) has been efective;it has pomped all the available troops and reserves.The Romanian Army in Transilvania(Ardeal),reduced at the thin line of fighting front,was to shake and collapse under the heavy blow which Falkenhayn would apply.

*The enemy official publications ,give at 7th of September ,the following effectives:128 Battalions,22 Divisionary Cavalry Escadrons and 117 batteries ,to which one must add the 2 independent Cavalry Divisions ,with 7 Regiments and corresponding artilley,as well as the two Brigades ,Austro-Hungarian Alpiners,which at this date were in trensport.
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The plan of German counteroffensive

The fight plan of the Great German Commandment was determined by the situation of the Rmanaian Army.The concentration of groups could not be realised but only in a small amount.The Romanian Army could not unite but only in a bundle;what it represented beyond Carpathians were just small heads ,sneaked through the breakings of mountains barrier.These isolated groups ,separated between them by thick massifs ,which obstacled their interconection,represented an easy target for a courageous aggressor and powerful.Falkenhayn decided to concentrate all available forces in a single sector and attack the Romanian group there.Once the Romanian group has been destroyed ,the enemy forces will imediately head for the neighbour groups ,to prepare them the same faith.The action meant to be carried swiftly,the isolated Romanian groups will be,one by one defeated ,which will have as effect the opening of the mountain passes of Carpathians for invasion.Of the Romanian groups of importance ,Olt Group seemed to the German Commander as the most suitable to be attacked.It was the most isolated .it was disposed arround Sibiu City,having as communication line with the Kingdom only the narrow Olt Valley.Towards West ,the mountain massifs of Cibinu and Sebes isolated completely by Jiu Group at over 44 Miles distance ;an intervention for help from this part was excluded.Towards East,the link with the II-nd Romanian Army has not been made.Between Olt Group and the II-nd Army was a big gap,of which the enemy thought to make use.

At 18th of September ,in his Hedquarter at Deva ,the new German Commander has taken the definitive decission;he will start the counteroffensive ,by attacking the Romanian group at Sibiu.

The choosing of the attack point ,once fixed,Falkenhayn has taking his measures.He had to concentrate,firstly,a strong army.So he ordere to susspend the offensive ,started at 14th of September,in Jiu Valley,which repulsed the Romanian troops up to the frontier;it was only an operation of secondary importance.Detachments,belonging to the Alpine Corps and to 187th Division,which entered in the constitution of the offensive group from Hateg,have been withdraw and brought to Sibiu.In Jiu region have been left only the troops counted as sufficient to stay in defensive ,keeping the occupyed positions on the frontier.Just the same,on the fronts of the other groups,the commanders have received the order to resist as best as they could ,retreating,if needed,only one step at a time.

The hit ,planned for Sibiu will be given at 26th of September .Till then the troops brought from the neighbouring sectors ,as well as the units brought from the European fronts,freshly disembarked close by,in the train stations ,were concentrating and organising in to an impetuous offensive army.The Battle of Sibiu was announced as the first big battle on the Carpathians Front,of the Romanian war.
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6.Battle of Sibiu

Romanian Olt Corps

Even from the last days of August ,arround Sibiu was quiet.After the offensive at Selimbar,the Romanian troops have established,as our plan of operations have atributed to the I-st Romanian Army,few Miles South of Sibiu,on a line which leaned at West over the heights of Orlat ,and at East reachet the region of Avrig.Sibiu,completely domminated by the Romanian Army,has been entirely evacuated by the enmy.The Romanian patrols were making incursions up to the exercise field ,at the edge of the city.The city have not yet been occupied by Romanians and was also cleaned of bombardment.
On the interval,Olt Group,was made under the form of an army corps-I-st Corps-constituted of two divisions.On the western part of Olt ,was the 23rd Division,Commanded by General Castris ,and in the Eastern side was the 13th Division ,Commanded by General Sanatescu.A Cavalry Brigade,completed the corps ,which from 16th of September ,went under the Command of General I.Popovici.The Hedquarter of the Commander was at Talmaciu ,at the fall of Sad into Olt,some 9 Miles behind the front.the Romanian troops were,as origin ,a bit mixed.there were elite units ,as 1st Graniceri(frontier army) Regiment, and some good active units.The 23rd Division was a new made unit,wihich lacked omogenity,with preponderence of reserve-men and police.The artillery of the corps was inssuficient;the heavy and mountain ,artilleries were almost inexistent.
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The fight of Glimboaca Cornatel

With all the prescribed role,to stay inactive,and only to organize a strong defensive position,still,General Popovici enterprised at 22nd of September an energic action.The aim was to better his positions at the right wing and to put an end to the unstoppable harasings of the enemy.On the other hand,the Romanian Commander ,wanted to better secure his communication line on Olt Valley towards Fagaras,to the II-nd Army.

The attack,given by troops belonging to the 13th Division,struck with force Schmettow's army,made of troops of infantry and cavalry,German and Austro-Hungarian,stretched from Cornatel to Glimboaca.At Nou Sasesc and in the forest La Fintina Rece(at the Cold Fountain),the Germans with all the resiatance they musterd ,are rejected ;188th Hanovezi Regiment has suffered here heavy casualties .The Romanians occupy the bridge head , organised by the Germans at Casol.The troops of the 3rd German Division of cavalry,are forced to retreat over the water Hirtibaciu and,with great difficulty they can fix over the heights South of Rosia Saseasca and on the Northern shore of the river.
At the etreme left wing of the enemy was the 1st Austro-Hungarian cavalry Division.The division have been gravely beaten ,and throwed back few Miles .The Romanian troops crossed with manhood Olt River,pursuing the enemy,from which they took couple of hundred of prisoners,rejecting him on the Northern shore of Hirtibaciu.The whole Schmettow front was shaken;he has to organise a new defensive position on the Northern shore of the river ,from Rosia Saseasca untilHosman.The right Romanian wing was now consolidated.A battalion of the 44th Infantry Regiment seized Pahuiului Peak,excelent observation point,which dominated far , Sibiu Field.

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The Romanian Front

Entering in the war ,Romania took place in direct elongation of the Russian fighting front.The right side of this front was made of Lecitki Army,Brusilov group,which have occupied Cernauti an almost entire Bucovina,resuming the left flank on Carpathian Mountains ,and Dorna region.The Romanian Army,mobilized ,had to stretch along the our frontier of North-East and South.Because of the curious geographical shape of the Kingdom,this front was occupying along Carpathians from Dorna to Virciorova,then along Danube River,from Virciorova to Turtucaia,and finally,from Turtucaia ,along Dobrogean frontier until the Black Sea.-a length of 750 Miles[148].it was the longest front in Europe,longer even than the Russian Front,from Baltic Sea to Dorna,had only 687 Miles!Face with this fantastic front unfolding and of the weak effectives of the armies of the new adversaries ,it was obvious that none of them could occupy it in a continuous line.They had to tend on occupying shorter lines.Our war could not be in the beginning a war of position,as the other fronts,but a War of Movement.

From the stretch of our front,the most important sector was ,without mistake,the Carpathians,which connected directly with the Russian Front.Our entering inthe action was determined by the pressure requests of the Russians ;our action had to unfold in tight connection with theirs.On the Southern Front,Danube River,could not become from the biginning a principal war theatre ,because of the difficulties imposed by nature which obstacled the military operations ,in the other sectors(Carpathians);then this front was far from the most important line.There is also a sort of unsureness pretaining the Bulgarians intentions.The Russians seemed confident that Bulgarians would not fight them.It was clear that an action could take place only at the Dobrogean frontier,in the biginning of the war,easily to attack both sides.So at our enetering in the war there were two fronts:Carpathians Front and Dobrogean Front.

Z Hypothesis

out of the numerous strategical combinations ,created by the Big Romanian Hedquarter,the one adopted definitely,to correspond with the political and military situation of the Kngdom,was the one named "Z hypotesis".The hypothesis of a principal action against Bulgarians ,was dissmised.In the end it was adopted the Z Hypothesis of the Romanian Headquarter :The Offenssive over Carpathian Mountains ,with direction Budapesta,to conquer the theritories lived by Romanians,Defensive on the Southern Front,to ensure the freedom of action of the thick of the troops ,defending the Kingdom and repulsing the attacks which Bulgarians could enterprise from South.

The plan of Romanian operations.

The operations army has been separated in four groups.On the Southern Front,from Calafat to Ekrene,to Black Sea was the III-rd Army of which Command was given to General M.Aslan.It was comprised of a group of observation,made out of Divisions 16th and 18th of Infantry and !st Cavalry Division,stretched along the Danube River,to the mouth of Argeas River,and of other three Divisions-17th,9th and 19th along Dobrogean frontier.At this came the Russian help ,made out of two infantry divisions and one of cavalry.Over the Bulgarian intentions were made the following hypotesis,from which it had to pour the action of the III-rd Army:the Bulgarian forces concentraded along Danube River,having the aim,ofcourse to atract as much Romanian troops as possible South,to make impossible an action in great style in Transilvania ,thy will bombard the localities on the Romanian shore ,they will also wxecute demonstrations they will threat to cross the danube and advance to Bucharest(capital);this thing woild be impossible as the Bulgarians to not have the necessary forces to this purpose.The Bulgarian forces within Rusciuk-Sumla-Varna ,will ofcourse have the mission to enterprise a forced offensive in Dobrogea ,to rise the Bulgarian population and obstacle the Russians troops landings.
The operations of Romanian Army against Bulgaria ,not taking into account an aggressive political goal,but only a means of defense ,the Romanian forces concentrated on Danube and Dobrogea were considered sufficient.So it was decided that most of the troops must be concentrated on the North and North West Fronts.Victory here would be decissive,even if the Bulgarians would have some small local successes.They will vanish once the victory was obtained on the principal fronts.

The Offensive Carpathians Front was sreved by Armies I-st,II-nd and IV-th.The Ist Army ,under the Command of general Culcer was stretched from Calafat to Arges River streams.The II-nd Army,under the Command of General Al.Averescu,occupied the front from Arges streams to Vrancea region.Finally,the IV-th Army or Northern Army,under the Command of General Prezan,occupied Moldavian Carpathian Mountains,making in Dorna region,the junction with the Russians.Each of the three armies was made of three ,four divisions in the first line ,one or two divisions were organising in the back as reserves.
Arround Bucharest ,was made a strategical general reserve ,made out of two divisions:in the same time there was activity to make and form some new divisions.The three armies on the Carpathian front will have to advance in Transilvania and Banat,with the goal of concentration of the army for a decissive battle ,which would be given in region Ciucea (towards north) and caransebes(South)They will operate in tight connection with the Russian armies ,having as line of separation ,Somes River Valley.The zone of gathering of the three Romanian armies will be in the imediate vicinity of the Carpathians mountaineous.The mountain eous massif of Carpathians ,being a serious obstacle ,will be crossed by surprise, at once,through all the points of communication which cross the massiff ;in the 12th day of mobilization ,it could be had beyond the mountain 12 colums of one division.the echer form of the mountan frontier is very favorable because,after crossing the frontier,each step forward will gather gradualy the occupation front ,by the concentric advance of troops towards Mures Valley.
To avoid enemy incurssions on our territory,with the purpose to obstacle the mobilisation of the Romanian army,the whole frontier was filled with Covering Groups ,having complete effectives .They could be found,dislocated on the frontier sine August 1915,so they knew well the terrain.Even in the night prior to general mobilizatio,the groups will advance into enemy territory,will seize the dominante positions beyond frontier,to ensure the mountain passes to transilvania.With this face,the thick of the troops will gather behind them,even in the valley were the covering groups are to be found,which will ease the rapid advance into the enemy territory;the moves of the covering groups will be in the biginning directed by the center ,the Big Hedquarter .So in this way it will be possible to throw over enemy territory ,even from the biginning ,135000 men.

King Ferdinand had the Supreme Command of the Romanian Army in the war.As Chief of the Big Headquarte was General A.Zottu.Due to illness he could not conduct the operations ,which were conceived and conducted by General D.Iliescu.



Enemy countermeasures

The enemy was watching with unrest the unfolding of the events in Romania.The raports of their official representatives or spies ,the public opinion and the failure of tratatives ,did not leave any doubt over the end.Still,the governments and the headquarters hoped for a delay ,provoked by the terithorial offers of Austro-Hungary,in which time a favorable turn on the Eastern Front to change the situation.The Hungarians,the most direct and grave threatened ,took airs of bravade.Count Karoly[151] declared in the hungarian Chamber that Romanians attacking hungary,would find in Carpathian Mountains not soldiers,but tigers ,to defend it,and Tisza assured that the Romanians would not put their hands not even on a Hungarian tree.In reality the weaknes of the forces-engaged in totality on the fighting fronts-the dificulty to find new forces ,to be opposed to the new enemy,made the rulers of the Central Powes to wait with great fear the threatening decission of Romania;in the case in which it would be unavoidable ,it was expected arround the end of September .

When our war declaration arrived,unexpectedly ,in the evening of 27th of August,it has produced a considerable emotion at headquarters of the enemy armies.Especially in the conducting circles of Germany it was thought that "it is impossible that a Hohenzollern to attack another Hohenzollern"."over Emperor Wilhelm-writes General Cramon-this news fell as a lightning strike out of blue sky"*.

The grave turn,which the situation was taking ,critical enaugh,of The Central Powers,imposed to the German rulers heroic measures.The first one was replacing the the Chief of the Great German Headquarter .Falkenhayn,which came to the Supreme Command of the German Army,in the wake of Marna defeat ,and which have conducted the war for two years ,lost his big post,because of entering of Romania in to the war.He was accused that he has not foreseen our entering in the war,and has not taken all the measures of precaution for this eventuality.In reality a coalition of adversaries risen against the overpowerful generalisim.The ruining offensive at Verdun it was imputed to him as a grave personal failure.The strong adverse current asked to bring in the head of the German Army of Marshal Hindenburg[152],which had in front of the German soldier and public something which touched idolatry.The Romanian declaration of war gave the Emperor the awaited ocassion .Hindenburg was named chief of the Great German Headquarter in the place of disgratious Falkenhayn.Ludendorff[153],the inseparabil mate of the old Marshal,was atached to him ,in the function of "prim-quartier-maistru.Germany was breathing again;her trust came back.
In the day of 29th of August ,second day after the war declaration made by Romania to Austria,the German Government invoke the Federal Council of the Empire and,in the same day,Germany calls back her Minister at Bucharest,and declares war to Romania.Germany acomplished to Austro-Hungay the role of accomplice.In front of Romania was rising the formidable military power of the Two Central Empires .Our war declaration surprised the Central Powers;it hasn't arrived all by surprise though,and did not find them unprepared.The Austro-German espionaj managed to track down the tratatives, Romanian-Antant-ist and Count Cezerin could announce in time ,with a small edge of error,the decission of Romania,as well as the aproximative date of entering the war.These informations were considered,at the headquarters of the enemy,as exagerate;especially it was beleived that Romania will not enter the war before the harvest,meaning end of September.

Still,at 29th of July,exactly a month before our entering in the war,was held at the German Headquarter of Pless(Silezia),a conference between Falkenhayn and Conrad von Hotzendorf,Chief of the Austro-Hungarian Headquarter and Colonel Gancev,Bulgarian military delegate,pretaining of the eventuality of entering of Romania in to the war against Central Powers,and of the measures to be taken in this situation.It has been closed a military convention at which adhered after seven days also,Enver-Pasa,in the name of Turkey.the lines of this plan have also been kept by Hindemburg-Ludendorff.It was forseen that our offensive will aim the thick of the Romanian Army to Carpathian Mountains.The line of Danube River and Dobrogea will remain uncovered,thus.based on this judicious hypothesis the plan of the enemy was scetched:he will respound by attacking our back in Dobrogea ,and defending in Transilvania,till big forces will be brought there too.So as Makensen was available due to occupying of Serbia,he has been detained at Sofia,announced that he will use all the Bulgarian,German and Turkish forces available in the North-East of Bulgaria.In the same time Austro -Hungarian General Arz von Straussemberg was tasked with dfending Transilvania frontier.
*Princess Blucher,on of the intimates of the Court in Potsdam,writes:"Someone who happened to be at his Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm,in the moment when Romania declared war and also that when the news of the American war declaration has been known,assured us,that about Romania,the Kaizer came into the room agitated ,white at the face as a piece of papier ,with the knees shaking and said:"Everything is lost,it would be better for me to abdicate imediately" as about America,even the ones arround him were joyful"no problem,because America would never be able to transport her troops ,because of the submarines".Princess Blucher,>>An English Wife in Berlin,London,1920.

Reorganizing of the German Army

Face with the big consume of men and the need to have new units ,to post them and opose them to the new enemies,the Germans have brought an important change in their bigger units organization .They have reduced the number of regiments of a division ,from four to three;with the fourth regiment they made new divisions.The weakening of the effectives of a division has been compensated moltiblying the mechanical means.The number of machineguns,firstly,has been increased to considerable numbers.Also the artillery has been increased,especially the heavy one,with which each division has been equiped.With this face,the fighting unit,the division,became much more aerodynamic,more mobile.The brigade,the intermmediary unit ,between the division and the regiment ,has been disband,which simplifyed the command and supremed a series of complications in sending the orders.Also it was gained a number of commanders for the new divisions created.The Germans succeeded to make ,by this reorganization,a significant economy in both commanders and men,without to diminish the combative power of the army,on the contrary,men have been replaced by machines.With these measures ,helped by a formidable thechnic apparatus,by the eccellent preparation for war of their officers and soldiers ,consolidated by two years of modern warfare,the new commanders of the German Army thought they will be able ,not only to withstand the first blow which the new enemy was preparing to apply them,but once the crysis defeated ,at their turn,a vigorous offensive ,from which they expected important strategical benefits ,political and economical ones.

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The fight at Orlat

As at the right wing of Olt Corps ,this victorios action was taking place ,in the same time ,at the left wing,Mosoiu Brigade enterprized towards Orlat an offensive reconnaissance ,to establish the identity and value of enemy forces.,of which presence and action,in this region,was bacoming more and more threatening.The reconnaissance detachment started on two columns:the left column ,made out of two companies of 2nd Vilcea Regiment ,advanced on Cibinu water ,to attack Orlat from South and East,and the second column,also two companies,followed by a battalion ,started from Gura Riului,to attack the village from West;in reserve ,in Gura Riului there were 6 companies of Graniceri(frontier army).The right hand side column has started a violent fight with the Germans ,which were retrenched with many machineguns ,even at the edge of the village ,they reject them,taking with assault ,house by house fighting fiercely all day and all night;she fell in the middle of an artillery bombardment which made her retreat.The left hand column,after a first success,attacked by superior enemy forces and lossing connection with the right side,had also to retreat.The result of this unluky offensive was-above the big casualties ,in deaths,wounded and prisoners-that it was established ,that the region is filled with important enemy forces ,identifying the presence of 187th German Division.
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Operations arround Sibiu
Map Legend:small white circles=localities,black triangles=heights in meters,thick black line=German positions,dotted line=Romanian positions,Marsul Corpului Alpin=marching of Bavarian Alpine Corps,Muntii Sebesului=Sebes Mountains,D Gusterita=Gusterita Hill,Vf.Magura=Magura Peak,Saliste=Saliste Stream,Sadu=Sadu Stream,Olt=Olt River,Valea Ciinenilor=Ciineni Valley,D.189 G.=189th German Division,D.51 A.U.=51st Austro-Hungarian Division,D.76.G=76th German Division,D.1Cv.A.U.=1st Austro-Hungarian Gavalry Division,D.23 R=23rd Romanian Division,D.13 R.=13th Romanian Division

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Constituting of the enemy army
of attack and her fighting plan

The operations of 22nd of September alarmed the German Commander.He estimated the Romanian effectives at almost double their value and this determined him to take measures of strenghtening of his forces ,especially at his Eastern wing.The 76th German Division ,equiped with a divizion of heavy mortiers,wil work toghether with the cavalry at this wing ,and to shelter from an eventual surprise attack from the II-nd Romanian Army,Falkenhayn asked ,and obtained ,by the direct intervention of the Great German Headquarter ,to be set under his direct orders the 89th German DIvision,which till then depended by the Group Commanded by general von Arz.So now,Falkenhayn counted that he had in his hand all the cards of the great game which he wanted to play.The Alpine Corps,three infantry divisions,two cavalry divisions,with a strong artillery,made out ,without the divizionar artillery,also by some formations independent;this was the formidable power which would wave over the Romanian group from Sibiu,made out of two infantry divisions and one cavalry brigade.

Falkenhayn conceived the Battle of Sibiu as a fight of destroying:Vernichtunsschlacht.Olt Valley had to be a Canne [12] or a Sedan[13] of the Romanian Army.The Germans had some sort of predilection for this kind of fight for extermination ,of which theoreticians were their grand masters:Moltke and Schlieffen.Veiling through the wings and the complete surrounding of the enemy army-sedanization-has succeeded,in the course of the mondial war to Hindenburg,at Tannenberg,over the Russian Army of Narewului.Gelous over the glory of his rivale ,which replaced him at Supreme Command of the German Army,falkenhayn has proposed to take a resounding revanche ,preparing,in his turn,to the Romanian Army a resembling catastrophe.The Army at olt had to be surrounded ,caught like in a trap,with all the retreating lines cut.Tightened in this way in the metal circle of the enemy,it would then be exterminated ;the rests which would have escaped extermination would then be caught.
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The operations plan was made as follows:the Germano-Austro-Hungarian Army has been separated in three groups:
a)The Western Group,Commanded by Krafft von Delmensiengen.constituted by the Alpine Bavarian Corps,this group wil execute a large movement of surrounding of the left Romanian wing,to take place in her flank;then,pushing to East her extrem Southern wing,The Alpine Corps had to occupy Turnu Rosu Pass,behind the Romanian Army,cutting completely her aprovizionation and retreating line.

b)Eastern Group,Commanded by Schmettow,constituted by Divisions 3rd German Cavalry and 1st Austro -Hungarian Cavalry-fighting mostly unmounted-strenghtened with infantry units and artillery,and also the heavy artillery of the Alpine Corps,had the mission to defend the left flank (eastern) of the enemy army.He had to conquer the heights North of Avrig ,the to descend to Olt River,towards South,to the ridge of the mountains ,seating like a wall between Olt Corps and the II-nd ArmyWith this face,any attempt of the II-nd Army to come in the aid of the Olt Corps was obstacled,and was closed the acces of this one towards the passes of Fagaras Mountains,to whhere might try to retreat.

c)The Central Croup,under the Command of Stabbs,made out of 187th German Division,51st Hanovezi(Austro-Hungarian) and 76th German Division,with a powerful heavy artillery.it was the principal group,which had to attack frontal the Romanian Army,giving her decissives blows.
With this face ,Falkenhayn was throwing at the left side and at the right sid eof Romanians two giant arms which closing,behind the Romanian positions,parted them by the retreating line and isolate them by the aid neighbour armies ,to obstacle the turmoil of the conceived plan,by the eventuality of the aid action enterprized by Jiu Group, or by the II-nd Army.
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