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Scarisoreanu Division -9/19-which has the principal role in the hit which is preparing,has started at 27th of November from Titu towards South.She passes into Arges Valley and of Neajlov ,from here in to Dimbovnicului Valley and then in Glavaciocului Valley.

In the night od 28-29th ,the Division makes contact with the enemy at Videle -Cartojani,in Glavaciocui Valley .There are troops of Kosch Army ,made out of Infantry,Cavalry and Artillery.The Romanians cannot attack the enemy at 29th ,because the Chief Commander wants to wait also for Division 2/5 which is a little back;the Divisions only repells the daring attacks of the enemy Cavalry and has occupied at night Clejanii,attacking and away-ing the enemy Detachment which was there.

The next day,30th of November ,the DIvision attacks the enemy on the line Fotachesti -Videle-Cartojani,Tamasesti,beats him and sets him on the run in direction South -East,towards Mereni and Letca Veche ,capturing over 200 prisoners ,six machineguns ,horses,kitchens of campaign and other material ,as well.Unfortunately,the 2nd Division of Cavalry is not here to pursue and finish the defeat of the enemy ;she has retreated in the back of the right flank of Division 9/19.

In the evening of 30th of November,Divisions Socec and Scarisoreanu were on the line Flaminda-Clejani,9,3 Miles North of the driveway line Alexandria -Bucuresti ,in tight contact of fight with the Cavalry of von der Goltz and with the troops of Infantry which were forming up the phallanxguard of Kosch Army.But the frictions and postponings have delayed the concentration and the coordonated attack.If Socec could have begun the attack of the flank of Kosch Army at 29th,the future chances would have been great.The delay made that the Germans to be able to realize their concentration ,and Romanians position to become critical by the arriving behind Socec of Khune Army.
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The fights of 21st Division

As the right wing ,the going around wing,of the Attack Group ,Romanian,was descending from North to South with the goal to fall behind and on the flank of Kosch Army ,the center of the group ,made by the 21st Division -General Lambru -was advancing from East to West along driveway Bucharest-Alexandria ,to meet frontal the bulk of Kosch Army.In front of Naipu Village ,the avanguards of the Romanian Division the 21st collided with the 217 German Division which,after occupying Prunaru ,was advancing in opposite direction ,towards Bucharest .In the night of 29th of November produces the first enemy attacks ,which are rejected.

The next day in the morning,around 7 the enemy ,strengthened ,attacks again the Front of 33rd Romanian Brigade ,which has taken position on the right of Glavaciocului ,mounted on to the driveway.The Romanian Detachment of flank which was at Pingalesti ,is attacked by ten Cavalry Escadrons ,two Infantry Battalions and artillery ;the Detachment at the right wing ,at Letca Veche ,is attacked by forces of Infantry and Artillery ,which he rejects.By evening ,the German troops are strengthening more and more and make a strong pressure over Romanians ;at their right side ,Division 9/19,which had to shake hand with the 21st Division ,is late and is only at Clejani.Lambru has to retreat ,pursued over the night by the enemy ,which occupies Copaciu and Ghimpati .With heavy losses ,the 21st Division has retreated in the morning of 30 of november at Braila.

Determined to defend and keep with any price Braila ,General Lambru advances towards West,mounted on the driveway ,with both Brigades ,and is attacked at 10 in the morning by the whole 217th Division ,German,which has now all her formidable artillery.The fight is very fierce .The right column ,made out of the 33rd Brigade of Infantry ,has been turned by the enemy and taken under the fire of heavy artillery ,which makes ravages in Romanian rows ;the Brigade loses all officers and has to begin the retreat .The column on the left,unfolded between Matei Basarab and Ghimpati Forest ,is also disbanded by the enemy .The resistance of Romanians is strong ;The Hunters Regiment at the left wing German has considerable casualties .But the Division 9/19 Romanian ,which is supposed to come in the right is caught in fight at Vida -Cartojani and Tamasesti;the 21st Division ,in fight with the enemy ,which has a crushing superiority of artillery ,has to retreat ,giving on the lanes of the Village Balaria bloody body against body fights ;the Romanians have continued the retreat beyond Neajlov ,occupying positions between Banesti and Gorneni.The Germans have occupied in the afternoon Braila ;towards evening they are masters over entire line Bulbucata -Stilpu -iepuresti with the crossing over Neajlov.
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(Battle of Calugareni,13th of August 1595)


The fight at Calugareni

Other fights ,just as violent ,were given in the days of 29th and 30th of November on inferior Neajlov Sector .Here ,the Bulgarians,making two Divisions (the 12th and 1st),strengthened with Germans ,have attacked the line of Neajlov ,having as advancing axis the driveway Giurgiu-Calugareni-Bucharest.The Romanian troops are on the elevations South of Neajlov Water ,forming a kind of a bridgehead before Calugareni .There are four Battalions of Militia ,with very reduced effectives ,remains of the 18th Division.From the 7th Romanian Division have arrived till now only two Battalions of the 4th Hunters Regiment and one Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment .Few Escadrons of cavalry and 14 batteries of artillery ,the majority old cannons of 87 mm,were completing the forces in this Sector ,of which Command has been given to Colonel Gr.Bunescu.

In the morning of 29th of November ,four Bulgarian Regiments ,with a very powerful artillery ,attack with energy the Romanian Front.The elevation at Crucea de Piatra (the Stone Cross) ,with the comemorative monuments of the most shining victory of our great voievod(Michael the Brave),have been defended with heroism by three Companies of the 4th Hunters Regiment with four machineguns .They are the braves who seized Miercurea-Ciuc and won the victory at Poiana Uzului.Fierce fights were given in Dadilov Wood and on the field of Firing Range Mihai Bravu.Four ferocious attacks have given the Bulgarians against Crucea de Piatra Hill until,around 5 in the afternoon ,they occupied it.By evening,the enemy made a going around move by East;he has occupied Comana ,crossed here the Water of Neajlov(the river) and has occupied Budeni Village ,on the Northern shore of Neajlov.The Romanian line of resistance was ,with this face,turned;it could not be held anymore.There was no reserve behind ,to refresh and relieve the men standing in the fight for 10 hours already.The brave troops have been all crossed on to the Northern shore of Neajlov ,then they set fires to the bridges.During the night ,however,the Bulgarians managed to repair the bridges and cross the Water ;they have occupied Calugareni.


In the morning of 30th of November ,the Bulgarians unfolded on the Northern shore of Neajlov ,occupying with numerous forces the villages on this shore ,which they fortified very strong with trenches and barbed wire fences,installing numerous machineguns .The Romanian attacks ,given by 14th Roman Regiment of the 7th Division aimed especially over the Villages Branistari -at East-and Singureni -at West -have taken out the enemy from the trenches ,repelled the columns trying to adavance,but did not succeed to away him from the villages where he was strongly retrenched.The 1st Battalion of the 4th Hunters Regiment is almost destroyed.Towards evening has arrived also the Mixt Brigade 9/19 ,which is cantooned -as general reserve-at Adunatii Copaceni,in the point where Arges River is cut by the driveway Bucharest-Calugareni-Giurgiu.

At 30th of November in the evening,all Romanian troops were gathered in the operations zone ,in contact with the enemy on the whole stretch of the Front.The Romanian offensive,in itself,had to unleash the next day.
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The day of 1st of December

The 217th German Division continues in the morning of the day of 1st of December ,her offensive march,along the driveway between Neajlov and Arges.The German Commander thinks he has no real motives for concern ; on the left side ,he knows he is defended by Goltz Cavalry Division and the phallanxguard of infantry ;behind ,at some distance,is the Turkish Division .That is why ,the Germans fast their step on the traks of the troops of General Lambru ,which are in retreat.In the afternoon the heads of the enemy columns arrived at Arges River;they enter in Mihailesti .The German troops begin to concentrate on the South -Eastern shore of Arges ,from Draganescu ,at North-West of Mihailesti ,until Tuta,at South-East.The Romanians held solid occupied the bridge ;they have organized at Buda ,on the opposite shore of Arges ,a very strong position ,a bridge head .The enemy sings already victory!His offcial reports aknowledge the world that the German Armies are in front of Bucharest forts.But bad signs start to show.From behind and from the left flank of the 217th Division come alarming news.Groups of Germans run-aways arrive in disband towards the bulk of the Division .They bring the news that the Cavalry Division von der Goltz is beaten and in retreat,and the phallanxguard of infantry obliterated and set on the run.The Romanian Attack Group has started the offensive!

At his extreme right ,Socec Division ,which has seized in the eve at evening Flaminda restarted in the morning of 1st of December her march towards South,occupies Tirnavele with Racovita Brigade and continues to advance towards Draganesti.In the Northern edge of Grozea Forest and of Tunari Village the enemy ,strongly retrenched and supported by numerous artillery ,attacks the Romanian avanguard .There are Germn and Bulgarian troops of Kosch Army.A fierce fight cooks up on a streched Front between driveway Tirnava -Draganesti ,on the right side ,and Cilnistei Valley ,on the left side .The Regiments of Racovita Brigade have big casualties .The troops fight without machineguns ,against an enemy which has plenty.At Buzau are distributed to our Regiments French machineguns ,model Saint-Etienne ,but the soldiers and officers ,occupied all the time with marchings and fightings ,did not learn how to use them.The Romanian soldiers fight with elan which compensates for the lack of military material .There are Romanian troops which have tasted the bitterness of defeat in Dobrogea and are finding here again their old enemies:Bulgarians .They have seen through the villages they passed through yesterday,the tracks of the same bestiality ,they learned of in Dobrogea.
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At around noon ,after six hours of ferocious fight ,the Romanians have conquered Grozea Forest and Tunari Village ,taking 50 prisoners and two heavy cannons .From the East ,from Frasinet,arrives Serbanescu Brigade .Both Brigades of the Division are now united.Before her ,at 2-3 Miles ,are Draganestii.It is the principal strike to be given.If Draganestii are taken tonight ,Kosch Army which is on Glavacioc and Neajlov ,is cut from her base.But around the Romanian Division the enemy gathers his strengths .From all parts the Division is cornered :Schmettow Cavalry and those of Goltz ,Turkish infantry ,Bulgaro-German ,gathers up and recomes to attack against Socec Division .The enemy, beaten and rejected ,place himself in the trenches South of Grozea Forest ;strengthened with three Battalions Torkish-Bulgarian,recomes to attack against the Romanian troops which have occupied the Northern edge of the forest.From West ,from Comoara Forest ,appear other enemy columns .The enemy has numerous heavy cannons ,and the Romanian Division has only two Regiments of Field Artillery.Socec feels entered in a bottom of a bag.Surrounded by a swarm of enemies .An escadril of enemy aeroplanes throwes bombs over the Hedquarter of the Division ,in Tirnava ,kills and wounds a great number of officers ,together with the Chief of Staff of the Division.Discouraged ,Socec breaks the fight and turns his eyes towards East.
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(German shot down airplane-1917)

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Behind Socec Division has arrived the 2nd Romanian Cavalry Division -General Sinescu-which comprises also units from the 1st Division and is strengthened wit a Battalion of Infantry.The mission of this Division is to defend the back of Socec Division and the right of Scarisoreanu Division .In the day of 1st of December ,the Cavalry is at Blejesti ,behind Socec Division,which after the fight of Butesti followed its advance to Flaminda.But the enemy troops,defeated are remaking themselves ;the 7th German Cavalry Division ,and the avanguards of 11th Bavarian Division from Talpa Ionesti retake the advance towards South -East .Sinescu receives the news that strong enemy columns have entered in Baciu-Blejesti zone;he face them with 7th Rosiori Regiment with artillery,bringing them to a stand still.But the mission of the Cavalry is not to engage important fights,but to follow Division 2/5 in her evolution;The 7th Regiment breaks the fight and as other enemy columns announce from the West ,the Cavalry retakes the marching towards South and arrives at Flaminda ,where it cantoons in the night 1-2nd of December ,behind Socec Division,which is supposed to be towards Tirnava.The liaison officers send towards Tirnava report that Socec is not there and the village is occupied by the enemy!
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In the center of the Romanian Attack Group ,Division 9/19-General Scarisoreanu -has to attack the flank of Kosch Army.She starts on two columns ,taking oblique direction towards South-East :one column through Rusii lui Asan towards Ghimpati ,and the other one through Clejani towards Balaria .But the enemy ,defeating the resistance of the 21st Division has advanced considerable .That is why ,Scarisoreanu Division has to change direction ,going further to left and,insteda of Ghimpati sector -Balaria ,she has to attack sector Balaria-Stilpu.The column on the right side having to away the enemy which she finds in the villages on her way ,delays the marching of the entire Division .The Commander of the Division is a trialed militar:he waits to have all the forces in hand to give the attack.Because of this ,only by evening the Romanian Division makes contact with the enemy .This time is not Goltz's Cavalry ,which has retreated at South of the driveway ;its the bulk of the Kosch Army.The Romanian Division finds again in the 217th German Division,the former adversary from the field of battle of Dobrogea ,whith which has old disputes to settle.In the head of the Division are the Regiments of Poetas Brigades ,the braves from Amzacea and Topraisar.

The left of Division 9/19-six Companies of the 197th Brigade has attacked,in the morning ,the Village Bulbucata,by surprise,at bayonet ,without firing shots ,repelling the German troops occupying it;the Romanians have captured prisoners and material.Then ,they have made the connection with the left of Brigade 17th Infantry,which had as objective Balaria.Balaria Forest is attacked by evening through very hard fight ,and at 10 in the night ,the 40th Calugareni Regiment attacks violent Balaria Village,where surprises completely the enemy.The Germans are running in disband ,scattering in all directions.The Romanians captures over 200 prisoners ,three heavy cannons ,numerous material of war.On the field of battle remain numerous shot horses by their own masters,to not fall in the mastering of Romanians,throwed away ammunition,carriages and waggons turned upside down ,many of them filled with things stolen from people's houses ,automobiles tippled over in the trenches;all these showed the violence of the attack of the 40th Regiment and the panic of the enemy.
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The retreat line of the enemy is cut.General von Gallwitz ,together with the Staff of the 217th Division escapes,running back to Balaria towards Ghimpati .The Commander of the 18 Reserve Brigade German ,Colonel Vogel ,which is at Mihailesti on Arges River,asks instructions by telephone from the Commander of the DIvision ,which he knew at Balaria .He hears only two words:"Rumanen...hier..."[8],then the communication breaks with a strident noise.Balaria has fallen in Romanian hands.

On the driveway the confusion is at the top.The Germans are running towards South,at Pingalesti ,with a part of the heavy artillery ,which they can save.The Detachment ,which has arrived at Arges-in the power of a Brigade-has remained in the air,with the communication behind cut.The left and center of his,are attacked by the troops of Lambru Division,from the shore in front of Arges River.On the right side the Bulgarians have suffered also a defeat and were in retreat,losing the connection with the Germans.

The enemy cannot hold on to Arges;he begins the retreat to Neajlov .Covered towards North-West ,in direction Bulbucata by a Battalion of Bavarian Hunters ,the Germans retreat on to the Norhern shore of Neajlov River,the Villages Iepuresti,Stilpu,with the bridge over Neajlov ,Chirculesti ;the Front surrounds Banesti Village.During the night they retrench very strong in the position from where they have been forced to retreat during the day.

In Neajlov sector and of inferior Arges ,the whole morning of 1st of December has been a very strong cannonade of artillery,by both sides .Then,the enemy started from the positions he was occupying along the Northen shore of Neajlov ,a general offensive against the Romanian Front.On our right side ,the Mixt Brigade 9/19 has sustained with strength the enemy attack and has attacked in her turn,in region Chirculesti -Singureni ,to ease the left of Lambru Division ,which was strongly attacked.At around 1 in the afternoon the enemy begins a great attack ,at the center ,from Calugareni direction ,as at the right of him,from Budeni direction.Sustained by heavy artillery ,the enemy advances on six rows .Crushed under artillery fires and attacked by superior forces ,the remains of the two Regiments occupying the Romanian positions could not resist and have left the fight without order.The situation was very grave .Colonel Bunescu ,the Commander of the Sector,asks for quick reinforcements.There are send troops from 38th Braila Regiment ,Commanded by Lieut-Colonel Bacalbasa ,which was part of the Mixt 9/19 Brigade .The Regiment has arrived at night at Copaceni ,where has been brought with trucks and automobiles from Jilava.Colonel Bunescu gathered the officers and made a moving appeal to patriotism and their spirit of martyr ,to save the honour of the Army and the Capital of the kingdom.The Regiment statrted at assault with great elan ,encouraging also the soldiers of the Regiments in retreat.A machinegun automobile .manoeuvred with courage and skill by a French officer ,blasting death in the enemy rows ,have brought up much the Romanians courage .With rifle shots but especially with the long bayonet of Weterley Rifle ,the Romanian soldiers strike with fury the enemy and break his ranks.Four times the Bulgarians come back to attack ,strengthened with fresh forces,but in vain.By 5 in the evening ,the Romanian troops were mastering again over on the Northern lines of Neajlov.To the South,however ,the Bulgarian forces ,starting from Comana and Budeni ,have gone around the Romanian flank and occupied Gradistea on Arges River.In the face of this situation ,and of the fraid of a veiling attack,the Romanian troops from the Southern sector had to leave again Neajlov's shore and have occupied the Southern shore of Arges,covering the passes over the river at Darasti,Copaceni and Varlaam,around which they have build a strong bridge head ,for each.Towards evening ,have started to arrive Russian troops from Aliev Corps :the 40th Division and the Cossacks;they have placed at the extreme left of the Romanian Front ,between Arges and Danube.

The day of 1st of December has been,in general,a good day for Romanians.In the most important point of the battle field , have obtained a beginning of victory ,full of hopes.
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Catching the Romanian operations plan

An unfortunate incidend happens at the extreme right wing of the Romanian fighting Front ;it wiil have grave follow ups for the entire Romanian action.

In the Sector of superior Arges Reiver ,the Ist Romanian Army fights hard against the strong adversary.The Olt Corps,attacked ,by the front at Golesti and in the back at Priboineni ,has to retreat.The 14th Division remains with 1400 men;she is mixed with 13/23 Division giving together a number of almost 5000 fighters .A little to the South,the 1/17 Division resist vigorous at Costesti against the attacks of 301st Division of the enemy;the retreat of the troops in her right ,force her to retreat as well.The whole Front of the I-st Army is,with this face ,in retreat towards Gaiesti.

During their movements ,the adverse troops were mixing and it happened,frequently,that in the morning ,a troop to noticed that has bivouacked in the night in the middle of enemy troops.At Ratesti,on Arges ,at South of Leordeni an automobile of the 8th Division -which has fought on this Front -in which there were two officers of General Staff of the Division,Captains Epure and Barcan,fell in the day of 1st of December in the midst of the troops of a Bavarian Regiment,in marching.In the metal box in the automobile was the correspondence of the Division and all the orders of operations given by Superior Commandments ,which the officers had to distrinute to the units of the Division.

The capture is of unmeasurable importance .In the great speed of his automobile ,General Kraftt runs at the Headquarter of the IX-th Army and surrenders it to Falkenhayn,where the complete decifring of the documents produced an enormous senzation.Seldomly,in the History of Wars ,a Commander of an Army has been served by luck in such an extraordinary way .Falkenhayn has found the secret of the great operation of manoeuvre ,started by Romanian Army!The hole mistery of troops movements ,in the last few days ,the whole mistery which the German General could feel without being able to guess ,appeared ,at once ,like lightened by a blinding ray.The German Commander was not the man to not know to take advantage by this unexpected luck.He was able to take the imediate dispozitions necesitated by the new development of the situation,revealed to him:The knowing of the plans,gave the oportunity not only to escape from the dangerous position in which the Romanian offensive brought the Germans,but even to take advantage by the knowing of the Romanian positions ,to give us ,in the most weak point ,the decissive blow.In truth,the Romanian plan,daring conceived ,needed the complete secrecy of the movement of the troops.Now the Germans knew that the principal attack was given against the Danube Army ,that the troops with which collided Schmettow Cavalry and the avanguards of the 11th Bavarian Division ,were not Romanian units in retreat over Olt River,as they thought in the beginning ,but the elements of an important Manoeuvre Group ,marching towards South ;that there,towards Glavacioc and Neajlov ,is played the fate of the Danube Army and of the great battle for Bucharest.Falkenhayn also knew now that at the back of the Romanian Group of Attack has produced a big empty space ,which separated the troops of the Northern Sector by the other two Sectors.
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With all the frictions between Falkenhayn and Mackensen ,provoked by the rivalry between the two Generals ,which aspired both at the role of Supreme Commandand of German Armies Reunited in Romania,Falkenhayn decided to come in the help of his kamarad threatened and,exploiting the revealed situation ,to turn in his favour the manoeuvre conceived by Romanians.In consequence ,the German Commander decided to to enter the empty space between the two Romanian Groups and to turn both their internal flanks.To acomplish this manoeuvre ,he had almost the entire Army of Kuhne ,which was advancing ,from West to East ,without meeting Romanian troops on the way.

The 41st Division which has reached Selaru ,on the Water of Dimbovnicului,on the driveway Pitesti-Draganesti-Giurgiu ,has received the order to turn oblique towards North-East ,to cross Arges River and to fall in the back of the I-st Romanian Army ,which was retreating along the railway line.In the same time ,a little to the South,Divisions 109th and 11th Bavarian which were in Butesti-Goleasca region ,to turn oblique towards South ,in direction Clejani-Rusii lui Asan ,to fall behind the Romanian Attack group,which was operating against Kosch Army ,and to cut his retreat towards Bucharest .Between the two Groups ,Schmettow Cavalry will pass over Arges River ,covering the advance of Kuhne Army over Bucharests.The 115th Division was following as reserve.

Mackensen has received from the Big German Headquarter the Supreme Command of the enemies Army in Romania,brought a modification to Falkenhayn plan ,leaving only 11th Bavarian Division to attack the back of Romanian Army ,and ordered to 109th Division to continue the marching towards middle Arges River.Together with the Cavalry ,this Division will occupy solid the shores of Arges for to cut the retreat of Romanian troops and to acomplish the complete dezatre of Romanian Armies.With this face ,the roles were changed now.The trap,which have been prepare to the enemy ,was turning now against Romanians .The surprise of the Romanian plan of operations and the superiority ,crushing of the enemy ,permitted this one to transform from attacked in to attacker .The fatal unprecaution of the Romanian officers ,helped them.
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The day of 2nd of December

In the day of 2nd of December ,the battle followed its course on the whole line.

In the middle of Neajlov Sector ,Scarisoreanu Division continues the offensive;she is in the center of the action.Early in the morning ,Poetas Brigade attacks the line Stilpu-Iepuresti.On the right,the 40th Regiment ,covering from this side the bulk of the Division ,takes with assault Iepuresti Village ,beats the enemy which was retrenched there and repells him over the Water of Neajlov(river),capturing some few hundreds of prisoners.At the center ,the 9th Hunters Regiment ,reduced at five Companies ,having their Commander ,Major Rasoviceanu ,mounted on a horse,in the middle of the troop,hastes in a very fast assault from the exit of South-East of Balaria Village towards Stilpu.With all the stormy fires of the enemy machineguns ,with all the big casualties suffered ,the Hunters do not back off and attack with fury the enemy.They are supported on the left side by Regiment 23/63 of Infantry,and behind by 3rd Regiment of Artillery.At noon ,the victory is of Romanians.Stilpu Village,together with the bridge over Neajlov River ,is seized by the Hunters;the enemy Company of six machineguns ,which have killed us so many brave soldiers ,is captured with all its servants.The Germans had big casualties ;a part runs in disorder over Neajlov towards Banesti ,others are taken prisoners .A column of 400 prisoners can be seen coming from the South,from Iepuresti ,as in the North the Hunters cross Neajlov River and occupy Gornenii,and Bulbucata is occupied by Regiment 38/78.

At 2 in the afternoon ,the remains of the heroic Regiment of Hunters are saluted by the Commander of the Division ,of the Brigade and by the French Mission .General Scarisoreanu and Colonel Poetas can be proud by the soldiers ;they are at the height of their Chiefs who formed them ,and commands them.

The 217 th German Division is almost smashed ;she is broken in two.A part has been repelled between South-West ,over Glavacioc and Cilnistea ,together with the Cavalry of von der Goltz ;Ghimpatii has fallen as well in the hands of Romanians .The other part is repelled to the North ,over Neajlov Water.

From Arges direction ,the 21st Division attacks with strength ,crosses the river ,rejects the left wing of the 12th Bulgarian Division ,which was making the connection with the Germans ,breaks this link then,making a conversion towards left parallel with the flow of Neajlov ,occupies a line to the North of Chirculesti facing South ,forcing the right German wing to bend from this side as well towards Chirculesti.Now the Germans are completely surrounded .They occupy only the line of Villages Banesti-Chirculesti and the woods in the vecinity ,forming a closed circle ,surrounded from all parts by the Romanian troops of Divisions 9/19 and 21st.In two days ,the 217th German Division has lost 1500 prisoners ,20 cannons and 30 machineguns and an imense material of war.The dezastre is eminent.A last effort then,and a brilliant victory starts to announce.

The moment is a decissive one.General Prezan gives order to the Russian troops ,which have arrived at South ,to attack and advance towards West ,to go around the right wing Bulgarian and force the Bulgarians to evacuate line of Neajlov ,the only support remained still to the Germans.The Russian Commander refuzes to acomplish the order ;he declares that he cannot attack ,because he has no order from General Zaharov;then he has not all his troops on to the fighting line yet.And true,the troops of Aliev Corps ,which were coming by train from Dobrogea ,have interrupted the journey with the train at Lehliu-Sarulesti and have disembarked to make the rest of the way on foot.That is why they have arrived four days latter ;most of the part did not even arrive on to the battle field.Still,the 40th Russian Division is entire in the fighting sector with a Brigade in front of Comanei and with the other one at Vlad Tepes.Her intervention would save the situation of Romanians and it would be a desaster for Bulgarians.Generals Prezan and Berthelot,send to General Rasvoi ,the Commander of the Russian Division,two officers of General Staff-Major Vasilescu and French Captain Nicolay,to determine him to intervene in this decissive moment ,without waiting for the bulk of the troops .Indignated by the resistance of the Russian General ,the officers ask him if he wants to play the role of Grouchy from Waterloo[9],at which the Russian general replayed that he is not there to listen a history course.The Russians refusal makes the enemy to gain pretious time .The remains of 217th Division retrench very strong in the corner where they are crouched ,surrounding themselves with barbed wire fence and with machineguns ,in the awaiting of the holly -happening which must arrive from the North.
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As at the South the Russians refusal obstacled the Romanian Commander to take all profit from the victory reputed by Scarisoreanu Division ;from the North and West were gathering black clouds ,forecasting of storm.From the North ,are signalled numerous troops of the enemy ,behind the 9/19 Division ,which is not defended ,from this side ,by Cavalry,as it should be.Scarisoreanu takes measures of protection.He evacuates all columns and the services towards Arges ,keeping only the ambulance and a part of the munition column and occupies with the Mixt Detachments Letca Noua,Rusii lui Asan ,Clejani and Nebuna Velea,to obstacle the fall of the enemy,by surprise ,behind the Division.These measures of precaution prove very well thought :the enemy has taken the offensive from this part .There are the avanguards of the 11th Bavarian Division of Kuhne Army ,which begin to arrive in the fighting zone ,behind the Romanian Army.In the most advanced position,at Clejani ,the Romanian Detachment of the 39th Regiment sustains a fierce fight all day with the enemy forces which grow more and more.The Commander of the Detachment ,Captain Iordache ,is badly wounded ,with the right arm smashed ;he refuzes to be evacuated ,starts again to conterattack and falls pierced by bullets in the head of his Battalion .Towards evening the Detachment ,almost destroyed ,has to retreat towards Rusii lui Asan line-Nebuna Bulbucata Forest.

A much graver turn of things produces at the West wing of the Romanian Army of Attack.General Socec ceased the offensive and was retreating towards East !After the brilliant march executed by 2/5 Division in the days of 29th,30th of November and 1st of December ,his troops ,exhausted and with heavy casualties suffered in the continuous fights given in these days,could not continue the road in Draganesti direction.Unrested by the isolation in which he was finding ,at the extreme right of the Attack Group ,feeling attacked by a numerous enemy ,which was gathering from all parts around him,Socec lost fate in himself and in the troop and thought that he is not able anymore to acomplish the task ,given to him.From Tirnava,Socec made a going around to the left and started in retreat ,facing Bucharest :the role of 2/5 Division is now to cover from the West the operations of Divisions of Scarisoreanu and Lambru.In the night of 1-2nd of December Socec is at Letca Veche ,in Glavaciocului Valley.The next day ,2nd of December ,Socec has continued the retreat towards East ,with Ghimpati-Balaria direction;the heads of the most advanced columns were at Matei Basarab ,at South-East of Balaria and of the driveway Alexandria-Bucharest .On his tracks was advancing the Turk Division and other enemy units.
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The retreat of Socec Division puts in a very difficult situation the 2nd Cavalry Division.In the evening of 1st of December the Cavalry ,which is at Flaminda ,sees herself , at once ,completely isolated .Not even a contact with Socec ,nor an order ,not even a news about his wehereabouts .All around ,at Blejesti ,at Tirnavele ,at Letca Veche ,are signalled to him enemy troops.Without any orders whatsoever and not being able to establish contact with any troop or friendly Commander ,Sinescu makes a grave decission.Instead of letting be caught in a mouse trap,better to seek to save his unit,which he Commands.At 10 in the night ,the Cavalry Division begins the retreat towards North-East ,on the only way which was free :a breaking of some 16 Miles through the enemy columns .All night of 1-2nd of December ,the Cavalry-men walk along their horses ,with the horses by the strap ,cross Cervenicu Mare bridge ,the only one which is guarded by a Rosiori Detachment and at 8 in the morning arrive on the plateau above Merenilor.Neither here are friendly troops;Division 9/19 is towards South-East ,in marching to Balaria.The 21st Division is on Arges ,and Division 2/5 no one knows where it is.Sinescu decides to continue the marching in direction Mihailesti ,on Arges .Enemy columns show on the left ;there are the Bavarian troops which make the conversion towards South.The runners from the Safety Detachments of the 9/19 Division bring the news about the enemy which arrives from the North.

The Division begins to receive shots of cannon ,then is attacked by infantry;she changes all the time the advance direction ,wanting to avoid serious engagements.A flank Detachment ,made out of troops of Rosiori unmounted,under the Command of Lieut-Colonel Davidoglu ,protects on the left the column in retreat .A Battalion of the 39th Regiment "Petru Rares".from troops send by Scarisoreanu for the protection of his back ,attaches to Davidoglu Detachment and fights against the enemy which attacks the Division in marching,from three directions :from Nebuna Velea ,Clejani and Rusii lui Asan .In Nebuna Forest ,the soldiers of the Division have again to unmount and cross in dramatic conditions ,with the enemy in the rib ,retained by fights in the North clearing of the Forest.It was well dark when ,disengaged by the enemy ,the Cavalry Division ,lead by a safe guide ,manages to get out of the horrifying Forest and to enter in Bulbucata.
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In the morning of the 3rd of December ,the Cavalry Division was on the shore of River Arges,escaped by the surrounding circle in which she was to be found for two days.The unit was in this way saved for future operations ,but she has been absent from the principal fighting zone ,depriving the Attack Group by her concur in the day of 2nd of December ,which could have been a decissive day.In superior Arges Sector,Kraftt continues the advance and attacks by the front with 3.5 Divisions the I-st Romanian Army in retreat ,on both shores of Arges River ,as the 41st Division was executing a turn around by South ,towards Titu.The enemy bombards violent with artillery of all calibers ,breaks the Front of the 8th Romanian Division ,turns the flank of Division 13/14 and force her to retreat towards Gaiesti with big casualties.Amongst the wounded ,is the Commander of the Division,Colonel Cihoski ,and the French Colonel Dubois .On the Southern shore of Arges ,the troops of Divisions 8th and 1/17 repell the enemy attacks and hold on positions until the evening ,when they begin the retreat towards North .They cross with difficulty on to the Northern shore ,over the bridge at Gaiesti ,strongly bombarded by the enemy.The majority of the troops have to cross at night through fords ,fighting with numerous patrols .In the evening the enemy has occupied Gaiesti.

Towards South,the advance of the 41 Division Prusian ,constitutes a grave danger;she has occupied Crovu and is going towards Titu.General Prezan sends in haste the 10th Romanian Division ,which was held in reserve ,to oppose to the advance of the enemy ,covering also the Southern flank of the I-st Army.The Division counterattack is stopped on line of Villages Vacaresti and Odobesti by a strong bombardment of heavy artillery and by a big number of armoured automobiles ;the Division has to cross back Arges and to establish on line Serdaru -Potlogi-Bolintin -Vale.

The day of 2nd of December did not bring to Romanian Army the victory hoped for.Scarisoreanu Division has obtained ,in truth ,a beautiful success.But the weakness of resistance on to the other sectors and the Russian refuse to fight did not permit the exployting of the succes .The effort had to be retaken the next day .During this time ,black clouds gather all around the Romanian Army;the storm was ready to unleash.
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(Romanian soldiers in the Great War)

The day of 3rd of December


The day of Sunday 3rd of December ,is the fatal day of the unfolding of the battle at Arges.It had to bring us victory and brought us defeat.

Around the Attack Army the enemy has finished his concentration .From the West ,the Turk Division ,following Socec Division in retreat,has occupied the elevations between Letca Noua and Ghimpati .At her right ,between driveway and Glavacioc ,has been remade the Cavalry Division Goltz and,with the remains of the 217th Division and with the Mixt Brigade Germano-Bulgar ,has taken position at North of Galvacioc and established the connection with the Bulgarian Front on Neajlov.At the left of the Turk Division ,has taken position between Clejani and RUsii lui Asan ,the 11th Bavarian Division ,which has received a formidable heavy artillery-the own artillery and the artillery of the neighbour Division 109th-which kept under the beat of its cannons the driveway Alexandria-Bucharest,until Arges.East of the Bavarian Division ,the 6th Cavalry Division of Schmettow Corps was guarding the crossing over Arges River.The bulk of the 217th Division ,very reduced ,was crouched in in its desperate position around Banesti Village ,until Chirculesti,beyond Neajlov,but decided at resistance till the last man ,numbering its last hours.With this face,the Armies in fight ,started to draw ,in the principal fighting zone ,three concentric circles .The most interior was the circle formed by the Vogel Brigade of the 217th Division German,like a snake around Banesti Village.Around her,has closed ,almost,the circle of Romanian Divisions 2/5,9/19,21 and parts of the Danube Defence Group,incomplete in the Southern part.At his turn,around the investment Romanian circle ,was tightening the enemy exterior circle formed by:Turk Division,11th Bavarian Division,Schmettow Cavalry ,Bulgarians and Goltz Group.The fatal fate has became reality.
From surrounders we have become surrounded.The Romanian Attack Group was caught in the fires of those inside and of those outside.

From the morning of the day ,our offensive action has been retaken .The gravity center was at Divisions Scarisoreanu and Lambru .Both of them had to attack facing South ,with Calugareni direction ,one on the right shore and the other on the left of Neajlov River.The back of the two Divisions had to be protected :towards North ,between Neajlov and Arges by the 7th Division ,and the flank towards West and South-West ,from Ghimpati and Balaria ,by Socec Division and the Cavalry Division.The Group of Defence of Danube ,sustained by Russian on the left side ,had to attack from Gradistea and Comana the center and flank Bulgarian.
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The offensive started to unfold favorable .At the left wing ,the Group of Danube Defence made beautiful progresses.Colonel Bunescu seized back Gradistea in violent fights ,in which distinguished Captain Nicolay of the French Mission .The other columns have rejected the enemy until Neajlov.

Again,General Iancovescu appeals to General Rasvoi ,the Commander of 40th Russian Division ,which was "sitting with the weapon at his foot" in front of Comana ,to attack the Bulgarians ,to cut their retreat and transform their defeat in desastre;but Rasvoi refuzes this time again to pick up the easy fruits of the victory.

Divisions Scarisoreanu and Lambru ,which had to acomplish the most important mission ,begin their advance convergent.The 21st Division occupies Chirculestii;the Russian Brigade 9/19 rejects the enemy towards Singureni.Scarisoreanu feels his back unprotected :the Cavalry Division is not here anymore,and the 7th Division has not arrived yet.He has to take care by himself of his cover and detaches from the 9/19 Division few units which he sends North of driveway Stilpu-Mihailesti;then starts the attack from Iepuresti towards South with Poetas Brigade.

Socec Division is placed in the form of a semy circle around Matei Basarab Village ,facing the enemy towards North-West ,West and South ,covering from this part the flank of Scarisoreanu Division .Early in the morning ,Socec begins the attack in two directions :towards North-West he occupies the Forest and Village Balaria ,towards West he closes in to Ghimpati.

At once,around 10 ,the covering Detachments to North of Scarisoreanu Division are attacked with violence by the enemy artillery ,after which infantry attacks follow ,in mass.The attack generalizes ;from North and North-West ,a formidable avalanche of metal and fire beats in the back and flanks of the Romanian troops .Kuhne Army has joined in the fight.

Encouraged by the strong help arrived ,Kosch units start as well the attack against Socec Division .The Turk Division attacks her from Letca Noua direction .From South-West ,from Naipu and Pingalesti ,Goltz Division and the Mixt Brigade Bulgarian-German attack her ,in their turn.Gallwitz Division ,from the circle in which has retrenched ,gets courage and reenters the fight.The grenades and shrapnels fall like stone rain over Romanian position .Balaria and Bulbucata are on fire,burning;they are seized by the enemy .Scarisoreanu stops the advance towards South ,strengthens the troops covering him towards North ,sending reinforcements of infantry and artillery which cross Neajlov through water and organizes the resistance and the eventual retreat towards East.
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A missfortunate event takes place at the Western wing .Under the concentrated attack of the enemy ,the 2/5 Division begins to shake.The Commander of Division 2/5 is on Matei Basarab plateau ,caught within the fighting lines.The columns of munitions ,made out of waggons ,taken from the peasants,make a numerous mass and exposed to fast demoralizations.The grenades of the German artillery begin to fall in the mass of poeple.Socec appreciates that the position is too exposed for a Commandment and gives order to the Quarter of the Division to move with a Mile towards South,at Iepuresti .The order has been executed without the necessary precautions ;the precipitated movement of the group of horsemen gave the senzaton of running away.That was enaugh to born panic.As to a signall ,the whole mass of people and fighters started in crazy running towards Iepuresti ,dragging the Commanders or anything trying to stop it.The whole Division 2/5 is now caught in retreat ,part towards Stilpu ,part towards Iepuresti.Neajlov,with its marshy shores ,cannot stop now the units which,with a bit of cold blood could have found and organize here a resistance line.The masses in retreat are looking to get to Arges River;even the Commander and the General Staff of the Division did not stop but at Bragadiru,beyond Arges.

The advancement of the enemy is now general;it is made all around:from Bulbucata ,Rusii lui Asan ,Letca Noua,Balaria ,from Pingalesti ;Lambru Division is attacked with force from South,from Chirculesti and from North,from Velea.The disorder of the Division 2/5 entangles the back of Scarisoreanu Division ,the 21st Division resists on line Chirculesti -Forest until evening.

In Iepuresti ,in Stilpu in the fords and bridges of Neajlov River ,along the driveway which goes at the bridge over Arges River at Mihailesti,it is a crowding of troops and columns in retreat,which seek to get to Arges ,to save themselves on the opposite shore.The enemy has advanced with a Brigade of the 11th Bavarian Division in Arges direction ;he dominates now with the artillery and machineguns the whole driveway,the river and the bridge.Enemy shrapnels smash now above the Army in retreat ,cutting human lives and spreading panic in the demoralized troops .Through heroic efforts and with the sacrifice of some units,which remain on stop to retain the enemy ,Scarisoreanu manages to save almost the entire artillery of the Division:38 cannons out of 47;the General himself crosses the river together with the last soldiers.Socec Division has lost ,however,at the crossing over Neajlov ,the whole artillery ,the convoys and the most part of his troops.General Lambru and the officers of his General Staff try in vain to stop the mass of run away of the 2/5 Division .In vain;the panic mastered the mass of run away.The 21st Division considered herself happy to keep the position on Arges ,at Mihailesti.
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Hit straight in the heart of its tactic dispozitive ,the strength of the Romanian Army on Arges collapses.The battle is lost ;general retreat is imposed.The care of Romanian Commanders cannot be other now ,but to escape from total loss and death as many men and material as possible.Wat have remained of the troops of the Attack Group is crossed over the North -Eastern shore of Arges and then on the one of Sabarului.The operation of retreat is well sustained on the left by the Group of Danube Defence ,which has remained on its advanced positions near Neajlov,until the entire 21st Division on his right side ,has crossed in order Arges River ,on the bridge at Darasti.Then the Group has reoccupied the bridge head on the Western shore of Arges ,from Pislari to Darasti .Even the next day in the morning ,after the rest of the retreated Army was set in to sfaty on Arges and Sabar,have retreated the troops of the Group on the opposite shore.

As in the Sector of Neajlov and middle Arges ,the Romanian Attack group was receiving the death blow,in the other sectors the plans of the German Commander were executed with more or less success.The 41st Prusian Division -General Schmidt von Knobelsdorff-has forced in the evening of 2nd of December the crossing of Arges River at Corvu and Potlogi and has occupied the villages.The next day,it had turned facing North and attacked Titu ,which was attacked in the same time also from West by the troops of Kraftt Group .The resistance of Romanian troops ,attacked in front and back by superior forces ,could not hold for long .They have started the retreat ,crossing Dimbovita and heading towards North-East ,to South of Ploiesti .The enemy has captured prisoners and war material.

But Falkenhayn has big plans .He knows that the principal objective in a battle is the adverse Army;he wants to transform our defeat -which he based upon previously -in a catastrophe,cutting the retreat and capturing the Army ,defeated.He took necessary dispositions ,pushing the free troops he had,along Arges River,to fall on our retreating lines.The 109th Infantry Division and the 7th Cavalry Division of Schmettow Group have crossed the Arges ,in the North regin of Bolintin-Vale ,the Germans have organized at Cascioarele and Malu Spart ,on the Eastern shore of Arges ,two strong bridgeheads;they have to constitute the support base of the operations of tis Group ,to which it has been given the objective the cutting of the retreat line of the Romanian troops towards Bucharest.

The enemy could not ,however,reach its goal .The troops of the 10th Division ,Romanian ,supported by the 1st Division have rejected with energy the enemy attacks and forced him to to defend ,the whole day,its own positions on Arges shore .Only by evening the Romanian troops have retreated ,because their mission ,to cover the retreat of the troops in the neighbour sectors ,was acomplished.
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With as much success also met the trial made on the Wastern shore of Arges ,to cut the retreat of our troops towards Mihailesti.This task was given by Falkenhayn to the 6th Cavalry Division ,which has started from Malu Spart towards South,along Arges.At Flacoianca however,the German Division was met and counterattacked by phallanxguard of the Romanian Attack Army ,made out of troops of the 7th Division ,and repelled back,with heavy casualties.

In the morning of 4th of December ,the entire line of Arges was in enemy's hands .The Battle of Neajlov and Arges was over with our defeat.The enemy pretends that he has taken in the tree days of the battle a pray of almost 20 000 prisoners and 100 cannons.The figures are visible exagerated.The martyr ,was great.Thoulsands of dead have remained in the Valleys of Arges,Neajlov and Glavaciocului.Some units have remained with insignifiant effectives.Division 2/5 was as closed down;she has remained with few Battalions .Division 9/19 ,one of the most tried ,has remained with 4000 men out of 16 000 ,as she had at the beginning of the battle ;Regiment 40th ,of this Division ,had at 21st of November 2 officers and 51 men.Out of Division 9/19 ,the remains have formed up on the field near Bellu only one Brigade ,weak:Colonel Mihaescu.The 18th Division has reconstituted in the same day with 3200 men.Roman Regiment No.14th of the 7th Division ,which has entered with an effective of 4200 men ,have lost 1200;4th Hunters Regiment has been reduced from 2200 men at 1400 a. s. o.Only in the days of 18-19th of November have passed to the Aid Post-the one at copaceni ,on Arges -42000 wounded.The energy and despise for death with which have fought the majority of the Romanian troops are above any praise;the enemy had also big losses.What is most important ,is that the determination and martyr spirit of Romanian soldiers ,has had as effect that the Romanian Front could not be break in any place.The retreat was organized in good order ,in the 3rd of December as in the next day.The goal of the enemy,to crush the Romanian Army ,could not be acomplished.Falkenhayn in his memoirs,he admits the wit and energy with which Romanians have fought ,but atributes the insuccess of his plan of crushing the Romanian Army ,to the changes of Mackensen of some fighting dispositions ,of his.No matter what,we still had an Army capable to held chest to the enemy.The Capital of the kingdoom was now at the discretion of the enemy.The target of our Supreme Commander will be from now on the saving of the rest of the Army,and the resistance in successive position will have as aim the delay of the advance of the enemy.With this face ,on one hand was made possible for the II-nd Romanian Army the pouring of her troops through the valleys of the mountains and putting them to safety ,and on the other hand ,was given time to the Russians to organize two lines ,strong,of resistance behind the Romanian Front.
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Reflections over defeat on Arges

The causes of defeat has been several.It is out of discussion that the Romanian conceprtion of the Battle on Neajlov and Arges was a very good one.But there is a military axiom that"a war conception has no value but by its execution".And this execution has been a defectuous one ;it brought us to defeat .One may be considered as organic ,fundamental ;the other causes are incidental.The fundamental cause is the insufficiency of the forces with which we tried the manouvring of the enemy on interior lines.This manoeuvre is always risky.;for it it is needed ,as esential condition,superiority of forces.The reality was the opposite;the superiority was on enemy side ,by number ,as by war material and moral one.Not only that the Group tasked with helding to a stop Kraftt Army -as the Attack Group had to strike the Danube Army -did not acomplish its mission ,but the insufficiency of our means of reconnoitring did not permit us to know a very grave fact ;that the enemy had not only the two Groups ,but it had also the third Group,strong,the bulk of Kuhne Army which,masked by Schmettow Cavalry ,was adavancing through the empty space between the first two Groups without having in the face Romanian troops.Caught between Kuhne Army and Danube Army ,the Romanian Manoeuvre Group has been crushed ,as he tried to fulfil its mission.

The superiority of the enemy was so smashing ,that one of his Divisions -115th -did not even had to intervene in to the fight,being held all the time in reserve .During this time ,the Romanian Divisions ,some of them reduced to derisory effectives ,with no reserve behind,were torn by exhaust of a campaign for three months ,in which they have been kept continuously on the Front line and transported ,through long marchings ,from one Front to another.These troop could not complete the enormous effort asked from them.

The incidental causes ,which added to the fundamental one,wer:1.Catching the Romanian plan of operations ,due to the blameable negligence of the two officers.It made us to lose the advantage of the secret of movements ,and gave the occasion to the enemy to know the weak spot ,of our tactic dispozitive ,putting in light his imense superiority ,numarical and thechnical.

2.The lack of some units,which could not fulfil their mission .In this way there were:the 2nd Cavalry Division ,which lost the connection with the Divisions of th Attack Group and left the fighting zone,leaving unprotected the flanks and backs of these Divisions ,but mostly ,Socec Division,over which important mission was suported the whole manoeuvre of the Attack group.Acused of leaving the post in fron of the enemy,General Socec was send in front of the War Council ,which condemned him to degradation and five years in jail;he was degraded at 8th of February 1917 on Copou plateau ,in Iasi .Latter ,during Marghiloman government ,the trial has been reviewed and general Socec aquitet .

3.The Russians refusal to to associate to our offensive action ,in the decissive moment of the fight .This refusal ,inexplicable then,was part of a plan pursued metodhically in the whole course of our War of which intentions will be revealed latter on.Fact is that the culpable action of the Russian did not escape to the Germans Commanders observations.Ludendorff himself writes in the chapter of Arges battle in his memoirs:"There cannot be explained the motives which made the Russians to let the Romanians to be beaten ,leaving them alone all through the fights;the Russian could very well take part in the fights in Muntenia.Only this fact gave us the victory".The Battle on Neajlov and Arges was the greatest battle to be given on the Romanian Front of 1916 .By the operative ideas of the of the leaders ,by the measure of the effectives which took part in it,by the technical importance of the manoeuvres executed in its course ,as by the results expected or obtained ,she counts amongst the great fights given in the course of the Mondial War.In this great battle we had to held chest ,in open field,to the Armies of four nations :Germans,Austro-Hungars ,Bulgars ,Turks,superior to us as number and military power ,Commanded by two Generals of the most ilustruos ,which had one of the most powerfull and well organized Army of Europe.We have been defeated ,but we haven't been destroyed .The enemy pay very dearly the victory ,for two day even, we kept him under our knee.Neajlov and Arges could not be for Romania what was Ourcq and Marna [10] for France.The disproportion of the powers was to big and the circumstances to much against us.But in front of the great allies ,which have looked at the inequal fight,and in the face of our followers ,which will judge us,we have the right to be proud with this unlucky ,but glorious page of history .It is right, the most worthy appreciation to the heroes which have fought and fell on Neajlov and on Arges .From the land fatten with their blood and bodies ,to grow the flower of gratitude of a free and united nation!
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(German field cannon with fast firing ;system Krupp;model 1914;caliber 105 mm;captured from German Army by Romanian troops in 1918)

5.The Retreat on Siret River

General retreat

The defeat at Neajlov and Arges has been a decissive one,not only for the fate of Bucharests,but also for the fate of our entire Army.Would the Romanian Army be able to confront,without the danger of complete destruction ,the enemy?By the answer to this question depended the plan of unfolding of future campaign.In the name of the French Mission,Colonel of General Staff Petin proposed the retreat ,step by step ,with the risk of having a new battle at West of Bucharest-Ploiesti line .It had,on one hand ,to give time to the Russians to arrive on the principal fighting Front ,and on the other hand to obstacle the stabilising of the Front on a shorter line ,where the enemy would formidable strengthen with trenches and nets of barbed wire fence ,against which will be difficult to retake the offensive.

The thesis of Romanian Commandment was other.The Romanian Army was not capable anymore to give with chances of success a great battle to the enemy,of which superiority ,material and moral,is now crushing .A new defeat would mean the iremediable destroing of Romanian Army.The Great Romanian Hedquarter decided ,for the time being,the general retreat and the gathering of the Romanian units ,of those taken out from mountain area as of those coming from Olt River and Arges River ,on a line :left shore of Teleajenului -Urziceni-Netoti-Mostistea ,but between Carpathian Mountains and Danube River ,at East of Bucharest ;the retreat will be sustained on the left by IV-th Corps ,Russian, of General Aliev.

This retreat and resistance had the goal to prepare ,on one hand ,the replacing of Romanian units ,tired and decimated ,by fresh Russian units ,and on the other hand organizing strong defence positions .In full understanding of the situation and of the commune interests ,the Russian Commandment and the Romanian one have taken the measures imposed:the two Armies wil move in opposite sense.The Romanians will begin the retreat towards West to East ,as the Russians will advance from East to West ,to hold chest to the enemy.Two principal lines of rsesistance were organizing ,in this time,behind the Front:the first one ,closer ,on line Rimnicu Sarat -Viziru Danube ;the second one ,a bit distanced ,on line Putna -Siret-Dunare(or Danube).
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The task of the Romanian Commandment was a very difficult one.It had to gather the Detachments from the mountains ,ungluing them from the enemy and head them to East ,forming a continuous Front with the remains of the defeated Armies on Neajlov and Arges.It had to ,escape from desaster as many troops as possible with as many material ,for that to the shelter of the new Front ,Russian,to prepare the strong Army for tomorrow.In the same time ,it had to evacuate the territory ,lift military establishments,deposits,hospitals ,young contingents unincorporated yet.In one word,anything that could,remaining on place,to increase the strength of the enemy or weaken ours ,had to be lifted or ,if not possible to be lifted,destroyed.

Very painful tasks were very necessary .We had to go with courage on the road of our missfortune ,on which we started in full knowledge and with determination.And we walked!

The second day after the defeat at Arges ,the Great Romanian Hedquarter ,which have moved from Peris to Buzau ,took dispozitions of general retreat .It will remain on the old fighting Front only the Northen Romanian Army ,reduced to a Division and a Mixt Brigade ,occupying the sector at South of Trotus ,over Oituz and Vrancea Mountains.From Oituz towards North,Romanians have been replaced by Russians.

From the region of Vrancea Mountains towards South-West was stretching the Front of the II-nd Romanian Army,formed up by three sectors:Buzau,Predeal,Cimpulung.The II-nd Army had to retreat ,executing a conversion movement backwards with the pivot in Buzau region and with the going around wing in Cimpulung-Tirgoviste-Ploiesti direction,to place on Teleajenului Valley ,from the frontier to Corlatesti,3 Miles South-West of Ploiesti.The Front of this Army ,which faced until now North,had to look now to West.

The I-st Romanian Army had to continue the retreat towards East ,placing herself at the left of the II-nd Romanian Army and in her elongation,from Corlatesti to Buftea.More to the left ,were the rests of Group of Danube Defence,together with the troops which fought on Neajlov and Lower Arges ,forming a Group under the Command of General Istrati;they were retreating ,covering Bucharests.More to the South ,until the Danube was the IV-th Russian Corps ,under the Command of General Aliev.These latter three Armies had to articulate in to a continuous Front ,extending the going around wing,left,of the II-nd Romanian Army,in her move of conversion.

The retreat had to be made step by step,holding chest to the enemy which was continuously attacking and destroying radically everything that could serve to this one:railways,driveways,telegraph ,telephone,deposits,industrial installations etc.At 5th of December ,the order of the High Romanian Commandment has fixed as stopping line of retreat a position of resistance which was in course of organizing along Rimnicu Sarat River ,extending to Faurei ,until Viziru,on Danube ,at South of Braila.
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(Airplane "Bleriot XI" ,belonging to the Military Flight School of Cotroceni ,Bucharest, 1912)



(small scale model of the same airplane )

Splendid stuff, Andrei - thank you again for your heroic efforts to make this fascinating story accessible in English. Are you translating it all yourself, 'by hand', or are you using translation software? It is not a 'perfect' translation (as I know you are aware), but your narrative has an epic quality, and, if I may say so, your struggle to convey the story in English somehow mirrors the struggle of your countrymen against their enemies. Keep up the great work !

Mick

Mick,
Thank you.Handmade!Well my English leaves a lot to be desired ,I am aware of this fact.I did had the brilliand ideea ,though, to buy an Oxford Dictionary,but which is very heavy,I must say.


Andrei

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The retreat of the Romanian Army ,after the Battle of Neajlov and Arges ,constitutes the most painful episode from the entire cmpaign so unfortunate of the year 1916.The conditions in which it was efectuated were very tragic and the sufferings imposed to the Army have been almost supernatural.It cost more victims than in the three months of fights preceeding it.

The weather has been exceptionally bad .Cold rains ,which were falling entire days ,one after the other,dug uot the roads ,fermented by thousands of men and by vehicles , transformed them in muddy ways;a winter ,which have rarely been seen ,followed to this unmerciful autumn.The troops in retreat had to go considerable stages daily,for which the physical powers of men and horses ,tired with exhaust ,missgivings and fights ,were not enaugh anymore.The effectives of the men and horses of the units have benn wasted ;the small units dissappeared alltogether;there were Divisions which barely numberd some hundreds of men .The services were lost by the units they belonged to ,so the replenisments were made by chance ,where ever they could.The troops suffered mostly by the lack of shelters ;most of the times they bivuacked under the clear sky,without fire.The horses of cavalry and artillery ,with the saddles not taken off by weeks ,with the backs only wounds ,fell terminated along the roads,where they were left to die.Some of the men were wearing the summer blouse they recieved when they have been mobilized.The marchings were penible ;most of the units were obliged to avoid the big roads ,where they were exposed to attacks of the columns of enemy Cavalry ,and to go straight over the field ,through bushes and ploughed land.The bridges being occupied by the enemy ,they had to cross through fords ,many times entering to chest in to the freezing water.

The Commandments were desorganizing ;the connection between them could not be kept ,and the tranzmitting of orders was made with much difficulty.Many times a troop received an order of operation which did not correspond anymore with the reality and which produced stops on to positions which have been well absolete.And from behind was following close by the enemy ,with high moral by the victory ,which had,next to the infantry units ,five Cavalry Divisions and which attacked continuously,forcing to separate one by the others the groups ,to turn their flanks and to cut their retreat,to capture them.Sometimes bigger or smalle units have been sacrificed ,many times regimentary trains,which could not advance anymore,have been abandoned ;in general the retreat towards the new positions could be made ,avoiding the catastrophe.It was the probe of superhuman endurance and of undefeated energy of the Romanian soldier.
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German desillusions

With all the important gain in territory ,which we were abandoning by our retreat,the Germans were not satisfied.It was obvious,that what preocupied them ,firstly ,were not the geographical objectives ,but the enemy fighting Army.Only the destroying and capturing of this Army would have meant decissive victory.The attention of the enemy Commanders will be now for the using of the critical moment of the detachment of the Romanian Armies by the positions in which they fought until now and by the enemy whith which they have been in fighting contact ,to begin the retreat towards the new positions .It was the most favorable occasion to attack them,surround them and destroy them.

The first desillusion of Falkenhayn was the retreat of the Group from Dragoslave ,in the night of 28-29th of November ."the move was executed with an extraordinary wit",writes Falkenhayn .General Morgen ,unpleasantly surprised in the morning of 29th in the face of the Romanian positions,abandoned over night, has to be thankful with the cheap glory of "conquering" of Cimpulung, evacuated.Our manoeuvre efectuated fast has obstacled the catching of the Romanian Group between Morgen Army and Kraftt Army,which was advancing from Pitesti ."Neither this-adds Falkenhayn-did not succeed ,behind the hasty retreat of the enemy ,to cut his retreat".

Also ,as less it acomplished to Falkenhayn the catching of the I-st Romanian Army in retreat on line Pitesti -Titu,between Kraftt Group ,which was following her on the left flank and the Group of Divisions 41st and 103rd ,of Kuhne Army,which were following her on the right and cut the retreat to Titu ;the I-st Army could pour through the empty space between Tirgoviste-Buftea -Titu over Dimbovita River,towards East.

The greatest deception of the German Commander was the unseccess of the plan of cutting the retreat of Danube Defence Group,in the wake of Neajlov defeat .This mission given to Divisions 11th and 109th ,as well as to Division 7th of Cavalry ,did not succeed because of the determined resistance of the Romanian troops in sectors Mihailesti and Bolintin.

Not even the pursuit over Arges River in direction Sabarului was not happier.Falkenhayn expresses with melancholy:The German Army "was not able to advance as quick as they wanted to.The stubborn resistance of the enemy arierguard on all roads obstacled it,such that it forced us at very often unfoldings of fights".Ludendorff reports the insuccess of this last try in this way:"At 4th of December started a new attack ,which Romanians went around it with much cleverness".
....

Awaiting for the end

The Chambers are summoned for the day of 25th of November/8th December at Iasi.The Conservative Party decides not to attend ,because the Constitution says that the Government is in Bucharest ,and Iasi(which became the Capital under occupation) are occupied by a foreign Army (Russians),entered in the country with the violation of the Constitution.

The authorities are taking the last measures of evacuation,instituting as military governor ,the old General Angelescu ,with almost dictatorial powers;he acomplishes very well his role ,of applying drastic measures faced with the spreaders of false news and of panic provokings.The ministers are leaving Bucharests in the day of 3rd of December ,leaving the ministries on the hands of some general secretars ellected amongst the persons with connections,or at least with simpathies for the Germans.It is given to Marghiloman ,being head of the Red Cross ,the fonds -two millions Lei(Romanian currency)-necessary for the well being ,for some while ,of the hospitals with sick and military wounded,as well as for the wage of the City Sergeants ;it was counted on the laws of the Internationa Law,which ensures the protection of the Red Cross in times of war,as well as on the consideration which the Germans had for Marghiloman because of his political attitude ,that the hospitals will not have to suffer.The guard of the Public Order was left to Lupu Costache ,partizan of Carp ,installed as replacement for Internal Minister ,and of the fresh germanofil ,Reserve General Mustata,invested in extremis with the dignity of interimar Mayor of the Capital.It also remained in his place Emil Petrescu ,the Mayor of the city.

Numerous important persons have remained in the Capital to have the same fate and sufferings as the population and to protect her as much as possible ,keeping the moral up ,by their presence;even the prime minister has given the good example,leaving his old mother Pia Bratianu ,respected widow of Ion C. Bratianu ,as well as his three sisters.

The Mayor of the Capital has been given the mission to acomplish the formality of surrendering the city ;to ease his sad mission ,it has been set to his dispozition ministers of Holland and of United States ,with the hope that it will take place without to much frictions,being that Bucharest has been declared unfortified city and undefended by armed forces.

At 4th of December ,the General Head Quarter Prezan was moved from Bragadiru to Urziceni .The road of Bucharest was defended now only by the arierguard which was covering the retreat.

........

Occupying Bucharests

At 5th of September ,Mackensen was on Sabarului line ,ahead of Bucharests forts.At 5 in the morning ,he has send as parliamentary Captain Seidlitz ,accompanied by the former profesor of rhe Evanghelic School of Bucharest,Lange,as interpreter ,with the following letter addressed to "the Commander of Bucharest Fortress":"The Romanian Campaign Army is defeated.The value of the Russian help you could Your Excellency appreciate it by yourself,better than anyone else.The allied troops of the Central Powers are on the brink of attacking Bucharest.Nor the Romanian Campaign Army,neither the Russian Detachments of Aid,could not stop her.I presume that Your Excellency are aware of the effects of the heavy artillery of 305 and 420 mm from the seize of Liege ,Namur and Anvers [11].The fortifications of Bucharest cannot stand it.Numerous batteries are installed for bombarding Bucharest .To spear the Capital of Romania and its inhabitants of the might of such an attack and to avoid a blood shed unuseful,I invite Your Excellency to surrender without conditions the Garrison of the City.I guarantee the sparing of the city ,as its surrender would be made imediately and regulated to the German Military Authorities.If this will be refused ,Your Excellency and the city will suffer the consequences ".Signed:Feldmarshal Mackensen and his Chief of General Staff,General Tappen.
.........

The parliamentary has been escorted to the Geniu Barracks of Cotroceni ,where there were all the authorities tasked with the order,and Generals Commanders of Great Units of Danube Army.The Romanian Commander gave back the letter without opening it ,with the explanation that there is no more "Fortress" of Bucharest ,nor armed forts ,neither troops of campaign to defend open fields.

In the morning of 6th of December ,as Mackensen was receiving his parliamentary with this answer ,the avanguard of Cavalry and Infantry of Schmettow Corps and from the 115th German Division ,coming from North-West ,were arriving at Chitila Fort which,they found deserted alltogether ,they were in a haste to "conquer it".Entushiast telegrams were reeling Berlin and Viena about the fall of the "line of forts".Few Romanian Companies from the remains of the 2/5 Division fought with heroism between Chitila and Mogosoaia ,delaying the advance of the enemy in Bucharest ,to give time to the last of the troops scatterd to retreat from Bucharest .At 12 ,a Cavalry Detachment ,a Company of Prusian Grenadiers and another Infantry Company from Northern Alsacia ,entered Bucharest ,withot fight ,through Calea Grivitei.

In the morning of the day ,the Mayor of the Capital,accompanied by the Minister of United States ,Vopicka ,by the Minister of Holland ,Wredemburch and some other persons ,went to meet the enemy troops on driveway Bucharest-Giurgiu ,to make the surrender of the City.They waited at Bragadiru for three hours in vain,without meeting any enemy patrol.At 12 and a half ,a group of German officers,ahead with Prince de Schaumburg-Lippe,former secretary to the German Legation of Bucharest ,present themselves to the City Hall ,asking in the name of Falkenhayn the surrender of Bucharest .They have been given an address with the following content:"23 XI(c.XII) 916;12 and a half(hour of Vien) p.m.The Supreme Commander of the Allied Troops which advances against Bucharest .Bucharest ,the capital of Romania ,are completely evacuated by troops and will not oppose any resistance whatsoever .The Mayor,Emil C. Petrescu ,in the name of the quiet inhabitants of the Capital city ,asks Your Excellency to take all the measures for the normal life to remain asured ,in the interest of the occupation troops and also for the peaceful inhabitants citizens.The Mayor of the capital Bucharest"

At 2 in the afternoon ,Mackensen enters with the automobile in the city through Calea Rahovei .He had the unpleasantness to notice that his camarad Falkenhayn arrived before him.Bucharests have been occupied by the IX-th German Army .
There were exactly 100 days since the entering of Romania in the War
......

The retreat of the II-nd Romanian Army

The retreat of the troops of the II-nd Army towards the new positions of resistance was made very hard.There were extremely delicate technical problems ,which became even harder because of the circumstances in which it had to be executed.The weather was very bad;cold,rain,snowwings.The terrain of the most difficult:hills to climb and valleys to descend ,filled with muds sticking to the boots making heavy the walking.The moral of the troop was ,naturaly,down,because of the retreat.The pursuit of the enemy was very weak at the right wing of the II-nd Army ,in region Buzau-Predeal;it was ,on the contrary,very active at the left wing ,Cimpulung Group-made out of Romanian Divisions 12th and 22nd-which had to go a very long march,to be able to arrive in Ploiesti region where it had to connect with the I-st Romanian Army.

Behind Cimpulung Group was Morgen Corps -Divisions 76th ,12th Bavarian and the 8th Brigade Alpine Austro-Hungarian .This Corps,which did not know until now,in fair fight on the Front of Dragoslave but only defeats,found now,by the retreat of Romanians ,the occassion to show its strength in pursuit.The situation of the Romanian Group was really very dangerous one:completely isolated ,without any cover in the right and left ,had to execute a retreat of almost 93 Miles ,with the enemy tightly connected by its heels.The precipitated retreat of the right wing of the I-st Army which,at 15th of December was at Priboieni was uncovering the left flank of Namaesti Group.This one had to execute a converssion of 90 degrees ,with the left behind ,having enemy troops in front and behind the going around flank .From Cimpulung ,Morgen started the advance fast towards South-West with three goals:to pursue and destroy the Romanian Group of Cimpulung in retreat,to cut the retreat of the Romanian troops from Prahova Valley and to get out in front of the bulk of the I-st Army ,Romanian,which was operating the retreat between Ploiesti and Bucharest.
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.......
An unclever manoeuvre ,in the moment of detaching of the troops by their positions,made the enemy to be able to sneak through Arges Valley towards Suslanesti ,separating in this way the 12th Romanian Division by the 22nd Romanian Division ,and to capture the whole artillery of the 22nd Division ,the carriages with the Archive and the ambulance ,as well.The Romanian Group of Cimpulung,closely followed by superior forces ,arrived in the day of 3rd of December in Ialomitei Valley ,on line Tirgoviste-Pucioasa .In its pursuit ,Morgen attacks Tirgoviste with the entire 12th Bavarian Division and occupies the city ,after a fight given with disperation by the soldiers of the 22nd Division Romanian,which almost entirely without artillery.With its left,made out of the 8th Alpine Austrian-Hungarian Brigade ,Morgen crossed Leaota Mountains and seized Pietrosita,going around the right flank of the 12th Romanian Division.The pursuit continued with direction towards line Cimpina -Ploiesti ;Morgen Group was made now by two Divisions of Infantry ,a Brigade of Alpiners and a new Division of Cavalry,with mounted artillery.

At 4th and 5th of December ,fierce fights at the crossing of Prahova .The bridges at Floresti and Darmanesti have been crossed with the troops of the most trialed Divisions 12th and 22nd ,under enemy bombardment in the midst of flames.The next day,6th of December ,the Bavarians entered Ploiesti ,defeating the resistance of the weak and exhausted Detachments of the 22nd Division.It was the day of seizing of Bucharests.The Cimpulung Group have lost more than three quarters of its effectives .The 22nd Division had only some 1000 combatants;one of her Brigades have remained with 380 soldiers ,of 400 at Dragoslave.The 12th Division numbered 1000 men gathered up;the rests are scattered groups.These remains ,pathetic ,of the glorious Army of Cimpulung gather on the Eastern shore of Cricov.
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........
In the same time ,has started the retreat of the Central Group Predeal,of the II-nd Army ;at 5th of December Busteni and Sinaia were evacuated .The retreat of the troops of Divisions 4th and 16th is made along Prahova Valley.

Between Cimpina and Ploiesti ,the avanguards of Divisions 4th and 16th ,together with the Divisions of Cimpulung Corps ,with which they made the connection ,have to give lively fights with the enemy troops of Morgen Group,which had closed the way .

As the Divisions of Cimpulung Corps ,as well as the 16th Division ,could sneak through with big losses over Teleajen ,the 4th Division moving slow,saw her retreat cut in region Baicoi-Tintea .All around are enemy troops ,and namely:the 12th Bavarian Division towards South ,the 76th German Division at North,Bavarian Alpine Corps towards South-East and the 8th Alpine Brigade Austro-Hungar in the back.At 6th of December in the evening the Headquarter of the Division is captured.The Division has to attack Cocorastii Mislii to open up the road with force,towards East or to change the direction towards North-East ,to Valenii de Munte ,the only part where the road was still free.The initiative was now in the hands of Brigades Commanders; they don't know,however,to take a commune decission and to execute it with strength.At 7th of December ,the Commander of Feldioara Brigade attacks alone Cocorastii Mislii with what he could gather from his Brigade.The artillery of the Brigade bombards for an hour the enemy positions of the 12th Bavarian Division.But this one is superior in strength ,counterattacks the Romanians ,which have to retreat ;the Brigade is surrounded and captured .The 8th Infantry Brigade -Colonel Berindei-hesitates in chosing the solution ,gives up to attack Cocorastii Mislii ,returns to Recea ,where is attacked by the enemy .Demoralized ,the soldiers do not try to defend anymore and surrender.It was the second day after the capitulation of the glorious Division from Cerna ,at the mouth of Olt River ,but what a difference!The remains of the Division which fought at Porumbacu and Sinca deserved an end not as shameful as the capturing at Cocorastii Mislii ,where was brought by an hesitant and uncautious Commandment.

At 6th of December ,the right wing of the II-nd Army ,Divvisions 3rd and 6th ,which held the positions at Bratocea ,Tabal Butii and Buzau ,evacuate the positions as well, and begin the retreat .The enemy does not pursue here,but the retreat is made on a very bad terrain and difficult ,over rows of mountains and steep hills ,covered with forests ,placed perpendicular on the retreat direction of the troops.

..........

The retreat of the other groups

At South of the II-nd Army ,was retreating the I-st Army .After the defeat at Titu and Arges ,the Front of this Army was stretching between Ploiesti and Buftea ,linking with the II-nd Army ,and towards left with Danube Defence Group.The retreat was made with the Divisions,meaning with what was left of them -13/14 and 8th on the right ,and 1/17 and 11th on the left side and with the 10th Division in the reserve of the Army,in her left flank.The enemy attacks at 6th of December with power the center of the I-st Army at Peris and breaks the Front ;Division 1/17 towards Tincabesti ,where the enemy catches the whole General Staff of the 10th Division ,together with her Commander ,General Costescu ;with this occasion he takes also some 2000 prisoners and all the regimentary trains of the Division.Still,there were in this Division troops which save the honour of the unit and the interest of defending the kingdom. The 33rd Infantry Regiment remains on position and defends fierce until half past eleven in through the night ,although it has lost any link with the neighbour units .During the night,the Regiment which has been surrounded ,has forced the enemy line through Tincabesti .A Battalion with the flag of the Regiment has crossed through the water of Snagov Lake (outskirts of Bucharest),between Tincabesti and Cioc and retreated towards Ialomita ;the other Battalion ,together with the artillery of Division ,escaped towards East ,by Lipia -Bojdani.

At Tiganesti ,Division 1/17 defended the bridge over Ialomita until poured over it all troops and convoys ,after which the bridge has been destroyed.

Istrati group ,former of the Danube Defence Group,having the Divisions most weakened after Arges Battle ,was retreating one side and the other of Bucharests ;beyond Bucharest,Division 2/5 numbered now only 285 fighters !The 2nd Cavalry Division was in an extreme state of tiredness ;for 15 days now they haven't took off the saddles from the horses .Through the villages there was no more food ,such that the horses remained dead on the road of starvation ,cold and exhaust.Divisions 2/5,9/19 and 21st have been united in only one.
.........

.........
South of Istrati's Army were the Russian troops ,which were retreating towards Mostistei Valley ,pivoting around Urzicenilor ,as center .In the evening of 7th of December all that was left of the II-nd Army ,and General Istrati were gathered in to a single continuous line behind Cricovului ,Prahovei and Ialomitei.The troops stop for a moment ,to breath,reconstitute their units and oppose resistance to the enemy.The retreat made through.With all the clever manoeuvres of the enemy,which had five Divissions in the pursuit , of Cavalry,with all the weakness and demoralization of our troops exhausted by marchings and of fights they had to give every day ,the catastrophe could be avoided.The most important part of her could escape from the grasp of the enemy ,preserving for the pretious day of tomorrow.At 7th of December ,the Great Romanian Headquarter have moved from Bucharest to Buzau.
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Destroying the oil region

The retreat of the Romanian Armies on the whole widness of the country ,between mountains and Danube River, was also accompanied by fatal destructions.In the wake of the request made by the British Government ,sustained also by the other allied governments ,was decided the destruction of all installations of the petrolifer industry in Prahova and neghbouring counties.This destruction was made after a systematic plan and was Conducted by British Colonel Jack Norton Griffiths.The oil wells have been closed down by throwing and stucking of metal objects in to the pits.After that ,it has been set fire to all external instalations :towers,reservoirs,refineries*.All Prahova Valley ,from Cimpina to Ploiesti ,from Ialomitei Valley until Teleajenului Valley ,and from there forth,until Buzau Valley,was a sea of fire.The flames were rising like red tongues and serpent to the sky and stretched to the surface of the Earth,following streams of oil pouring to the valley.Black thick clouds were rising over the flames ;they covered the whole region in black ,so thick ,that it was night all day.Three days in a row Prahova Valley was dived into darkness.Through the dense black you could see from time to time the fire tongues shining of the melting metals ,and thunders and booms were announcing the collaps or blowing up of full tanks.Through the midst of this terrifying tableau of Sodoma were passing with difficulty the trains of military transports ,columns of troops or pittiful convoys of refugees.

In three days ,the most flourishing and rich region ,industrial ,of the kingdom became a pathetic ruin.We have martyred our great end envied stream of wealth .We made it with our heart filled with pain ,but with the conscience that that we bring an imense service to the commune cause of the allies.When the German was advancing conqueror and greedy in this land of plenty,one of his main targets of the plundering War,he remained astouned in the face of this vision of Sodoma and Gomora ,before his eyes .Through the smoking ruins ,through the contorssioned metal covering the dry land of this desolant region ,he will not find for a very long time the pretious liquid to feed his engines of his hellish machines of War.
........

However , in more detail has been captured this moment by Mr.Hamilton Fyfe:

from 'the War Illustrated’ 13th April 1918 'Smoke-Clouds of Destruction' by Hamilton Fyfe a Wanderer in War Lands

How a Great Task was Greatly Achieved

from 'the Times History of the War'

What will happen to the Rumanian oil-fields ? Many people would be glad to know, especially those who have money invested in them. Will the Germans try to keep them ? If so, will the property of British investors be confiscated ?

The British, French and Russian Governments agreed, so it was stated in Rumania at the time of the destruction of the wells, to pay compensation for damage done. Now Russia has no Government. Will France and Britain recompence shareholders in oil companies for their whole losses ?

What would those losses amount to if the oil district were annexed ? That I must leave to "someone in the City" to compute. All I know is that the engineers put the value of the property destroyed towards the end of 1916 at thirty million pounds ! A more effective, more creditable piece of work has not been done during the war.

Yet it was, of course, a melancholy business. It had taken many years to build up the Rumanian oil industry. Years of thought and labour, of effort and calculation. Years, at last, of triumph and profitable toil for all concerned.

A "Destroying Angel"

The industry kept a large population busy and prosperous. It provided the world with more than one of the necessaries of life, as we live it to-day — with light and heat, with grease to make the wheels of engines go round, with the driving power for millions of automobiles and other kinds of petrol motors. Hundreds of thousands of people depended upon its continued working for their living, or for part of it. The convenience and comfort of millions have been affected by the lessening of the petrol supply. Yet it was a military act of necessity to destroy. the industry as far as possible.

"What is war," Napoleon asked, "but a game of barbarians ?" Savage and senseless, save from its own distorted view-point, acts of war must always be.

It was on a sunny November, day that I first saw in Bucharest my old acquaintance "Jack" Norton Griffiths — "Empire Jack" his constituents used to call him. He was looking at the ruins of a building wrecked in the early morning air raid. At first I did not recognise him, in uniform with red tabs, but I found that being a Staff colonel had not a whit changed his jolly, kindly, care-free nature, nor diminished his immense energetic capability by any job of "militarism."

He had been sent out to see that. The Germans got as little as possible out of Rumania, either in the way of oil or grain. Already it was clear that the Rumanian Army could not save the country from invasion. Help was looked for from Russia, but the Russians could not send it in time. They were most unjustly accused of "betraying Rumania." That is nonsense. General Alexeieff was ready to do all that lay in his power, but he could not work miracles. Only a miracle could have moved sufficient Russian troops to save Rumania from Mackensen's machine- like manipulation of his forces.

By the end of November it was clear that the oil-wells must either be destroyed or presented to the enemy. Already they had been left untouched too long. The Rumanian Government urged that they should be left a little longer. But now Colonel Norton Griffiths had his orders. Off he went to Ploesti, the capital of the oil country. He called together the British engineers and managers who had longest experience and those who were reputed to possess the longest heads.

He got valuable advice also from American oil-men. There was general agreement that the only way to seal up a well, so that it could not be used again, was to drop the dipping machinery into it upside down. Wherever such a thing had happened by accident, it had been found impossible to get the machinery out.

Then the colonel got to work. He is by the way, the founder and head of a very big contracting firm which makes docks, digs canals, builds harbours all over the world. Now he proved that he was no less competent at destruction than at construction. A "destroying angel," the oil people nicknamed him. One mine manager of a poetical turn, described him to me as being "in love with ruin."

A great deal of oil was pumped or run off from the reservoirs into shallow basins, where it was set on fire. It did not explode. It did not blaze up. It burned sullenly, giving off a dense black smoke. All over the country the dense black smoke rolled in sinister, slowly-moving clouds. At a place called Targovistca, twenty miles away, it was thick enough to blot out the daylight and make dark night at four in the afternoon.

As I look back, those days of destruction are like a nightmare in my memory. A nightmare lit up by huge flares of burning petrol, lakes of petrol, rivers of petrol, and always above them dense, black, stinking smoke.

Nothing in the war has made a deeper impression on my mind. The lurid sensationalism of it, the hurry in which it was all done, with the query lurking at the back of everyone's thoughts : "Can we do it in time ?"

With Colonel Norton Griffiths worked several oil-men. The new officers set to work with as many helpers as they could enlist by promise of reward. It was a perilous job they were engaged in. There were dangers of falling roofs or walls, dangers of fire, dangers of suffocation. And added to these, there was danger in the threatening mood of the population.

These unfortunate people had to look on and see their living vanish. They saw the wells and refineries which supported them and their families being choked up and knocked down. "Better that the Germans should have them, and employ as, than that we should have no work and starve." That was how they argued.

The colonel was here, there and everywhere, "the life and soul of the party," as another mine manager put it. This poor fellow had helped to break up his own home. His furniture, piano, a library of books which he had been collecting since he was a boy, all had gone. His job had gone. The oil-field which he had managed so capably, and made to yield its increase in growing volume year after year, was out of action. Yet he joked about it. He was the most cheerful of us all as we sat at our scanty meals.

the destruction of the Rumanian oil-wells as seen by a German magazine - 'Illustrirte Berliner Zeitung'

Just in Time

If the oil would not light up quickly the colonel took bundles of blazing straw and flung them into it. He was seen swinging sledge-hammers against the oil-refining machinery, "He ought to have been killed a hundred times," said an admiring American. "Why he wasn't, I cannot understand." His example made all his assistants work like three men apiece.

Just in time they got their work finished. The sound of the guns, magnified by the mountain echoes, had been coming nearer and nearer. Through the town wounded men and deserters and fugitives were flowing in solid streams. There was no hope now that the enemy could be checked before he had captured Bucharest and the oil region.

The well-to-do part of the frightened population had no thought but to flee. The rest for the most part, took a fatalist view. "Let the Germans come," they said to each other. "They can't harm us more than these foreigners have done."

On a Saturday the destruction was almost completed. It was, known that the Rumanian Headquarters Staff had passed through Ploesti in flight. "Give it up now," the colonel was urged. The bombardment sounded very near.

“No," he said, "we'll make a clean job of it." They went on until the Monday. Then the remains of Avarescu's Army began pouring down from the passes they had held so bravely, and so much longer than they had been expected to hold them.

Only then did Colonel Norton Griffiths give the word to quit. It would, indeed, have been useless to stay longer. There was nothing left to do.

portraits of colonel Griffiths / oil wells ablaze in Rumania

see also : The Fall of Bukarest as Seen by a British Journalist

Back to Index

*There had been destroyed in counties Dimbovita,Prahova and Buzau : 1 677 wells ,of which 1 047 productive,20 rafineries of petrolium ,reservoirs and rafineries with 827 000 tons of petrol and derivatives of petrol,with all the anexe installations .The damage evaluated in 1922 by a mixt commision Anglo-Franco-Romanian is of 9 980 527 Sterling [12]
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The road of Calvary

The retreat of the Army is precedet and accompanied by destructios of all sorts.The sheds and barns filled with grains cropped with the hard work of the peasant are transformed in piles of ash.There are demolished factories and burned down mills.There are blown up arsenals ,powderies and military deposits .There are collapsed great bridges ,thrown over the waters with so much spending and hard work.It is exterminated the whole wealth of the kingdom.Then it is only desert and pain.

On the muddy roads ,in the humid atmosphere and frozen of this beginning of December ,between smoking ruins and deserted villages ,pass unfinishing columns of the Army in retreat or of the frightened poulation ,which took the road of drifting.Everywhere are seeded the mute witnesses of the defeat and missfortune :piles of weapons abandoned,smashed waggons.dead horses around which swarm the crows.Waggons with oxes ,carriages and military ,furgons convoys of cannons ,automobiles are mixing with the columns of pedestrians and rove in unfinished rows the neverending roads which the rain and the circulation transformed in mud ways,in streams and water holes.Very missfortuned the waggon entered with the wheel in one of these holes ,or the horse stuck ore turned over !Take them aside,make way, make way!In a second the obstacle is taken aside ,and the crowd follows the road ahead like a torrent ,rolling the waves unceaselessly ,looking without care at the smashings aside ,or to the animals giving their soul in the trench of the road.
........

Through the sad villages ,the rare ihabitants have terrified glances towards the convoys pouring and frightened towards the horizon from where it is guessed the closing in of the enemy .On the faces of the onlookers can be very clerly read the concerns and fights tormenting their souls.From time to time,one or two of them,get out from the column .The sad eyes caress once more the panorama of their farm ,the house ,the yard,the sheds ,the herds ,the woman ,children.A bag in the head of a stick ,a ferwell ,the sign of the cross ,and they thick the rows of the convoys that go with the destination towards unknown.

Through train stations ,a colorful crowd and agitated ,militars mixed with civilians ,fight for a place and await nervously ,hours after hours ,the leaving of the trains stuck by the problems with the rails .The trains start with wheels high pitched noise hard and go slowly ,with often and long stops ,carrying the people which fill the corridors ,on stairs ,on bumpers ,on roofs.Not even a word of compassion accompanies now the fall of the unknown person,which asleep,has sliped from the roof or smashed his head at the entering of the train on the bridge ,or of which tired hand let lose the metal bar giving him the chance to stand.All this crowd taken out of the bed for the military duty or by the horror of the enemy,is spirited by only one thought :Moldavia .Is the hope of safe shelter ,glimpsed through the fog of the thin rain ,cold,which surrounds like a dressing the drifters groups.

Long and scattered are stretching the rows of the soldiers ,which crouched under the heavy of their backpacks and of concerns ,finished by exhaust and discouraged ,ferment with their boots the muds and waters of the roads.From time to time ,the voice of the cannon sounds close by.Groups of enemy horsemen appear on the neighbouring hill edges ,with the lance in hand ,ready to attack .Then,orders run along the columns .The soldier close in their ranks ,invigorate ,form up for fight.The noise and turmoil of fight cuts the monotony of the retreat ,the machineguns begin their furious rattle ,death reaches her unseen hand ,giving rest and quiet to some hard trialed bodies.

The cold gets colder.The snow begins to fall .The wind becomes blizzard .The thick snow covers the roads .The convoys advance all the time on the road of defeat and missery ,always thinner.Who cares about the fall of the men next to you?Ahead,always ahead,towards Siret,to Moldavia ,to Holly Ereasing !

It is hard and difficult the blood road of Calvary ,but at its end ,Golgota is not only the place of martyr ,but also the symbol of victory.Nations have to suffer just like individuals.Through Faith ,sufferings and martyr,we gain our right to stand with heds up in the hour of reward,to conquer the forgiveness of our brothers and wholing of the nation.
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(Romanian artillery position during the Great War)

The battle at Cricov
8-11th of December

At 8th of December ,the units of the Romanian Army in retreat arrived to connect between them ,such that they formed a tight and continuous Front.This Front was stretching along Cricov,continuing then on the shore of Prahova River and on the one of Ialomita River,until the region of Urziceni.The right wing was formed by the II-nd Romanian Army ,from the mountains until the line of metal road(railway) Ploiesti-Buzau,from which then ,continued the I-st Army and Istrati's Army. At South of Urziceni were the Russians ,which constituting the going around wing ,were retreating much quicker.They were strengthened by numerous units ,brought also from Dobrogea ,which evacuation was decided by the Russians ,an also as numerous troops ,fresh,which were arriving continuously from Russia through Galati.The Front line Romanian -Russian was leaning over to the right on the mountains ,and with the left on Danube River.It could only be attacked now by the enemy frontal.

The enemy was advancing with the two Armies of his.The IX-th Army hd as axis of advance the railway Ploiesti-Buzau.On the left of her,in the mountaineous region,has constituted a Group Kraftt,composed of all the elements Alpine Germans and Austro-Hungarians;then followed Morgen Group ,increased as number of Divisions ,and at the right was Kuhne Army.The Cavalry of Schmettow and the Danube Army ,Kosch ,were in Ialomita sector ,with direction Urziceni.The Kosch Army has strengthened with numerous Bulgarian Detachments,which made till then the guard of the Danube River,and now have crossed the Danube at Calarasi and Fetesti ,to increase the bulk of Bulgarian troops.This right wing ,moving parallel with the left one through the heart of Baragan(Romanian Great Wheat Field),in direction Braila ,had a much longer way to make than the left one.
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The resistance of the II-nd Romanian Army on Cricov has lasted for three days .It was not about repelling the enemy now,but to delay him by offensive actions such that ,behind the Front,to permit the Russians to make their concentration on the resistance line Rimnicu-Sarat -Viziru-Dunare(or Danube River).

The II-nd Army was organizing the resistance position with the following dispozitive:in the right side was the III-rd Corps ,having Divisions 6th and 3rd on the plateau between Buzau River and its afluent Bisca Chiojdului,at Cislau and Bisceni ,and the 16th Division have occupied the shore of Cricov ,having the 12th Division at Loloiasca ,the 23rd Division at Tomsani and the 22nd Division at Ionesti .The Front of the II-nd Army continued with the one of the I-st Army ,which was occupying the shore of Cricovului between Cioceni and Baraitaru.

In the day of 8th of December ,the II-nd Army begun the fight .As the II-rd Corps was resisting to the attacks of the Bavarian Alpine Corps in the mountaineous region of North,the 12th Division ,supported by artillery ,attacks the enemy Corps of Morgen which occupied line of Villages Loloiasca -Ionesti,reoccupies the villages ,captures few machineguns and repells the enemy ,throwing him beyond Cricov.The next day,9th of December,the action must continue.Behind the Romanian Front has arrived the strong Group of Russian Cavalry of General Count Keller .There are three Divisions of Cavalry ,representing an imposant military force.But Keller has stopped at Rimnicu Sarat and declares that he needs two days of rest ,to mend his horses shoes of the cavalerists ,which makes Primeminister Bratianu to ask the Russian General:"Would the German Cavalry which,ever since has entered in the country at Jiu ,in uninterrupted marchings of almost a month now,has shod her horses?"In the awaiting of the intervention of the Russian Cavalry ,the Romanian Commander wants to push ahead towards Teleajen and to strengthen the line of Cricov.
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The attack unfolds favorable in the beginning ;at 10,30 in the morning the 12th Division is at Albesti and the 23rd Division beyond Tomsani.In this moment,though,Morgen,which was helding the enemy Front with three Divisions ,12th,76th and 216th,pronounce a strong counterattack on the two wings of the Romanian Group of Attack ,threatening to turn them;one column attacks at North from Urlati the positions of 16th Romanian Division ,and another at South from Cioceni the positions of 22nd Romanian Division.Another column,in the strength of three Battalions ,with numerous machineguns ,strongly supported by artillery ,attacks the Romanian center ,along the railway ,overwhelms the right of the 23rd Division and breaksthrough the Romanian Front .The 12th Division loses Loloiasca .Threatened with going around the wings ,the II-nd Romanian Corps gives up the terrain and retreats on line Ceptura -trainstop Ionesti-Degerati ,followed by the adversary;in the evening ,this one attacks again and occupies Ionesti,Colceag and Degerati.

At 10th of December ,General Averescu takes measures that at least line Ceptura -Degerati to be held with any price ,in awaiting for the Russian Cavalry ,which did not finish the shoing of her horses.The Great Romanian Headquarter prescribes to the Commander of the II-nd Romanian Army to avoid the engaging of a general battle ;the mission of her remains prolonging the resistance ,to permit the Russians the gathering up on line Rimnicu Sarat-Viziru.

Early in the morning ,the enemy attacks the entire line of the II-nd Romanian Army with Kraftt and Morgen Corps .At the right side ,the Alpiners of Kraft force the 3rd Hunters Regiment to leave Patirlagele ,after a lively resistance.Cricov Detachment ,from the 3rd Romanian Division ,made out of Regiments 22nd and 24th ,hold on position with great sacrifices ,but is forced to retreat ,abandoning some terrain ,after losing 40 procents of its effectives ;the 22nd Regiment remained with 400 men ,and the 24th Regiment with 800.

At the center ,the troops of the much wekened Divisions 22nd and 23rd counterattack the line they lost in the eve in the evening and succeed to reconquer at 8.30 Ionesti and at 10,30 Colceag ,capturing prisoners and machineguns .But the enemy takes the offensive with great forces .One side and the other of the driveway Ploiesti-Mizil he attacks with four columns ,made each of four Battalions .A strong field and heavy artillery sustains the attack .The troops of Divisions 12th and 16th have to retreat ,abandoning the gained terrain .Still,the II-nd Corps Romanian resists with stubborness ;for the next day ,11th of December ,announced the intervention,Keller's Cavalry Corps ,strengthened with the 14th Division of Infantry Russian .At 11th of December ,the pressure of the enemy has become very strong.Kraftt and Morgen have put in to the fighting line the whole forces of the six Divisions they Command.The Romanian Front is brokethrough in several points.The right wing of the I-st Army neighbour has been pushed and retreats towards Vintileanca.The II-nd Army is threatened with going around her left flank.At North,the advance of Kraftt towards Cislau threatens the going around of the right flank of the Army.Averescu obtains the authorization to break up the fight and retreat step by step towards line Rimnicu Sarat-Viziru.Just now intervenes the Russian Cavalry ,which attacks weak and without any effect.After few evolutions ,the Russians cavalry-men retreat in cantoonament at the cellars of wine great deposit of Mares ,at Mizil.The troops of Groups Buzau and Niscov ,forming up a Group under the Command of General Vaitoianu ,have kept the resistance in the following days on line Mizil ,then on line Ulmeni and then at Buzau ,continuously attacked and overwhelmed by the imense superiority of the enemy.More and more,though,the Romanian troops were retreated on to the second line ,being replaced on the first line by Russians .At 12th of September ,the Germans occupy Mizil ,and at 13th of December Buzau,by a veiling move ,executed by North,by Lipia Village ,against the 15th Russian Division and of the 3rd Division of Cossacks.
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The retreat behind Ialomita.Looting and murders

Before Ialomita ,the enemy has been detained several days.His trials of crossing have been repelled by the troops of Istrati Group ;his heavy convoys and heavy artillery have suffered much in the lowered and dug out by rains region at South of Ialomita.At 10th of December ,a Regiment of Russian Ulans ,leaving the position and retreating without order towards North ,the German Cavalry occupied Coserenii.After,by the retreat of Romanian troops from Cricov line and from Mizil ,the Romanian -Russian troops from Urziceni were threatened in the back;that is why it has been ordered the retreat ,much that the Russian Commander has announced that he will make the concentration of the 4th Russian Corps on the Northern Shore of Ialomita ,on line Mateleu-Rosiori -Tandarei-Piua Petrii.The Germans have crossed Ialomita River and occupied Ursiceni,Manasia,Silistea ,at 12th of December.

In front of Bulgarians and of the Turks ,which have crossed the Danube River at calarasi and at Fetesti,the Russian troops ,which were occupying the flat of Baragan(Wheat Fields) ,had to retreat at North ,over Ialomita.In their retreat they have plundered the villages ,looting and burning everything in their way,the Bulgarians and Turks have completed their masterpiece ,committing the most abominable atrocities over the population unarmed.They were concoursing in plunders and cruelties on the back of our poor country.Not only the Bulgarians and the Turks ,but even the Germans the "civilized" and "disciplined" committed exceses of this kind ,as Falkenhayn himself sees forced to notice them in his memoirs :"During the advancement happened manifestations which proved a great weakness of the discipline.The number of pretended lost of their troops ,which swarmed this way and that way,was multiplying in a frightening way,with all my severe measures.On all the advance roads I have organized small arierguards ,formed with men of trust ,to follow th columns few hours distance ,to garher the hidden ones to resend them to their posts...But a measure like this helps little ,as the Army is in marching.Even under the eyes of their most brave Chieftains ,which,ofcourse were not lacking energy,were committed lootings in great measure;such in Ploiesti and Buzau.On the roads of stages ,the murders and plunderings was a daily routine.On these roads and in their vecinity ,the shooting after herds ,pigs did not stop.Im many of the places the circulation became very endangered".
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Regrouping of the II-nd Army

The Battle at Cricov has been tha last military action of the Romanian Army as an independent organism during the retreat of 1916.After the retreat on Cricov,the Romanian units which constituted the I-st Army and the Group of Danube Defence have been retreated from the fight and send in the remaking zones in North of Moldavia ,being replaced with Russians.Have remained on the Front only the units of the II-nd Army ,to which has been attached some of the ones belonging to the disolved armies.Strengthened in this way,the II-nd Army ,Romanian,under the Command of General Averescu ,was now intercalated between IX-th Russian Army ,which was stretching at the left of her until the shores of Danube River.

At 14th of December ,the II-nd Romanian Army was separated into two sectors.The Sector in the left was made out of Rimnic Group ,Commanded by General Vaitoianu ,occupying the montaineous region of Rimnicu Sarat County ,from Racoviteni -at West of Rimnicu Sarat-where it connected with the Russians ,until Furu Mountain ,at West of Dumitresti .Rimnic Group had in the first line of the Front ,Divisions 3rd ,1st and 6th,and in reserve Divisions 12th and 7th ;Divisions 3rd and 6th considered as the best which remained to the Romanian Army,because being in more quiet sectors they haven't suffered so much losses.

The Sector in the right was made out of the Vrancea-Oituz Group ,under the Command of General Cristescu .In Vrancea region was the 7th Mixt Brigade ,under the Command of Colonel Sturza ,connecting to Furu Mountain with the right of Rimnic Group.In Oituz Rregion was the 15th Division ,under the Command of General Eremia Grigorescu,connecting in the right with IX-th Russian Army,at Slanic.

Few units ,Russian, are intercalated amongst the Romanian ones ,being set from the operative point of view under the Command of the II-nd Army.In this way,at 18th of December ,arrives at Dumitresti ,behind the right wing of Rimnic Group also the Cavalry Division Zamurskaia ,formed of 24 Escadrons with 20 machineguns and 12 cannons.After a few days is attached to Rimnicu Sarat Group also the Cavalry Division Tuzemna ,and to the 7th Brigade Mixt,the 12th Russian Cavalry Division.

For 10 days ,in the sector of the II-nd Romanian Army has been relatively quiet .The Romanian troops have occupied themselves with the organization of their positions in the bad terrain regions ,which they occupy.There were undoubtful signs that the enemy prepares to attack line Rimnicu-Sarat -Viziru.
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The crisis of the Romanian Commandment

Penible matters of Commandment were agitated at the Great Headquarter of the Romanian Army,which from 7th of December has moved to Birlad .Transporting of numerous Russian troops in Romania and taking out of the Front the Romanian troops ,decimated by fights ,have modified the composition of the allied Armies.The numerical value of the two components had been changed .The Russians were predominant now.They have started to manifest veleities over commune Commandment of the two Armies.At 10th of December ,Beleaev asked very determined,for General Zaharov ,the Supreme Command of the Allied Armies ,the suspending of the Great Romanian Headquarter and comprising it in to the Russian Headquarter.The Romanian Government opposed energic to this pretention.Whatever the momentarily situation of the military operations ,it must not be forgotten that Romania is an independent state ,with a National Army.Not even at 1877,when Romania was a "vasal" sate ,she did not enter the War until Russia guaranteed her individual line of operations and own communication lines.Much less she could today abdicate from these rights ,after 40 years of independence and three months and a half of fierce fights with the enemy.Matters of law were also in contradiction with this disolvation ,in fact ,of the independent Romanian Army .After the Constitution ,the King was the head of the Army,which he Commanded directly.Then,the law of the state of siege gives the right to the Great Headquarter to have say in matters of administration and police for the ministers of the country.To pass this authority to the Russian Army,means to put the authorities of the country(kingdoom) under the orders of a foreign military organ,which would mean the non existence of our sovereignity on own territory .The only thing that the Government could aproove to ,was that under the direct orders of the King ,a Russian General to function as a Chief of Romanian General Staff and the Romanian Army to remain independent as organization and Commandment.It has been addmitted that ,for the time being ,the Russian-Romanian troops from the operation zone to be put under the Command of General Zaharov.
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At 14th of December an important change was made in the High Romanian Commandment .General M.Iliescu ,Sub-Chief of the Great General Staff which,in the absence of a titular chief *,conducted the operations of the Romanian Armies for three months and a half ,has been replaced from this Commandment by General C. Prezan.The dizgration was the result of hostility of a great part of the public opinion and of the chiefs of opposition political parties ,which atributed to General Iliescu the unsuccess of the campaign ,started under such promissing circumstances.It has been imputted to him mistakes of strategical conceptions ,of conduct of the operations and especially that he had surrounded himself by a personal clientel ,giving important Commandments to mediocre Generals ,siding or neglecting the best officers of our Army.In the hard moment of leaving the high post,full of the greatest responsibilities ,which he has occupied till now,Iliescu has disculped in front of the Supreme Commandment ,showing that he has worked with the staff from the General Staff which he has found when accepting the post ,without changing anyone ,that the campaign plans have been studied and approved by the Generals in Command of the Armies,that he has worked with faith and devotion ,taking in the hours of crisis such measures ,to avoid the dangers and diminish the threatening proportions of the dezastre ,that the defeats are owed to ,in the most part, outside causes and that anyone ,in the same situations,could not have done better or more.This is how greart was the ferocity with which General Iliescu was attacked ,that the Supreme Commander of the Army(the King) thought that is not able to retain the General not even in the post of Sub-Chief of the Great Headquarter,not even to give him the Command of a Division.He has only been given a mission next to the allied Commandments.

*The titular Chief of the Great General Staff ,General Al . Zottu ,being very ill ,with nerves ,could not take part to the works of the Commandment ;he commited suicide during November 1916.
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