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On 27 August 1916, Romania declared war on Austria-Hungary and sent three armies across the Carpathian passes to occupy Transylvania as promised in a secret treaty with the Entente signed two weeks before. A wave of delirious joy swept over Bucharest at the prospect of annexing the "cradle of the Romanian race."1 Vastly outnumbered Habsburg defenders offered little resistance and within a few days Romanian troops occupied Orsova, Petrosani, Brasov, and the suburbs of Sibiu. The Romanian war plan, whose priority was to advance quickly to the strategically important Mures, river, appeared to be working to perfection. But this initial success was short-lived. On 2 September, Bulgarian forces, supplemented by a small German detachment, besieged the southern Romanian fortress of Turtucaia located across the Danube only 60 kilometers from Bucharest. The surrender of the fortress and its garrison of more than 25,000 after only four days of inept defense had a crucial impact on both Romania and her enemies. For the Bulgarians, the recovery of Turtucaia, taken by Romania in 1913, was something "holy" which they embraced with their "entire soul." It enlivened their zeal to fight and strengthened their commitment to the Central Powers.2 This quick victory on Romania's southern frontier also brought encouragement to Austro-German leaders who faced a serious military crisis as a result of Romania's unexpected intervention.3 In Romania, on the other hand, the fall of Turtucaia triggered sudden panic. Among civilians there were visions of invasion, defeat, and retribution from ancient enemies. Yesterday's hopes of a Romania Mare (Greater Romania) were replaced by fears of a Romania Mid (Smaller Romania).4 More importantly, the Romanian High Command (MCG) impulsively abandoned its war plan thereby ushering in a series of defeats which ended only in December with the Central Powers occupying two-thirds of the Romanian homeland.
The Battle of Turtucaia has remained a vivid memory in both Romania and Bulgaria. Even though the Romanians repossessed the city during the interwar period, this defeat continued to be the most embarrassing episode of their participation in the First World War. "This name rings painfully in the ears of every Romanian" wrote their most influential historian of the war, "It is linked to the greatest defeat of our holy war: a grievous, humiliating, ignominious defeat...."Even...