Neutral Romania, personified as a woman in national dress, raises the Romanian flag before her wealth of wheat, baskets of bread, and barrels of food and oil, barring the path of a train from which a Turkish fez peeps. The illustration is not geographically accurate, as Romania did not share a border with Turkey, but did (and does) with Bulgaria, her southern neighbor, who peers over a hill to the right. Over Romania's right shoulder, the spiked helmet of Germany and shako of Austria-Hungary rise above the horizon. By Em. DuPuis, 1916. Romania formally set aside the prudence referred to in the caption on August 27, 1916 when she declared war on Austria-Hungary; she was soon at war with Germany, Bulgaria, and Turkey as well.

Signed Em. DuPuis, 1916.

Prudence est mère de Sécurité . . . Roumanie

Prudence is the mother of Security

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Visé Paris No. 116.

Logo: Paris Color 152 Quai de Jemmapes

Carte Postale

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Neutral Romania was courted by both the Entente Allies and the Central Powers, each side offering the opportunity to win Romanian populations in neighboring lands — in Transylvania, Austria-Hungary, and in Bessarabia, Russia. Romania was more interested in Transylvania and in supporting Italy with which it had close linguistic and cultural ties. With the success of Russia's Brusilov Offensive, driving Austria-Hungary from its northeastern provinces, Romania decided the time was right to enter the war.

In 1915 the Allies had sought Romania's help in attacking Bulgaria which had defeated Allied attempts to aid Serbia before it was overrun. One of Romania's two war plans aligned with the Allies' desire for an attack on Bulgaria, the other targeted Transylvania. Declaring for the Allies, Romania pursued its ambitions and crossed the mountains into Transylvania the night of August 27, 1916.

Aware of Romania's preparations for war, Germany had assembled new armies in Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. On August 28, Germany declared war on Romania, and a Bulgarian army under German command crossed into Dobruja on the Black Sea in eastern Romania. Within days, Russian troops came to Romania's aid, and helped turn back the Central Power advance.

On September 18, Germany and Austria-Hungary counter-attacked the occupying Romanian armies, driving them back into western Romania by early October. By month's end Romania was being forced back on two fronts. Between them, Central Power forces crossed the Danube to attack the capital of Bucharest, taking the city on December 6. By year's end, the Romanians had been driven back to Moldavia in northern Romania, Walachia and Dobruja were occupied, and the Russians were fighting on their own border.

Start Date: 1916-08-27

End Date: 1916-12-31

More about Romania at War, 1916: