John Bull, symbol of Great Britain and here a bird-catcher, tries to entice the kingdom of Romania, in 1915 a neutral nation, into his trap. He already has Russia by the nose, and the plucked cock of France and an Italian fowl close at hand. Neutral (and wise) Greece rests out of reach, while Bulgaria sings to the Islamic crescent moon of Turkey. In the background Turkish, German, and Austro-Hungarian soldiers meet at a crossroads. Carved into the tree is a heart dated 1915, and the initials 'F A R', perhaps for 'France aime Russie:' France loves Russia.
L'OiseleurDer Vogelfänger 1915The BirdcatcherGreceBulgarieRoumanieBagdad / HambourgRussie
"Tuesday, August 1, 1916.Briand has telegraphed me as follows:As regards a Rumanian declaration of war, I share the view of Sir Edward Grey and General Joffre that in the last resort we should not insist on an immediate declaration of war on Bulgaria ; it is probable that the Germans will force the Bulgarians into attacking the Rumanians at once, and the Russian divisions can then commence hostilities.It is equally probable that as the Rumanians have not prepared for operations south of the Danube, but have concentrated the bulk of their forces in the Carpathians, they will get a rude shock from the Bulgarians."
Entry for Tuesday, August 1, 1916, from the memoirs of Maurice Paléologue, French Ambassador to Russia. Aristide Briand was Prime Minister of France when the Ambassador wrote. General Joseph Joffre was commander of the French Army from the beginning of the war until December, 1916; Sir Edward Grey was British Foreign Secretary from 1905 to the same month. Russia, France, and Great Britain had been trying to entice Romania into the war since its beginning, and during the summer of 1916 as Austria-Hungary was staggered by Russia's Brusilov Offensive, begun on June 4. By August 1, with the addition of German forces, and often German commanders, Austro-Hungarian units were becoming more successful at resisting the Russian advance. Bulgaria had been defeated in the Second Balkan War in 1912 when Romania allied with Greece and Serbia, and attacked Bulgaria across their shared border. Bulgaria would soon return the favor.
An Ambassador's Memoirs Vol. II by Maurice Paléologue, page 309, publisher: George H. Doran Company
1916-08-01, 1916, August, Romania, Rumania, Joffre, Grey
