Post on 03-Jun-2018
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8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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Contents
Lis of Maps ix
Preface xi
Seleced Abbreviaions xix
983089 Romania Enters the War 983089
983090 e Central Powers Respond 983091983090
983091 e First Dobrogea Campaign 983094983088
983092 Clearing Transylvania 983097983091
983093 e Second Dobrogea Campaign 983089983090983095
983094 Stalemate in the Mountains 983089983093983091
983095 Moldavia e Forgoen Front 983090983089983089
983096 e Drive across Walachia 983090983091983096 983097 e Fall of Bucharest and the
End of the 983089983097983089983094 Campaign 983090983095983092
983089983088 Conclusion 983090983097983096
Noes 983091983089983093
Bibliography 983091983095983091 Index 983091983096983091
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ix
983117 983137 983152 983089 Transylvanian-Romanian eater of Operations xxii
983117 983137 983152 983090 Romanian eater of Operations Railroad Lines 983097
983117 983137 983152 983091 e Dobrogea 983094983094
983117 983137 983152 983092 e Bale of Turtucaia 983092 September 983089983097983089983094 983095983091
983117 983137 983152 983093 e Bale of Sibiu 983090983094 September 983089983097983089983094 983089983088983096
983117 983137 983152 983094 e Bale of Brasov 983095ndash983097 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983090983090
983117983137983152 983095 e Romanian Danube Crossing 983090 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983091983094
983117 983137 983152 983096 Breakout Aempt by the 983089983089th BavarianInfantry Division 983090983091ndash983090983096 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983095983088
983117 983137 983152 983097 Ambush at Agas 983089983095 October 983089983097983089983094 983090983089983096
983117 983137 983152 983089983088 e Northeast Front November 983089983097983089983094 983090983091983090
983117 983137 983152 983089983089 LIVth Army Corps (Special Purpose)Breakout 983089983089ndash983089983095 November 983089983097983089983094 983090983092983088
983117 983137 983152 983089983090 Breakout into Walachia November 983089983097983089983094 983090983093983089
983117 983137 983152 983089983091 Breakout Group ldquoKrardquo Red Tower PassRegion 983089983094 Octoberndash983090983089 November 983089983097983089983094 983090983094983088
983117 983137 983152 983089983092 Bale for Bucharest 983090983096 Novemberndash983091 December 983089983097983089983094 983090983094983094
983117 983137 983152 983089983093 Advance to the Sereth-Putna RiversDecember 983089983097983089983094ndashJanuary 983089983097983089983095 983090983096983091
Maps
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xi
983105983148983156983144983151983157983143983144 983141983158983141 983154983161 983159983137983154 983144983137983155 983145983156983155 983145983139983151983150983145983139 983145983149 983137983143983141983154983161 983150983151983150983141 983149983137983156983139983144983141 983155the grim horror of the Western Front during World War I Material-
schlacht was the German term for the carnage a word as brutal soundingas its portrayal of industrial-scale slaughter Trenches barbed wire poi-son gas artil lery barrages and machine guns mowing down mud-soakedmillions formed the landscape of the Western Front Capping the pictureare aristocratic officers living in luxury far from danger indifferently
sending soldiers to their deaths just to capture a few feet of groundis familiar picture of stalemated armies however depicts the war
in the west where by late 983089983097983089983092 trenches ran in solid lines from the Swiss-German-French border junction to the English Channel in Belgium Inthe east the picture was quite different ere were trenches to be sure
but the vast area meant that these took the form of local fortificationsManeuvering from the first clash in 983089983097983089983092 to the last blows in 983089983097983089983095 was anormal feature of bale Fighting oen took the form that prewar theo-rists had envisioned bold rapid movements of infantry turning enemyflanks with cavalry conducting reconnaissance or providing a screen ofcover for advancing infantry Infantry remained the queen of the bale
by virtue of its mobility which translated into speed ndash a speed that al-lowed a determined aacker to outflank or penetrate enemy positions
before reserves could be brought to bear Infantry that outran its artil-lery support quickly perished a development that required the gunners
to match the pace of the infantry Even cavalry remained useful in theeast where the open spaces allowed the exploitation of a breakthroughand the rapid pursuit of a retreating foe Speed was the elixir of success
Preface
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xi i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
In Transylvania and Romania in 983089983097983089983094 the nature of combat bore agreater resemblance to the opening moves of World War II ndash a decisiveperiod of rapid movement and bales called the blitzkrieg by the Al-
lies ndash than it does to the stereotype of World War I with trenches anddeadlock Hiing where least expected and advancing without the fixa-tion on protecting exposed flanks so endemic in the west the German983097th Army defeated two Romanian armies inside Transylvania pouredover the formidable Carpathian Mountains onto the plains of Walachiarolled up the entire Romanian army from west to east and drove theshaered remnants against Russia within four months e rate of ad-
vance of the 983097th Army in Transylvania in September or across Walachiain NovemberndashDecember 983089983097983089983094 compares favorably with the heady days(for the Germans) of the blitzkrieg in 983089983097983091983097ndash983089983097983092983088 Of course blitzkrieg isnot a term associated with World War I
Ironically the 983097th Army was led by General Erich von Falkenhaynsacked as chief of staff of the Prussian army on the eve of the campaignin August 983089983097983089983094 owing to the perception that his strategy of arition in the
west and failure to pursue a decisive victory in the east had created a de-
bacle Given the opportunity in Romania to salvage his reputation vonFalkenhayn grasped the imperative for speed Winter came early in theCarpathian Mountains and unless he drove the Romanians back andsecured the passes through the mountains before weather shut down op-erations the Romanians would remain on Austro-Hungarian territoryuntil well into 983089983097983089983095 Von Falkenhayn had few troops at his disposal andat least initially his forces would be outnumbered Geing reinforce-
ments from the other theaters of the war would take weeks In additionthe projected theater of operations in Romania sat at the edge of the leastdeveloped and most remote region of Austria-Hungary Transylvaniacompounding the logistical problems of mounting a campaign Againstall odds von Falkenhayn succeeded brilliantly proving himself to be amaster of operational warfare as his soldiers smashed through the Car-pathian Mountains and raced across Walachia
e chimera of open warfare that so tantalized the leaders on the
Western Front was the norm in the east raising the question which front was the true face of war the stalemate in the west or the vast bales ofopen warfare characteristic of the Eastern Front For the man who had
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xi ii
the task of rebuilding the shaered German army aer the war GeneralHans von Seeckt operations in the eastern theater provided the answerand illustrated the nature of future combat
Following his participation in the Marne Campaign of 983089983097983089983092 vonSeeckt served exclusively for the rest of the war in the east In May 983089983097983089983093as chief of staff in August von Mackensenrsquos 983089983089th Army he directed theimpressive breakthrough at Gorlice-Tarnow For the next six weeks the983089983089th Army rolled across the foothills of the Beskiden and Northern Car-pathian Mountains forcing the Russians to evacuate Galicia and eventu-ally Poland Over a quarter-million Russians were captured In the fall of
that year again as von Mackensenrsquos chief of staff but this time at the levelof army group von Seeckt directed three armies into Serbia and chasedthe Serb forces into Albania and Greece within three months In 983089983097983089983094 he became chief of staff of Army Group Archduke Karl the senior Austrianheadquarters in the southeast Balkan region at group directed muchof the campaign in Romania in 983089983097983089983094
Von Seeckt became disenchanted during the war with the Germanfixation on enveloping the enemy a tactic driven into a generation of staff
officers by the late chief of the general staff Count Alfred von Schlieffen(983089983096983091983091ndash983089983097983089983091) He had seen the stalemate that arose when going around anenemy flank took too long and forfeited surprise or when it could not bedone at all In such cases ldquothe general cannot simply declare that he isat witrsquos end he will be acting quite in the spirit of Count Schlieffen if with a clear objective in view he launches his masses at the most effectivepointrdquo1 A breakthrough would allow the successful aacker the same
opportunity as an envelopment to operate in the enemyrsquos vulnerablerear areas Present at the most decisive operations of the east von Seecktobserved firsthand the achievements of fast-moving combined arms
operations that either broke through the enemyrsquos lines or went aroundthem but that in all cases came to operate in his rear areas surprisinghim and cuing the vital lines of communication to his front-line forcesleaving them paralyzed
During the Romanian Campaign of 983089983097983089983094 von Seeckt and his Aus-trian commanders at Army Group Archduke Karl exerted lile real
authority over the determined and headstrong von Falkenhayn or vonMackensen operating in Bulgaria Nonetheless von Seeckt had a front-
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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Contents
Lis of Maps ix
Preface xi
Seleced Abbreviaions xix
983089 Romania Enters the War 983089
983090 e Central Powers Respond 983091983090
983091 e First Dobrogea Campaign 983094983088
983092 Clearing Transylvania 983097983091
983093 e Second Dobrogea Campaign 983089983090983095
983094 Stalemate in the Mountains 983089983093983091
983095 Moldavia e Forgoen Front 983090983089983089
983096 e Drive across Walachia 983090983091983096 983097 e Fall of Bucharest and the
End of the 983089983097983089983094 Campaign 983090983095983092
983089983088 Conclusion 983090983097983096
Noes 983091983089983093
Bibliography 983091983095983091 Index 983091983096983091
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ix
983117 983137 983152 983089 Transylvanian-Romanian eater of Operations xxii
983117 983137 983152 983090 Romanian eater of Operations Railroad Lines 983097
983117 983137 983152 983091 e Dobrogea 983094983094
983117 983137 983152 983092 e Bale of Turtucaia 983092 September 983089983097983089983094 983095983091
983117 983137 983152 983093 e Bale of Sibiu 983090983094 September 983089983097983089983094 983089983088983096
983117 983137 983152 983094 e Bale of Brasov 983095ndash983097 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983090983090
983117983137983152 983095 e Romanian Danube Crossing 983090 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983091983094
983117 983137 983152 983096 Breakout Aempt by the 983089983089th BavarianInfantry Division 983090983091ndash983090983096 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983095983088
983117 983137 983152 983097 Ambush at Agas 983089983095 October 983089983097983089983094 983090983089983096
983117 983137 983152 983089983088 e Northeast Front November 983089983097983089983094 983090983091983090
983117 983137 983152 983089983089 LIVth Army Corps (Special Purpose)Breakout 983089983089ndash983089983095 November 983089983097983089983094 983090983092983088
983117 983137 983152 983089983090 Breakout into Walachia November 983089983097983089983094 983090983093983089
983117 983137 983152 983089983091 Breakout Group ldquoKrardquo Red Tower PassRegion 983089983094 Octoberndash983090983089 November 983089983097983089983094 983090983094983088
983117 983137 983152 983089983092 Bale for Bucharest 983090983096 Novemberndash983091 December 983089983097983089983094 983090983094983094
983117 983137 983152 983089983093 Advance to the Sereth-Putna RiversDecember 983089983097983089983094ndashJanuary 983089983097983089983095 983090983096983091
Maps
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xi
983105983148983156983144983151983157983143983144 983141983158983141 983154983161 983159983137983154 983144983137983155 983145983156983155 983145983139983151983150983145983139 983145983149 983137983143983141983154983161 983150983151983150983141 983149983137983156983139983144983141 983155the grim horror of the Western Front during World War I Material-
schlacht was the German term for the carnage a word as brutal soundingas its portrayal of industrial-scale slaughter Trenches barbed wire poi-son gas artil lery barrages and machine guns mowing down mud-soakedmillions formed the landscape of the Western Front Capping the pictureare aristocratic officers living in luxury far from danger indifferently
sending soldiers to their deaths just to capture a few feet of groundis familiar picture of stalemated armies however depicts the war
in the west where by late 983089983097983089983092 trenches ran in solid lines from the Swiss-German-French border junction to the English Channel in Belgium Inthe east the picture was quite different ere were trenches to be sure
but the vast area meant that these took the form of local fortificationsManeuvering from the first clash in 983089983097983089983092 to the last blows in 983089983097983089983095 was anormal feature of bale Fighting oen took the form that prewar theo-rists had envisioned bold rapid movements of infantry turning enemyflanks with cavalry conducting reconnaissance or providing a screen ofcover for advancing infantry Infantry remained the queen of the bale
by virtue of its mobility which translated into speed ndash a speed that al-lowed a determined aacker to outflank or penetrate enemy positions
before reserves could be brought to bear Infantry that outran its artil-lery support quickly perished a development that required the gunners
to match the pace of the infantry Even cavalry remained useful in theeast where the open spaces allowed the exploitation of a breakthroughand the rapid pursuit of a retreating foe Speed was the elixir of success
Preface
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xi i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
In Transylvania and Romania in 983089983097983089983094 the nature of combat bore agreater resemblance to the opening moves of World War II ndash a decisiveperiod of rapid movement and bales called the blitzkrieg by the Al-
lies ndash than it does to the stereotype of World War I with trenches anddeadlock Hiing where least expected and advancing without the fixa-tion on protecting exposed flanks so endemic in the west the German983097th Army defeated two Romanian armies inside Transylvania pouredover the formidable Carpathian Mountains onto the plains of Walachiarolled up the entire Romanian army from west to east and drove theshaered remnants against Russia within four months e rate of ad-
vance of the 983097th Army in Transylvania in September or across Walachiain NovemberndashDecember 983089983097983089983094 compares favorably with the heady days(for the Germans) of the blitzkrieg in 983089983097983091983097ndash983089983097983092983088 Of course blitzkrieg isnot a term associated with World War I
Ironically the 983097th Army was led by General Erich von Falkenhaynsacked as chief of staff of the Prussian army on the eve of the campaignin August 983089983097983089983094 owing to the perception that his strategy of arition in the
west and failure to pursue a decisive victory in the east had created a de-
bacle Given the opportunity in Romania to salvage his reputation vonFalkenhayn grasped the imperative for speed Winter came early in theCarpathian Mountains and unless he drove the Romanians back andsecured the passes through the mountains before weather shut down op-erations the Romanians would remain on Austro-Hungarian territoryuntil well into 983089983097983089983095 Von Falkenhayn had few troops at his disposal andat least initially his forces would be outnumbered Geing reinforce-
ments from the other theaters of the war would take weeks In additionthe projected theater of operations in Romania sat at the edge of the leastdeveloped and most remote region of Austria-Hungary Transylvaniacompounding the logistical problems of mounting a campaign Againstall odds von Falkenhayn succeeded brilliantly proving himself to be amaster of operational warfare as his soldiers smashed through the Car-pathian Mountains and raced across Walachia
e chimera of open warfare that so tantalized the leaders on the
Western Front was the norm in the east raising the question which front was the true face of war the stalemate in the west or the vast bales ofopen warfare characteristic of the Eastern Front For the man who had
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xi ii
the task of rebuilding the shaered German army aer the war GeneralHans von Seeckt operations in the eastern theater provided the answerand illustrated the nature of future combat
Following his participation in the Marne Campaign of 983089983097983089983092 vonSeeckt served exclusively for the rest of the war in the east In May 983089983097983089983093as chief of staff in August von Mackensenrsquos 983089983089th Army he directed theimpressive breakthrough at Gorlice-Tarnow For the next six weeks the983089983089th Army rolled across the foothills of the Beskiden and Northern Car-pathian Mountains forcing the Russians to evacuate Galicia and eventu-ally Poland Over a quarter-million Russians were captured In the fall of
that year again as von Mackensenrsquos chief of staff but this time at the levelof army group von Seeckt directed three armies into Serbia and chasedthe Serb forces into Albania and Greece within three months In 983089983097983089983094 he became chief of staff of Army Group Archduke Karl the senior Austrianheadquarters in the southeast Balkan region at group directed muchof the campaign in Romania in 983089983097983089983094
Von Seeckt became disenchanted during the war with the Germanfixation on enveloping the enemy a tactic driven into a generation of staff
officers by the late chief of the general staff Count Alfred von Schlieffen(983089983096983091983091ndash983089983097983089983091) He had seen the stalemate that arose when going around anenemy flank took too long and forfeited surprise or when it could not bedone at all In such cases ldquothe general cannot simply declare that he isat witrsquos end he will be acting quite in the spirit of Count Schlieffen if with a clear objective in view he launches his masses at the most effectivepointrdquo1 A breakthrough would allow the successful aacker the same
opportunity as an envelopment to operate in the enemyrsquos vulnerablerear areas Present at the most decisive operations of the east von Seecktobserved firsthand the achievements of fast-moving combined arms
operations that either broke through the enemyrsquos lines or went aroundthem but that in all cases came to operate in his rear areas surprisinghim and cuing the vital lines of communication to his front-line forcesleaving them paralyzed
During the Romanian Campaign of 983089983097983089983094 von Seeckt and his Aus-trian commanders at Army Group Archduke Karl exerted lile real
authority over the determined and headstrong von Falkenhayn or vonMackensen operating in Bulgaria Nonetheless von Seeckt had a front-
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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ix
983117 983137 983152 983089 Transylvanian-Romanian eater of Operations xxii
983117 983137 983152 983090 Romanian eater of Operations Railroad Lines 983097
983117 983137 983152 983091 e Dobrogea 983094983094
983117 983137 983152 983092 e Bale of Turtucaia 983092 September 983089983097983089983094 983095983091
983117 983137 983152 983093 e Bale of Sibiu 983090983094 September 983089983097983089983094 983089983088983096
983117 983137 983152 983094 e Bale of Brasov 983095ndash983097 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983090983090
983117983137983152 983095 e Romanian Danube Crossing 983090 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983091983094
983117 983137 983152 983096 Breakout Aempt by the 983089983089th BavarianInfantry Division 983090983091ndash983090983096 October 983089983097983089983094 983089983095983088
983117 983137 983152 983097 Ambush at Agas 983089983095 October 983089983097983089983094 983090983089983096
983117 983137 983152 983089983088 e Northeast Front November 983089983097983089983094 983090983091983090
983117 983137 983152 983089983089 LIVth Army Corps (Special Purpose)Breakout 983089983089ndash983089983095 November 983089983097983089983094 983090983092983088
983117 983137 983152 983089983090 Breakout into Walachia November 983089983097983089983094 983090983093983089
983117 983137 983152 983089983091 Breakout Group ldquoKrardquo Red Tower PassRegion 983089983094 Octoberndash983090983089 November 983089983097983089983094 983090983094983088
983117 983137 983152 983089983092 Bale for Bucharest 983090983096 Novemberndash983091 December 983089983097983089983094 983090983094983094
983117 983137 983152 983089983093 Advance to the Sereth-Putna RiversDecember 983089983097983089983094ndashJanuary 983089983097983089983095 983090983096983091
Maps
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi
983105983148983156983144983151983157983143983144 983141983158983141 983154983161 983159983137983154 983144983137983155 983145983156983155 983145983139983151983150983145983139 983145983149 983137983143983141983154983161 983150983151983150983141 983149983137983156983139983144983141 983155the grim horror of the Western Front during World War I Material-
schlacht was the German term for the carnage a word as brutal soundingas its portrayal of industrial-scale slaughter Trenches barbed wire poi-son gas artil lery barrages and machine guns mowing down mud-soakedmillions formed the landscape of the Western Front Capping the pictureare aristocratic officers living in luxury far from danger indifferently
sending soldiers to their deaths just to capture a few feet of groundis familiar picture of stalemated armies however depicts the war
in the west where by late 983089983097983089983092 trenches ran in solid lines from the Swiss-German-French border junction to the English Channel in Belgium Inthe east the picture was quite different ere were trenches to be sure
but the vast area meant that these took the form of local fortificationsManeuvering from the first clash in 983089983097983089983092 to the last blows in 983089983097983089983095 was anormal feature of bale Fighting oen took the form that prewar theo-rists had envisioned bold rapid movements of infantry turning enemyflanks with cavalry conducting reconnaissance or providing a screen ofcover for advancing infantry Infantry remained the queen of the bale
by virtue of its mobility which translated into speed ndash a speed that al-lowed a determined aacker to outflank or penetrate enemy positions
before reserves could be brought to bear Infantry that outran its artil-lery support quickly perished a development that required the gunners
to match the pace of the infantry Even cavalry remained useful in theeast where the open spaces allowed the exploitation of a breakthroughand the rapid pursuit of a retreating foe Speed was the elixir of success
Preface
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
In Transylvania and Romania in 983089983097983089983094 the nature of combat bore agreater resemblance to the opening moves of World War II ndash a decisiveperiod of rapid movement and bales called the blitzkrieg by the Al-
lies ndash than it does to the stereotype of World War I with trenches anddeadlock Hiing where least expected and advancing without the fixa-tion on protecting exposed flanks so endemic in the west the German983097th Army defeated two Romanian armies inside Transylvania pouredover the formidable Carpathian Mountains onto the plains of Walachiarolled up the entire Romanian army from west to east and drove theshaered remnants against Russia within four months e rate of ad-
vance of the 983097th Army in Transylvania in September or across Walachiain NovemberndashDecember 983089983097983089983094 compares favorably with the heady days(for the Germans) of the blitzkrieg in 983089983097983091983097ndash983089983097983092983088 Of course blitzkrieg isnot a term associated with World War I
Ironically the 983097th Army was led by General Erich von Falkenhaynsacked as chief of staff of the Prussian army on the eve of the campaignin August 983089983097983089983094 owing to the perception that his strategy of arition in the
west and failure to pursue a decisive victory in the east had created a de-
bacle Given the opportunity in Romania to salvage his reputation vonFalkenhayn grasped the imperative for speed Winter came early in theCarpathian Mountains and unless he drove the Romanians back andsecured the passes through the mountains before weather shut down op-erations the Romanians would remain on Austro-Hungarian territoryuntil well into 983089983097983089983095 Von Falkenhayn had few troops at his disposal andat least initially his forces would be outnumbered Geing reinforce-
ments from the other theaters of the war would take weeks In additionthe projected theater of operations in Romania sat at the edge of the leastdeveloped and most remote region of Austria-Hungary Transylvaniacompounding the logistical problems of mounting a campaign Againstall odds von Falkenhayn succeeded brilliantly proving himself to be amaster of operational warfare as his soldiers smashed through the Car-pathian Mountains and raced across Walachia
e chimera of open warfare that so tantalized the leaders on the
Western Front was the norm in the east raising the question which front was the true face of war the stalemate in the west or the vast bales ofopen warfare characteristic of the Eastern Front For the man who had
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xi ii
the task of rebuilding the shaered German army aer the war GeneralHans von Seeckt operations in the eastern theater provided the answerand illustrated the nature of future combat
Following his participation in the Marne Campaign of 983089983097983089983092 vonSeeckt served exclusively for the rest of the war in the east In May 983089983097983089983093as chief of staff in August von Mackensenrsquos 983089983089th Army he directed theimpressive breakthrough at Gorlice-Tarnow For the next six weeks the983089983089th Army rolled across the foothills of the Beskiden and Northern Car-pathian Mountains forcing the Russians to evacuate Galicia and eventu-ally Poland Over a quarter-million Russians were captured In the fall of
that year again as von Mackensenrsquos chief of staff but this time at the levelof army group von Seeckt directed three armies into Serbia and chasedthe Serb forces into Albania and Greece within three months In 983089983097983089983094 he became chief of staff of Army Group Archduke Karl the senior Austrianheadquarters in the southeast Balkan region at group directed muchof the campaign in Romania in 983089983097983089983094
Von Seeckt became disenchanted during the war with the Germanfixation on enveloping the enemy a tactic driven into a generation of staff
officers by the late chief of the general staff Count Alfred von Schlieffen(983089983096983091983091ndash983089983097983089983091) He had seen the stalemate that arose when going around anenemy flank took too long and forfeited surprise or when it could not bedone at all In such cases ldquothe general cannot simply declare that he isat witrsquos end he will be acting quite in the spirit of Count Schlieffen if with a clear objective in view he launches his masses at the most effectivepointrdquo1 A breakthrough would allow the successful aacker the same
opportunity as an envelopment to operate in the enemyrsquos vulnerablerear areas Present at the most decisive operations of the east von Seecktobserved firsthand the achievements of fast-moving combined arms
operations that either broke through the enemyrsquos lines or went aroundthem but that in all cases came to operate in his rear areas surprisinghim and cuing the vital lines of communication to his front-line forcesleaving them paralyzed
During the Romanian Campaign of 983089983097983089983094 von Seeckt and his Aus-trian commanders at Army Group Archduke Karl exerted lile real
authority over the determined and headstrong von Falkenhayn or vonMackensen operating in Bulgaria Nonetheless von Seeckt had a front-
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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xi
983105983148983156983144983151983157983143983144 983141983158983141 983154983161 983159983137983154 983144983137983155 983145983156983155 983145983139983151983150983145983139 983145983149 983137983143983141983154983161 983150983151983150983141 983149983137983156983139983144983141 983155the grim horror of the Western Front during World War I Material-
schlacht was the German term for the carnage a word as brutal soundingas its portrayal of industrial-scale slaughter Trenches barbed wire poi-son gas artil lery barrages and machine guns mowing down mud-soakedmillions formed the landscape of the Western Front Capping the pictureare aristocratic officers living in luxury far from danger indifferently
sending soldiers to their deaths just to capture a few feet of groundis familiar picture of stalemated armies however depicts the war
in the west where by late 983089983097983089983092 trenches ran in solid lines from the Swiss-German-French border junction to the English Channel in Belgium Inthe east the picture was quite different ere were trenches to be sure
but the vast area meant that these took the form of local fortificationsManeuvering from the first clash in 983089983097983089983092 to the last blows in 983089983097983089983095 was anormal feature of bale Fighting oen took the form that prewar theo-rists had envisioned bold rapid movements of infantry turning enemyflanks with cavalry conducting reconnaissance or providing a screen ofcover for advancing infantry Infantry remained the queen of the bale
by virtue of its mobility which translated into speed ndash a speed that al-lowed a determined aacker to outflank or penetrate enemy positions
before reserves could be brought to bear Infantry that outran its artil-lery support quickly perished a development that required the gunners
to match the pace of the infantry Even cavalry remained useful in theeast where the open spaces allowed the exploitation of a breakthroughand the rapid pursuit of a retreating foe Speed was the elixir of success
Preface
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xi i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
In Transylvania and Romania in 983089983097983089983094 the nature of combat bore agreater resemblance to the opening moves of World War II ndash a decisiveperiod of rapid movement and bales called the blitzkrieg by the Al-
lies ndash than it does to the stereotype of World War I with trenches anddeadlock Hiing where least expected and advancing without the fixa-tion on protecting exposed flanks so endemic in the west the German983097th Army defeated two Romanian armies inside Transylvania pouredover the formidable Carpathian Mountains onto the plains of Walachiarolled up the entire Romanian army from west to east and drove theshaered remnants against Russia within four months e rate of ad-
vance of the 983097th Army in Transylvania in September or across Walachiain NovemberndashDecember 983089983097983089983094 compares favorably with the heady days(for the Germans) of the blitzkrieg in 983089983097983091983097ndash983089983097983092983088 Of course blitzkrieg isnot a term associated with World War I
Ironically the 983097th Army was led by General Erich von Falkenhaynsacked as chief of staff of the Prussian army on the eve of the campaignin August 983089983097983089983094 owing to the perception that his strategy of arition in the
west and failure to pursue a decisive victory in the east had created a de-
bacle Given the opportunity in Romania to salvage his reputation vonFalkenhayn grasped the imperative for speed Winter came early in theCarpathian Mountains and unless he drove the Romanians back andsecured the passes through the mountains before weather shut down op-erations the Romanians would remain on Austro-Hungarian territoryuntil well into 983089983097983089983095 Von Falkenhayn had few troops at his disposal andat least initially his forces would be outnumbered Geing reinforce-
ments from the other theaters of the war would take weeks In additionthe projected theater of operations in Romania sat at the edge of the leastdeveloped and most remote region of Austria-Hungary Transylvaniacompounding the logistical problems of mounting a campaign Againstall odds von Falkenhayn succeeded brilliantly proving himself to be amaster of operational warfare as his soldiers smashed through the Car-pathian Mountains and raced across Walachia
e chimera of open warfare that so tantalized the leaders on the
Western Front was the norm in the east raising the question which front was the true face of war the stalemate in the west or the vast bales ofopen warfare characteristic of the Eastern Front For the man who had
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xi ii
the task of rebuilding the shaered German army aer the war GeneralHans von Seeckt operations in the eastern theater provided the answerand illustrated the nature of future combat
Following his participation in the Marne Campaign of 983089983097983089983092 vonSeeckt served exclusively for the rest of the war in the east In May 983089983097983089983093as chief of staff in August von Mackensenrsquos 983089983089th Army he directed theimpressive breakthrough at Gorlice-Tarnow For the next six weeks the983089983089th Army rolled across the foothills of the Beskiden and Northern Car-pathian Mountains forcing the Russians to evacuate Galicia and eventu-ally Poland Over a quarter-million Russians were captured In the fall of
that year again as von Mackensenrsquos chief of staff but this time at the levelof army group von Seeckt directed three armies into Serbia and chasedthe Serb forces into Albania and Greece within three months In 983089983097983089983094 he became chief of staff of Army Group Archduke Karl the senior Austrianheadquarters in the southeast Balkan region at group directed muchof the campaign in Romania in 983089983097983089983094
Von Seeckt became disenchanted during the war with the Germanfixation on enveloping the enemy a tactic driven into a generation of staff
officers by the late chief of the general staff Count Alfred von Schlieffen(983089983096983091983091ndash983089983097983089983091) He had seen the stalemate that arose when going around anenemy flank took too long and forfeited surprise or when it could not bedone at all In such cases ldquothe general cannot simply declare that he isat witrsquos end he will be acting quite in the spirit of Count Schlieffen if with a clear objective in view he launches his masses at the most effectivepointrdquo1 A breakthrough would allow the successful aacker the same
opportunity as an envelopment to operate in the enemyrsquos vulnerablerear areas Present at the most decisive operations of the east von Seecktobserved firsthand the achievements of fast-moving combined arms
operations that either broke through the enemyrsquos lines or went aroundthem but that in all cases came to operate in his rear areas surprisinghim and cuing the vital lines of communication to his front-line forcesleaving them paralyzed
During the Romanian Campaign of 983089983097983089983094 von Seeckt and his Aus-trian commanders at Army Group Archduke Karl exerted lile real
authority over the determined and headstrong von Falkenhayn or vonMackensen operating in Bulgaria Nonetheless von Seeckt had a front-
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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xi i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
In Transylvania and Romania in 983089983097983089983094 the nature of combat bore agreater resemblance to the opening moves of World War II ndash a decisiveperiod of rapid movement and bales called the blitzkrieg by the Al-
lies ndash than it does to the stereotype of World War I with trenches anddeadlock Hiing where least expected and advancing without the fixa-tion on protecting exposed flanks so endemic in the west the German983097th Army defeated two Romanian armies inside Transylvania pouredover the formidable Carpathian Mountains onto the plains of Walachiarolled up the entire Romanian army from west to east and drove theshaered remnants against Russia within four months e rate of ad-
vance of the 983097th Army in Transylvania in September or across Walachiain NovemberndashDecember 983089983097983089983094 compares favorably with the heady days(for the Germans) of the blitzkrieg in 983089983097983091983097ndash983089983097983092983088 Of course blitzkrieg isnot a term associated with World War I
Ironically the 983097th Army was led by General Erich von Falkenhaynsacked as chief of staff of the Prussian army on the eve of the campaignin August 983089983097983089983094 owing to the perception that his strategy of arition in the
west and failure to pursue a decisive victory in the east had created a de-
bacle Given the opportunity in Romania to salvage his reputation vonFalkenhayn grasped the imperative for speed Winter came early in theCarpathian Mountains and unless he drove the Romanians back andsecured the passes through the mountains before weather shut down op-erations the Romanians would remain on Austro-Hungarian territoryuntil well into 983089983097983089983095 Von Falkenhayn had few troops at his disposal andat least initially his forces would be outnumbered Geing reinforce-
ments from the other theaters of the war would take weeks In additionthe projected theater of operations in Romania sat at the edge of the leastdeveloped and most remote region of Austria-Hungary Transylvaniacompounding the logistical problems of mounting a campaign Againstall odds von Falkenhayn succeeded brilliantly proving himself to be amaster of operational warfare as his soldiers smashed through the Car-pathian Mountains and raced across Walachia
e chimera of open warfare that so tantalized the leaders on the
Western Front was the norm in the east raising the question which front was the true face of war the stalemate in the west or the vast bales ofopen warfare characteristic of the Eastern Front For the man who had
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xi ii
the task of rebuilding the shaered German army aer the war GeneralHans von Seeckt operations in the eastern theater provided the answerand illustrated the nature of future combat
Following his participation in the Marne Campaign of 983089983097983089983092 vonSeeckt served exclusively for the rest of the war in the east In May 983089983097983089983093as chief of staff in August von Mackensenrsquos 983089983089th Army he directed theimpressive breakthrough at Gorlice-Tarnow For the next six weeks the983089983089th Army rolled across the foothills of the Beskiden and Northern Car-pathian Mountains forcing the Russians to evacuate Galicia and eventu-ally Poland Over a quarter-million Russians were captured In the fall of
that year again as von Mackensenrsquos chief of staff but this time at the levelof army group von Seeckt directed three armies into Serbia and chasedthe Serb forces into Albania and Greece within three months In 983089983097983089983094 he became chief of staff of Army Group Archduke Karl the senior Austrianheadquarters in the southeast Balkan region at group directed muchof the campaign in Romania in 983089983097983089983094
Von Seeckt became disenchanted during the war with the Germanfixation on enveloping the enemy a tactic driven into a generation of staff
officers by the late chief of the general staff Count Alfred von Schlieffen(983089983096983091983091ndash983089983097983089983091) He had seen the stalemate that arose when going around anenemy flank took too long and forfeited surprise or when it could not bedone at all In such cases ldquothe general cannot simply declare that he isat witrsquos end he will be acting quite in the spirit of Count Schlieffen if with a clear objective in view he launches his masses at the most effectivepointrdquo1 A breakthrough would allow the successful aacker the same
opportunity as an envelopment to operate in the enemyrsquos vulnerablerear areas Present at the most decisive operations of the east von Seecktobserved firsthand the achievements of fast-moving combined arms
operations that either broke through the enemyrsquos lines or went aroundthem but that in all cases came to operate in his rear areas surprisinghim and cuing the vital lines of communication to his front-line forcesleaving them paralyzed
During the Romanian Campaign of 983089983097983089983094 von Seeckt and his Aus-trian commanders at Army Group Archduke Karl exerted lile real
authority over the determined and headstrong von Falkenhayn or vonMackensen operating in Bulgaria Nonetheless von Seeckt had a front-
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xi ii
the task of rebuilding the shaered German army aer the war GeneralHans von Seeckt operations in the eastern theater provided the answerand illustrated the nature of future combat
Following his participation in the Marne Campaign of 983089983097983089983092 vonSeeckt served exclusively for the rest of the war in the east In May 983089983097983089983093as chief of staff in August von Mackensenrsquos 983089983089th Army he directed theimpressive breakthrough at Gorlice-Tarnow For the next six weeks the983089983089th Army rolled across the foothills of the Beskiden and Northern Car-pathian Mountains forcing the Russians to evacuate Galicia and eventu-ally Poland Over a quarter-million Russians were captured In the fall of
that year again as von Mackensenrsquos chief of staff but this time at the levelof army group von Seeckt directed three armies into Serbia and chasedthe Serb forces into Albania and Greece within three months In 983089983097983089983094 he became chief of staff of Army Group Archduke Karl the senior Austrianheadquarters in the southeast Balkan region at group directed muchof the campaign in Romania in 983089983097983089983094
Von Seeckt became disenchanted during the war with the Germanfixation on enveloping the enemy a tactic driven into a generation of staff
officers by the late chief of the general staff Count Alfred von Schlieffen(983089983096983091983091ndash983089983097983089983091) He had seen the stalemate that arose when going around anenemy flank took too long and forfeited surprise or when it could not bedone at all In such cases ldquothe general cannot simply declare that he isat witrsquos end he will be acting quite in the spirit of Count Schlieffen if with a clear objective in view he launches his masses at the most effectivepointrdquo1 A breakthrough would allow the successful aacker the same
opportunity as an envelopment to operate in the enemyrsquos vulnerablerear areas Present at the most decisive operations of the east von Seecktobserved firsthand the achievements of fast-moving combined arms
operations that either broke through the enemyrsquos lines or went aroundthem but that in all cases came to operate in his rear areas surprisinghim and cuing the vital lines of communication to his front-line forcesleaving them paralyzed
During the Romanian Campaign of 983089983097983089983094 von Seeckt and his Aus-trian commanders at Army Group Archduke Karl exerted lile real
authority over the determined and headstrong von Falkenhayn or vonMackensen operating in Bulgaria Nonetheless von Seeckt had a front-
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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xiv 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
row seat on an operation that exemplified many of the hallmarks of thephilosophy and tactics he incorporated aer the war when in commandof the Reichswehr ndash tactics that when fully developed in the late 983089983097983091983088s
became known as the blitzkriegis book is not however about von Seeckt and the development
of blitzkrieg tactics in the postwar German Reichswehr e historians James Corum and Robert Citino have done groundbreaking work thereInstead this book focuses on a relatively significant campaign that islile known in the English-speaking world made more important bythe employment of what later formed blitzkrieg tactics Among these
were mobility speed combined arms operations and risking exposedflanks all in an effort to gain entrance to the enemyrsquos rear area so as toparalyze him or neutralize his ability to react In such a fashion a smaller
but beer led force could defeat a much larger oneere has been a renaissance in scholarship on World War I over
the last thirty years but more remains to be learned about the war inthe east Indeed a definitive account of the Eastern Front does not yetexist2 ere are several reasons for this Despite the massive scope of
the war in that arena to say nothing of the enormity of the theater inthe long run the decision came in the west In addition revolution Ger-man postwar Freikorps adventures in the Baltic civil war and continuedfighting kept the area in turmoil longer than in the west obscuring thepicture Te emergence of new states and postwar boundaries especiallyaer World War II and the ensuing Cold War oen blocked access tosources for decades Elimination of those borders and twenty years of
scholarly interaction have now made possible detailed examinations ofthe Eastern Front It is hoped that from studies like this focused on
specific campaigns a full-bodied picture will begin to emergeNational state and regional boundaries and names of places in
southeast Europe have changed many times since 983089983097983089983094 presenting thehistorian with a bewildering and oen confusing set of options from
which to choose Occasionally the warring parties agreed on the samename for a location or place but usually they did not each having itsown name for the same place or region in its own language that was
not simply a transliteration from one alphabet to another e Germansinvariably used the German name and the Austro-Hungarians (whether
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv
Austrians or Magyars) the Magyar name and the Romanians generallyemployed their name For example von Falkenhayn said Hermannstadthis Austrian counterpart General Arthur Arz von Straussenburg wrote
Nagyszeben and Romanian Chief of Staff General Dumitru Iliescu putdown Sibiu In similar fashion Kronstadt Brasso and Brasov are oneand the same in German Hungarian and Romanian respectively Notonly was this practice followed by the participants in their documentsand by those who wrote memoirs but in the postwar period histori-
ans followed the same convention It is a permissible practice to use
place-names as they appeared in documents but I have elected to use
the current Romanian names First contemporary atlases of sufficientdetail are hard to come by Second with the exception of some of theDobrogea region all of the places mentioned in this book where the
fighting occurred are now in Romania A reader looking up these loca-tions in a current atlas or on the Internet will find only their Romaniannames ird switching back and forth from the German Magyar andRomanian names as they appear in the original documents and mem-oirs would cause all but the most dedicated readers to slam the book
shut with a resounding thud Even the name Romania has gone throughseveral orthographic revisions At the time of the war Roumania wascommon During the interwar period Rumania became the norm inrecent years Romania is at the fore Wallachia is just as oen spelled withone l as with two Moldova can substitute for Moldavia is book uses
Walachia and Moldavia ere is an exception to every rule and mine tothe one about using Romanian place-names is to use Bucharest for the
Romanian capital rather than BucureştiBulgaria Romania and Russia all used the Julian calendar during World War I which was behind the western Gregorian calendar by thir-teen days In Romania the war broke out on 983089983092 August while in Viennait was 983090983095 August In citing documents from Romanian and Russian
sources I have adjusted the dates to correspond to the current Gregoriancalendar which is the common practice
is project would not have been possible without the translation
work of Lieutenant Iulia Bădoi of the Romanian National Police She wasindefatigable not only in translating material but also in finding somekey sources She made the arrangements to acquire the photographs
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
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xv i 983120983154983141983142983137983139983141
from the National Library and Romanian National Military Museum both in Bucharest Lieutenant Bădoi and her father Valentin Bădoi es-corted my wife and me on a wonderful week-long trip through Tran-
sylvania and its bale sites eir love of their country and its history was obvious Elizaveta Zheganina went to the Russian army archive inMoscow and did the translations for me of General Andrei MedarovichZaionchkovskyrsquos reports She had helped me with an earlier book andher aention to detail was as strong as ever
Military history without decent maps is almost impossible to fol-low Larry Hoffman of Paso Robles California did the excellent maps
for this book as he had done for a previous work of mine Sending thesemaps back and forth across the county for checking and revision is a
challenge even with the Internet and Larry was always positive and
responsive Dr Spencer Tucker the general editor of the series is a fontof encouragement and Bob Sloan at Indiana University Press and hiscolleagues did their usual great job for an author Indianarsquos copy editor Jeanne Ferris created order in the footnote apparatus and smoothed therough edges elsewhere
Works of history rely on voices from the past most oen kept in re-cords stored in archives or the memoirs of participants e author whotries to put them together relies on many people e Internet and com-puters have radically changed access to archives and documents Te
archivists and librarians who respond to e-mail inquiries and who staffthe desks in the reading rooms are the foot soldiers of historical research
Researchers can search online from different continents order docu-
ments and books and find them waiting on arrival in the archive It is anastonishing phenomenon and a great pleasure to converse on the Internet with archivists then fly to Europe and have materials siing on a deskin a reading room awaiting action once the registration formalities arefinished My sincere thanks to the staffs of the Military and Photographic
Archives of the Federal Republic of Germany in Freiburg iB and Ko- blenz respectively the Military Branch of the Bavarian State Archivein Munich the Bavarian State Library in Munich the State Archive of
Baden-Wuumlremberg in Stugart the Romanian National Library theRomanian National Military Museum the State Archive of the Republicof Austria in Vienna the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow and
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983120983154983141983142983137983139983141 xv ii
the National Archive of England e assistance of the librarians and ar-chivists at the US Army Heritage Education Center at Carlisle BarracksPennsylvania matched that of their colleagues in Europe
As a scholar who has the advantage of a college teaching position myefforts have been facilitated by colleagues who took over my classes whenI le for a research trip or to present a paper at a conference soundingout some theories or narrations that found their way into this book eInter-Library Loan desk at e Citadel worked its usual magic and lo-cated books and articles that I did not think existed in the United StatesSeveral colleagues checked my work or helped correct some bad writing
Rosemary Michaud who edited a previous book of mine on the Germancapture of the Baltic Islands returned to the front lines and earned anoak leaf cluster to her distinguished editing medal She knows the mo juse and has an eye for the repeated word the hackneyed phrase andeven the rhythm of sentences Time and again she would commandldquoat word stopped me cold Change itrdquo My Citadel colleague Profes-sor Kyle Sinisi helped enormously as well ndash as he did on an earlier bookey have improved the style of this work Errors and uninspired prose
are mine the good passages are theirsInternational travel and residence while abroad can amass substan-
tial bills quickly e Citadel Foundation of e Citadel the MilitaryCollege of South Carolina graciously underwrote many of the trips andexpenses involved in conducting the research for this book Deans Sam-uel Hines and W B Moore Jr likewise provided financial assistance
Finally there is more than comfort in knowing that at the end of a
long bewildering day or a tiring and frustrating research trip there isa sanctuary of quiet and tranquility at home made possible by my wifeSara It is to her that this work is dedicated
Michael B Barret
Te Ciadel Charleson Souh Carolina
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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xi x
983105 983115 Army Corps (in referring to a specific corpsthe unit number is in roman numerals forexample VIAK for VI Army Corps)
983105983119983115 Army Headquarters (without a number refersto the Austrian Army Headquarters in Teschen
with a number such as 983089AOK or 983097AOK refersto a specific Austrian or German army)
983106983105 983117 983105 Bundesarchiv-militaumlrarchiv Freiburgin Breisgau Germany
BArch Bundesarchiv Photographic Archive Koblenz Germany
983106983115 983105 Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich Germany
983106983115 983105 Stg Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv IVKriegsarchiv Munich GermanyStaudinger Photographic Collection
983115983124983106 Kriegsagebuch (war diary or combatlogbook kept by units)
983116983106-983127 Landesarchiv Baden-WuumlrembergStugart Germany
983119983112 983116 Oberste Heeresleitung the GermanHigh Command in Pless
Selected Abbreviations
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1220
xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1420
D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1520
983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
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983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1220
xx 983116 983145983155983156 983151983142 983123983141 983148 983141 983139983156983141 983140 983105 983138983138983154 983141 983158 983145 983137983156 983145983151983150983155
OumlStA Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivNeue Feldakten Vienna Austria
OumlStA Ru Oumlsterreichisches Staatsarchiv KriegsarchivRomanian Photographic Collection
983122983111983126983113 983105 Rossiskii Gosudarstvennyi Voenno-Istoricheskii Arkhiv Moscow Russia
983122 983118983117983117 Romanian National Military Museum Bucharest 983122 983122 983117 Ministerul Apararii Natjionale Serviciul
ldquoistoricrdquo Marele Stat Major Romania in
razboiul mondial 983089983097983089983094ndash983089983097983089983097 983096 vols BucharestImprimeria Nationala 983089983097983091983092ndash983089983097983092983094
983124983118983105 e National Archive Kew England
983125983123 983105 983112983109983107 Army Heritage and Education Center
Carlisle Barracks Carlisle Pennsylvania
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1320
Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1420
D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1520
983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1620
983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1320
Prelude to Blitzkrieg
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1420
D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1520
983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1620
983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1420
D a n
u be R
O l
t
R
J i u
M u r
e s R
M u r
e s R
T arnav a Mi c a
T a r n a v a Mare
BrailaGalati
Focsani
Ploesti
SilistriaTurtucaia
Pitesti
Craiova
SibiuFagaras
Brasov
Turnu SeverinTargu Jiu
Orsova
Mehadia
Petrosani
Deva Alba Iulia
Medias
Sinaia
Campulung
Toplita
Reghin
PraidSighisoara Odorheieu
Secuiesc
TarguSecuiesc
MiercureaCiuc
Targu Mures
Bucharest
R e d T o
w e r P
B r a n
P
P red e a l P
T oumlmoumlser P
S u r d
u k P
ROMANIA
BULGARIA Dobrogea
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 0 Miles 50
0 Km 100
TransylvanianndashRomanian
Theater of Operations
Larry Hoffman
) (
V u l k
a n
P
) ( ) (
) ( ) (
) ( B r a to c e a P ) (
B u z a u P
) (
O i t o z P
)
(
G y i m e s P
)
(
T ulghes P )
(
Heights in feet4500-7500
2000-4500
600-2000
0-600
C s i k M
t n
s
B a r a o
l t M
t n s
C i bini Mt ns F o g a r a s M t n s
T r ans y l v a n ian A l p s
Geisterwald
H a
r g i t
t a
M t n s
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1520
983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1620
983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1520
983089
983119983152983141983150983145 983150983143 983123983137983148983158983151983141983155 983090983095 983105983157983143983157983155983156 983089983097983089983094
A 983091 983152983149 983090983095 Augus 983089983097983089983094 raffic ceased along he five hundred miles of he Ausrian-Romanian border Te change ook a while o regiser wih he Ausrian guards because Romanian soldiers iniially sopped he flowa dozen miles rom heir side o he border Te Ausrians firs noicedhings were amiss when scheduled rains failed o appear Tey duly
repored his roubling developmen o heir headquarers suspecingand dreading wha i probably mean Tey did no have long o wai
A 983096983092983093 983152983149 in Vienna Ambassador Edgar Mavrocordao (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983092)handed Romaniarsquos declaraion of war o Coun Isvan Burian (983089983096983093983089ndash983089983097983090983090)he Ausrian oreign miniser Mavrocordao knew is conens well hehad kep he documen in his sae or several days afer i had been handdelivered rom Buchares in a manner befiting a spy novel Romaniansaesmen had long realized ha heir cherished goal o liberaing heirkinsmen in Hungarian-ruled ransylvania could be achieved only i he
Allies won he world conflic Afer reneging on he lae King Carolrsquospledge o suppor he Cenral Powers in he faeful days of July and
Augus 983089983097983089983092 he Romanian governmen had waied or he opporunemomen o ener he war while is diplomas secured Allied promiseso allow Buchares o annex Romania irredenta he Ausro-Hungarianprovince o ransylvania In he lae summer o 983089983097983089983094 a combinaion o
Allied miliary success wih a concomian eeering of he Cenral Pow-ers and Allied pressure indicaed o Romania ha he momen when herinervenion migh ip he balance had arrived Te declaraion o war
Romania Enters the War
1
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1620
983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1620
983090 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
minced no words ldquoRomania sees iself forced o place iself a he sideof hose who would be able o assure he realizaion of is naional uniyrdquo1
Officials in Vienna immediaely relayed he news o he army field
headquarers in eschen on he Easern Fron in Ausrian Silesia TereGeneral Augus von Cramon (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983088) he German liaison officercalled his own nearby headquarers in Pless o pass on he bad newsTe duy officer summoned he army chie o saff General Erich vonFalkenhayn (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983090983090) o he phone ldquoA 983096983092983093 his eveningrdquo von Cra-mon repored ldquohe Romanian Ambassador o Vienna handed he Aus-ro-Hungarian Governmen a declaraion o warrdquo ldquoImpossiblerdquo cried
von Falkenhayn ldquoIrsquos a fac Excellencyrdquo insised von Cramon2
VonFalkenhayn immediaely called Kaiser Wilhelm II (983089983096983093983097ndash983089983097983092983089) who wasequally sunned Te news ldquohi him like a bol rom he bluerdquo He oldGeneral Moriz von Lyncker (983089983096983093983091ndash983089983097983091983090) head o he Miliary Cabineha ldquohis means he end o he warrdquo3 Up o he momen o he declara-ion he kaiser believed i impossible ha Romaniarsquos King Ferdinand(983089983096983094983095ndash983089983097983090983095) ndash a German from he Caholic branch of his own Hohen-zollern amily and a sovereign who had pursued a policy o neuraliy
since Romania defeced from is alliance obligaions a he warrsquos on-se ndash would go over o he enemy Alhough Romaniarsquos perfidy and dis-avowal o blood ies shocked he kaiser von Falkenhayn was no oallyaken aback Romaniarsquos iming more han her declaraion o war hadaken him by surprise Despie warning signs ha Romania was gradu-ally iling oward he Enene he had given credence o auly inelli-gence rom he German miliary atacheacute and ambassador in Buchares
and firmly believed ha he invasion would no come before he comple-ion o he all harves4
Von Falkenhayn had noneheless hedged his bes and consuled wihhis Ausrian counerpar Colonel General Franz Conrad von Houmlzendorf(983089983096983093983090ndash983089983097983090983093) Te wo army chies had me wice in July o discuss whaacions o ake in he even ha Romania inervened Tey aced limiedopions given he crises on he oher rons o he war Abou all heycould do was o hreaen Romania from Bulgaria where a small German-
Bulgarian army led by German Field Marshal Augus von Mackensen(983089983096983092983097ndash983089983097983092983093) blocked Allied forces in Tessalonica (Greece) from movingnorh A hrus rom Bulgaria would almos cerainly orce he Roma-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1720
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983091
nians o pull back some of heir unis invading ransylvania o defend hecapial o Buchares dangerously close o he Bulgarian border along heDanube River Te diversion of enemy forces would slow he pace of heir
advance in ransylvania permiting Ausria and Germany o assemblesufficien unis in norhern ransylvania o drive he invaders back overhe mounains ono he plains o Walachia Te Cenral Powers wouldpursue he rereaing enemy and reinorced by he German-Bulgarianarmy coming rom Bulgaria crush Romania in a concenric advance onBuchares5
Tis ambiious plan remained almos enirely on paper Te pre-
vailing wisdom was o avoid provoking he Romanians by reinorcinghe border a sep von Falkenhayn ound easy o implemen because hehad no spare divisions o send o he Balkans Te consequences o aRomanian declaraion o war were ar more serious or he Ausriansand Conrad did ake some minor acion He moved his heavy bridgingequipmen and he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla o river pors in Bul-garia opposie Romania He had already ordered he regional hinerlandcommanders in ransylvania o prepare or an invasion elling hem o
consolidae second-line and miliia unis ha were scatered here andhere ino coheren comba unis6 A he end o July he dispached wodivisions o ransylvania alhough boh came rom he Russian ronand needed reconsiuion and recuperaion owing o crushing lossesTese were he 983093983089s and 983094983089sHonved or Hungarian Infanry roop Divi-sions boh in sad shape Te 983094983089s wen o Csik Couny norh o Brasov(Kronsad) in he Burzenland he 983093983089s wen o Alba Julia (Karlsburg)
Te Ausrians formed weny-hree new infanry batalions fromreserve unis foraging arillery and miscellaneous equipmen from oherrons and organized hese ino he 983095983089s and 983095983090nd Inanry roop Divi-sions locaed in Brasov Sibiu (Hermannsad) and Perosani (Pero-szeny) In one o he subordinae unis o he 983095983090nd Division he 983089983092983092hInanry Brigade coal miners rom Perosani were ormed ino several
batalions Hungarian sae-of-siege laws allowed he conscripion ofpeople in many proessions including miners on declaraion o war I
is no cerain i he miners ever received any miliary raining bu onpaper hey exised as a uni and were already under marial law waiingor orders o drop heir picks and shovels and o move o he ron7
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1820
983092 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Conrad did send one firs-rae infanry regimen he 983096983090nd fromhis 983092h Army in Russia Te unirsquos members belonged o he Szekelerpopulaion of he Burzenland a Magyar subgroup living in he souheas
apex of ransylvania Finally as he signs from Romania grew more omi-nous Conrad creaed an army headquarers he 983089s o command hismeacutelange o unis wih is area o operaions exending rom he Danube
border wih Hungary o he Russian Fron in he Bucovina He placedLieuenan General Arur Arz von Sraussenburg (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983093) in chargeon 983095 Augus 9830899830979830899830948
Born in Sibiu Arz proved a good choice Good-humored he was
liked by boh he Germans and his Ausrian superiors Possessed o anaffable personaliy ha successfully sough compromise he had hadassignmens in he managemen and personnel branches o he generalsaff raher han aking he more cusomary roue o general officer rank
via he operaions division When he war broke ou he held he rank omajor general and headed he adminisraive secion o he War Min-isry Neverheless he asked or a field command in Augus 983089983097983089983092 Hecommanded an infanry division in he batle of Komoroacutew bu he grim
hand o Darwinis laws led o many changes a he op o he Ausrianorces and he ook charge o he VI Corps by Sepember 983089983097983089983092 He wassill commanding he VI Corps when Conrad moved him o ransyl-
vania in Augus 9830899830979830899830949
Poliical reasons as well as Arzrsquos miliary alen were responsible orhis selecion Arz was he firs Ausrian commander in he war o receivePrussiarsquos coveed Pour le Meacuterie medal which he earned or leading he
VI Corps in he Gorlice-arnow Campaign as par o von Mackensenrsquos983089983089h Army Te abiliy o work wih von Mackensen was imporan asConrad anicipaed ha he field marshal would be in charge o all heroops in Siebenbuumlrgen (he souhern region o ransylvania borderingRomania) as well as o he Bulgarians and orces souh o he Danube10
Arz repored o Conrad or guidance in early Augus en roue romRussia o ransylvania He received precious litle Te chief never men-ioned ha he had worked ou a enaive plan wih his German coun-
erpar Conrad simply old Arz ha Romaniarsquos enry ino he war was acerainy she had virually mobilized her orces and had some 983092983088983088983088983088983088soldiers on acive service and Arz could expec an invasion a any mo-
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 1920
983122983151983149983137983150 983145983137 983109983150 983156983141983154 983155 983156983144 983141 983127983137983154 983093
men Armed wih ha cheery news Arz repored nex o HungarianPrime Miniser Coun Isvan isza (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983089983096) who also expressed hisconvicion ha a Romanian invasion was imminen Ta naionrsquos mer-
curial prime miniser Ion I C Braianu (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983090983095) had again declaredRomaniarsquos neuraliy bu isza scoffed giving no credence whasoevero ha asserion11
Arz arrived in Cluj Napoca (Klausenburg) on 983089983092 Augus Awai-ing him was Colonel Josef Huber (983089983096983094983092ndash983089983097983092983092) his chief of saff whohad raveled direcly rom Russia o Siebenbuumlrgen and he brough hegeneral up o dae Huber knew ha he High Command waned he 983089s
Army o delay or as long as possible while wihdrawing rom he moun-ain border regions o prepared posiions along he line o he Mures(Maros) and arnava (Kokel) Valleys A lenghy wihdrawal would givehe Cenral Powers he ime needed o send reinorcemens or he nexphase hrowing he Romanians from ransylvania Te alernaive sra-egy o abandoning he easern hal o ransylvania and deending heprovince along he line o he wo river valleys generaed litle enhusi-asm because o he devasaing impac i would have on he morale o
boh soldiers and civilians12
Arzrsquos 983089s Army had our weak divisions (abou hiry o hiry-five batalions) and roughly a hundred pieces o arillery in hireen bater-ies Opposing him noed Huber he Romanians had 983090983092983088 ull-srengh
batalions 983089983090983088983088983088 cavalry and 983096983092983088 guns and howizers For he ime being he 983089s Army repored o Army Group Archduke Karl Te mis-sion was o deer or delay a Romanian invasion along he ransylvanian
border rom he Danube o he Bucovina where he Ausrian 983095h Army was engaged wih he Russians ndash some 983093983088983088 miles o ronier Especiallycriical was keeping in conac wih he 983095h Army If he Russians orRomanians broke ha connecion hey could roll up he enire souh-eas fron If he enemy pressure proved superior a phased rerea odeensive posiions prepared along he Mures-arnava (Maros-Kokel)
Valleys was auhorized13
Te new 983089s Army commander hen issued his own guidelines di-
viding he armyrsquos area o operaions ino our secors Major General Arur Fuumlloumlpp (983089983096983093983092ndash) had responsibiliy from he exreme souhernflank (he border on he Danube) o Sebes eas o he Szurduk Pass
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16
8122019 Prelude to Blitzkrieg (excerpt)
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullprelude-to-blitzkrieg-excerpt 2020
983094 983120 983154983141983148983157983140983141 983156983151 983106 983148983145983156983162983147983154983145 983141983143
Nex in line heading eas wih his headquarers in almaciu (almacs) was Brigadier General Edmund von Lober (983089983096983093983095ndash983089983097983091983088) Te Red owerPass wih is key rail link o Walachia lay in his area Major General
Erwin von Matanovich (983089983096983094983089ndash983089983097983092983090) commanded he nex secor whichran eas rom Fagaras (Fogaras) pas Brasov and he vial passes leadingoward Buchares hen norh o he line o he Mures and arnava Val-leys Brasov was his headquarers Brigadier General Konrad Graller
von Cebrowrsquos (983089983096983094983093ndash983089983097983092983090) 983094983089s Inanry roop Division had he hugenorhern secor wih our major passes (ulghes Bekas Gyimes andUz) running rom Odorheiu Secuiesc o Vara Dornei in he riangle
where Hungary Ausria and Romania me14
Once General Arz hadmoved his unis ino hese areas all he could do was o mark ime TeRomanians did no keep him waiing long
Shorly afer Ambassador Mavrocordao delivered he declaraiono war repors rom he border crossings beween Romania and Ausriaindicaed ha rains enering Romania were being fired on A he Gy-imes Pass in he Wooded Carpahian range a rain came flying back inreverse a high speed wih holes in many places and wo of he crew badly
wounded Soon cusomhouses and guard poss all along he froniercame under atack Romanian army unis swep hrough major bordercrossings firing a Ausrians who resised Word came back rom severalo he Ausrian border crossings indicaing heavy casualies Ten omi-nously phone raffic ceased15
wo hundred miles o he souh on he Danube River he war sar-ed a half-hour laer a 983097983091983088 983152983149 wih a orpedo fired from a well-concealed
Romanian boa lying off Ramadan Island in he harbor o he ciy oGiurgiu Te orpedo sreaked across he river where vessels rom he Ausrian navyrsquos Danube Floilla were a anchor in he Bulgarian ciy oRuschek Aimed a he flagship Bosna he sho missed hiting inseada nearby barge loaded wih uel and coal which exploded and burned
A firs he Ausrian sailors suspeced an atack bu when no furher ac-iviy ensued hey concluded ha he fire was a produc o sponaneouscombusion or carelessness However a 983089983088983091983088 983152983149 he army headquar-
ers sen a eleype saing ha Romania had declared war Te floillacommander gave orders o weigh anchor immediaely16