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Second Romanian campaign of World War I
Part of Eastern Front of World War I
Date 10–11 November 1918 Location Bukovina, Brăila Result Romanian victory
Belligerents
Germany  Austria-Hungary	Romania
Commanders and leaders
August von Mackensen	Ferdinand I
Strength
Unknown	10 divisions 2 warships
Casualties and losses
77 assorted German vessels were captured	None

The second Romanian campaign of World War I was one of the shortest military operations of the war, taking place during the last two days of the war, 10 and 11 November 1918. With no significant battles, it yielded important territorial as well as material gains for the Romanians, and was a prelude to the Hungarian–Romanian War, which would start two days later, on 13 November.

Background

The First Romanian Campaign ended in victory for the Central Powers, forcing Romania to sign the Treaty of Bucharest and drop out of the war in May 1918. This treaty was deeply resented by the Romanians.

But after Bulgaria had capitulated on 29 September 1918, the French-led Army of the Danube under of Henri Mathias Berthelot, traveled unopposed under armistice terms through Bulgaria by rail towards Romania. By the end of October, they had reached Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo and Ruse on the Bulgarian-Romanian border. There was still a large German-Austrian-Hungarian occupation force present in Romania under command of August von Mackensen. By early November however, it was clear the war was lost and the occupation force marched home towards Hungary, and the French crossed the Danube at Svishtov and Nikopol. These events motivated Romania to re-declare war on the Central Powers on 10 November 1918.

Course of the campaign

Northern front

On the northern front, Romanian troops occupied Austrian Bukovina, entering the capital Czernowitz on 11 November.

Southern front

In the morning of 11 November, three hours before the Allied Armistice with Germany was signed, the Romanian monitor Mihail Kogălniceanu, together with the 30-ton river torpedo boat Trotușul, recovered the port of Brăila after the Germans retreated from the city. The two Romanian warships captured 77 assorted German vessels abandoned in the city's port (barges, tankers, tugs, floating cranes, and motorboats).

References

1. Général Bernachot, Les Armées françaises en Orient après l'armistice de 1918, Imprimerie nationale, 1970, volume 2.L'Armée du Danube, l'Armée française d'Orient (28 octobre 1918 – 25 janvier 1920).
2. Spencer C. Tucker, The Great War, 1914–1918, Routledge, 2002, p. 121
3. Paul R. Magocsi, A History of Ukraine: The Land and Its Peoples, University of Toronto Press, 2010, p. 553
4. Raymond Stănescu, Cristian Crăciunoiu, Marina română în primul război mondial, Modelism Publishing, 2000, p. 251 (in Romanian)

v t e Great Union (Marea Unire)
Background	Ideology Romanian nationalism Romanian irredentism Greater Romania Events Unification of Moldavia and Wallachia Independence and annexation of Northern Dobruja Romanian annexation of Silistra Conquest of Southern Dobruja Treaty of Bucharest of 1916
Figures	Ferdinand I of Romania (King) Marie of Romania (Queen) Ion I. C. Brătianu (Prime Minister) Alexandru Averescu Iancu Flondor Pan Halippa Iuliu Maniu
Accomplishment	Romania in World War I First Romanian war plan 1916 Romanian Campaign Battle of Transylvania The Romanian Debacle Battle of Bucharest Central Powers occupation of Romania 1917 Romanian Campaign Battle of Mărăști Battle of Mărășești Third Battle of Oituz Romanian military intervention in Bessarabia Second Romanian campaign Hungarian–Romanian War Romanian occupation of Hungary Romanian occupation of Pokuttia Institutions and documents Sfatul Țării General Congress of Bukovina Romanian National Council Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia Declaration of Alba Iulia Ruling Council Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye Treaty of Trianon Treaty of Paris (unenforced) Unifications Union with Bessarabia Union with Bukovina Union with Transylvania
Disestablishment	Soviet occupation of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina and the Hertsa region Second Vienna Award Treaty of Craiova Population exchange between Bulgaria and Romania Recovery attempt of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina and Hertsa Transnistria Governorate Paris Peace Treaties, 1947 Moscow Protocol of 1948
Aftermath	Moldavian SSR Republic of Moldova Independence Transnistria Transnistria conflict Transnistria War Gagauz Republic Gagauzia conflict Unification with Romania Commemoration 1 Decembrie 1918 University, Alba Iulia National Museum of the Union Holidays Dobruja Day Day of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania Bukovina Day Great Union Day (Romanian national day) Trianon Treaty Day Centenary Centenary of the Great Union Anniversary Medal Centenary March 2018 unification declarations in Moldova and Romania

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