Great War and the Romanians: Notes and Documents on World War I

by Nicolae ne, Nicolae Petrescu-Comnen

Written during the First World War, this book describes Romania’s role in World War I during the critical years of 1916 and 1917. The book analyzes the situation of the Romanians living within the borders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time and the causes for Romania’s entry into the war. The author then discusses Romania’s contribution to the war effort during 1916 and the first half of 1917. An important record of events for historians interested in the First World War on the Eastern Front, it includes several essential historical documents that illustrate the author’s account of the events of the time. The book also has a preface by Albert Thomas, French minister of Armaments and War Production at that time, and Maurice Muret. It is a valuable first-hand account of Romania’s involvement in World War I. The author, Nicolae Petrescu-Comnène was an important Romanian diplomat of the interwar period. He served as ambassador to Switzerland, Germany, and the Vatican, as well as a delegate at the League of Nations, before becoming foreign minister from 1938 to 1939. He authored numerous studies on history, law, and politics.

Hardcover

First published August 4, 2000

Reviews

[Eric Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Notes and Documents on World War I" is rather a misleading subtitle. This is a Romanian propaganda piece, written while the war was still ongoing. It was a fascinating read, but I would hesitate to take any historical conclusions from this text without extensive use of other sources. Don't get me wrong - this is an important work, showing how the fate and morale of the Romanians rebounded in the remarkably short time frame of less than a year after the defeats of 1916. But it is not a balanced work. To be fair, it was not intended to be a balanced work.