World War I and II
W 1916 r. Romania entered the war on the side of the Entente (agreement of Great Britain, France and Russia), with the primary goal of taking away Austria-Hungary from Transylvania (Transylvania). During the fighting, Wallachia came under the occupation of the Central Powers. (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey), while Moldova was fiercely defended by Romanian and Russian troops. Defeat of Austria-Hungary in 1918 r. made it possible to incorporate further provinces into the borders of Romania – Banatu, Transylvania and Bukovina.
In the years preceding World War II, Romania, thanks to the skilful moves of Foreign Minister Nicolae Titulescu, has pursued a very successful policy in the international arena. She looked for guarantees of security in alliances with France and Great Britain and joined Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia in a small entent. It also signed the Balkan Pact with Yugoslavia, Turkey and Greece, w 1921 r. sealed the alliance with Poland, and later established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. The effects of these efforts have waned, when Hitler managed to suppress the fears of Western countries, and the Romanian King Charles II, having introduced in February 1938 r. dictatorial rule, he changed the state's policy to pro-German. After France's surrender in May 1940 r. Romania could no longer count on any allies. A month later, Soviet troops occupied Bessarabia, taken back from Russia after World War I. 30 VII 1940 r. Nazi Germany and fascist Italy forced Romania to give up Northern Transylvania Hungary (area 43 500 km2, inhabited by 2,6 million people). In September 1940 r. Dobruja was handed over to Bulgaria.
These invasive acts sparked widespread protests. In defense of the interests of the ruling class, General Ion Antonescu forced King Charles II to step down in favor of his son Michael, and made himself supreme commander (leader) and introduced dictatorial fascist rule. German troops were admitted into the country, and in June 1941 r. Antonescu stood at Hitler's side, to attack the Soviet Union together. As a result of this alliance, at least 400 000 Romanian Jews and 36 000 Gypsies were killed in Oświęcim and other concentration camps. (After the war, Antonescu was executed as a war criminal).
Throughout the entire period of World War II, there was a strong opposition against the Nazis among the civilians and soldiers. As it became clear, that the war is about to end, and Soviet troops found themselves on Romanian borders, extraordinary national agreement has been reached. 23 VII 1944 r. Romania suddenly found itself on the other side of the fighting forces, she was taken prisoner 53 159 German soldiers staying on its territory and declared war on fascist Germany. This desperate act saved her independence and significantly shortened the fights. Do 25 X Soviet army managed to drive Hungarian and German forces out of Transylvania. Romanian troops took part in the liberation of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The costs, however, were enormous.: 500 000 Romanian soldiers were killed, fighting on the side of the Axis, and more 170 000 after joining the Allies.
Communist period
A year ago 1945 the importance of Romanian communist groups was small. They owed their post-war position to Moscow.. Recovery of Transylvania, provided by the Soviet Union, greatly raised their prestige in the eyes of society, also influencing the results of the parliamentary elections in November 1946 r. A year later, the monarchy was abolished and the Romanian People's Republic was proclaimed. W 1948 r. there was a unification of the communist and socialist parties under the name of the Romanian Workers' Party (renamed the Romanian Communist Party again in 1965). Soon after, the place of the name "Romania” replaced, referring more strongly to the Roman heritage of the country, the term "Romania”.
W 1958 r. Soviet troops were withdrawn from Romania, a w 1960 r. the state began to conduct an independent foreign policy under the leadership of two "national” communist leaders, who were imprisoned during World War II. Gheorge Gheorghiu-Dej ruled in years 1952-1965, and his protégé Nicolae Ceausescu's worlds 1965-1989.
Contrary to the rest of the Warsaw Pact countries, Romania could allow itself to deviate from the official Soviet political line. Staying a member of the treaty, however, it did not participate in military maneuvers after 1968 r,. although there was never a break with the Soviet Union, as was the case in China thanks to Mao or during Tito's rule in Yugoslavia; did not support the Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia in 1968 r, and Ceausescu even officially criticized the act, gaining the recognition and economic assistance of the West. After Romania condemned the Soviet war in Afghanistan and took part in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, boycotted by the Eastern Bloc countries. 1984 r., Ceausescu was officially decorated by Queen Elizabeth II.
Ceausescu pursued a very skillful foreign policy, but his 25-year rule, inept in the field of domestic politics, have ruined the country. W 1974 r. he took over the office of president created for him, and in years 80. he assigned members of his immediate family to the highest state positions. And so his wife, Elena, served as the deputy prime minister, Nicu's son headed a youth communist organization, to later become the political leader of Transylvania, and the president's three brothers were given key positions in Bucharest.
Ceausescu's domestic policy at its best could be described as chaotic, and at worst – as megalomaniac. Of his numerous monumental projects, only two can be considered successful: construction of a road crossing the Fagaras Mountains massif (Many workers paid for the implementation of this bold undertaking with death, often dying in mysterious circumstances) and the construction of the Bucharest metro, open in 1985 r. The other 'works” it's expensive, more than once pathetic duds: the useless Danube Canal from Agigea to Cernavo, completed in 1984 r., the devastation of the Danube Delta caused by the development of agriculture and the production of toxic waste or the construction of the expensive People's House. It should also be noted undertaken in the years 1983-1989 the unfortunate attempts to transform southern Bucharest into a new political center and the otherwise unrealized plans to "systematize” Romanian agricultural economy through resettlement of inhabitants 7000 villages (their global number in the country was 13 000) for hastily erected concrete blocks – a move all the more unfortunate, that cultural and social disruptions were ignored, what it could trigger.
At the end of the years 80., when the Soviet bloc began to fall apart, and the United States has stopped demanding Romania's independence, depriving it of its current status of "the most favored of nations."”, unshakable Ceausescu continued the million-dollar construction of the People's House and transforming Bucharest into a model example of a socialist capital. His most serious offense, however, was the decision to export food in order to redeem the country from increasing debts.
While in March 1989 r. the chief organized wonderful celebrations, to celebrate the repayment 10 billions of dollars in debt, few citizens felt like celebrating. (Debt settlement funds were literally squeezed out of the country thanks to drastic austerity, including, among others. power off every night). In November 1987 r. several thousand workers protested in Brasov, demanding the improvement of living conditions, and in winter 1988-1989 r. the country suffered from a food shortage that had not been recorded for these decades. The severe market crisis caused ethnic tensions.
At the end 1989 r., as the world watched the fall of communist rule one after another, it seemed, that this process will also include Romania. However, in a speech given 20 On November, at the 14th Congress of the Romanian Communist Party Ceausescu, he criticized the political transformations taking place in Eastern Europe and called for facing them. His speech was interrupted until 60 standing ovations. At the congress, he was once again elected general secretary of the party..