The Epic of 1917

Before discussing the cannons of Mărăști, one must understand the deplorable state of the country at the beginning of 1917. Following the disastrous campaign of 1916, two-thirds of Romanian territory, including Bucharest, was under German and Austro-Hungarian occupation. The Government, the Royal Family, and the remnants of the army had retreated to Moldavia.Moldavia had become a vast refugee camp. Famine, the biting cold, and typhus were ravaging the population, killing more people than the enemy's bullets. However, amidst this apocalyptic landscape, a miracle occurred: the reorganization of the army. Under the guidance of the French Military Mission led by General Henri Berthelot, the Romanian soldier was rearmed, trained in modern warfare tactics, and, most importantly, restored to his dignity. King Ferdinand’s promises regarding land reform and universal suffrage transformed peasants into soldiers ready for the ultimate sacrifice.

Chapter II: The Battle of Mărăști – "Breaking the Front"

1. The Strategic Plan and General Averescu’s "Punch"

The Battle of Mărăști (July 11/24 – July 19/August 1, 1917) was the first major offensive of the reorganized Romanian army. The goal was ambitious: the encirclement and destruction of the German 9th Army. The chosen sector was a difficult, mountainous terrain where the enemy had built fortifications they considered impregnable.

General Alexandru Averescu, a legendary figure, conceived a surprise penetration maneuver. The artillery preparation was unprecedented for the Romanian front. For two days, the guns swept away the barbed wire and German machine-gun nests.

2. "They Shall Not Pass!" – The Attack and Heroism

On the morning of July 11, at 03:50 AM, the assault began. Romanian soldiers—many of them barefoot or with improvised equipment, but possessed of an iron will—leapt from the trenches. Accounts of the time say the enthusiasm was so great that the infantry ran faster than planned, falling under their own artillery fire in their frantic desire to engage the enemy.

The village of Mărăști, transformed by the Germans into a veritable fortress, was conquered house by house. The success was total. The enemy front was broken across a width of 30 km and a depth of 20 km. Entire villages were liberated, and the army's morale skyrocketed.

3. The Consequences of Mărăști

Although the offensive had to be abruptly halted due to the collapse of the Russian army (the ally that had begun to disintegrate under the influence of the Bolshevik Revolution), the victory at Mărăști proved to the world that "the Romanian army lives." Thousands of prisoners and a vast amount of weaponry were captured. But above all, the certainty was born that the German enemy could be defeated.

Chapter III: Mărășești – "The Romanian Verdun"

If Mărăști was a successful offensive, Mărășești was the ultimate test of endurance. Here, the stake was no longer just the liberation of territory, but the very existence of the Romanian state. The German General August von Mackensen, nicknamed "The Front Breaker," intended to deliver the coup de grâce to Romania, occupy the rest of Moldavia, and knock the country out of the war for good.

The battle lasted 29 days (August 6 – September 3, 1917) and was a succession of violent attacks and counterattacks. It was here that the motto was consecrated: "They shall not pass!" (Pe aici nu se trece!).

1. The Critical Moment: The Răzoare Forest

During the hardest moments of the battle, the soldiers of the 32nd "Mircea" Infantry Regiment ran out of ammunition. In a scene legendary in its intensity, they stripped off their tunics due to the suffocating heat and attacked with bayonets, wearing only their white undershirts, shouting "Ura!" (Hooray!). The Germans, shocked by this "ghostly" vision and the ferocity of the Romanians, retreated in disorder. This was the moment that decided the fate of the battle.