Romania National Focus Tree (Suggestion)

[Akfiz]

Romania was a nation bordering itself before World War 1. With half of Romanians living in Romania, and the other half living in the regions of Transylvania, Banat, Bukovina and Bessarabia. Somehow Romania was very lucky and got all 4 at the end of the war.

Brief history:

Due to the strong cultural connection and economic proximity, Wallachia and Moldavia made a customs union in 1848. Ad-hoc meetings were organized in 1857 where the populations of Wallachia and Moldavia expressed their desire for union.

Unionists from Wallachia and Moldavia brought their case to a congress of the Great Powers in 1858. The Great Powers decided to allow a union and created a constitution known as "The Convention from Paris". They will be known as United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia but will have separate institutions and thrones will remain separate and each will elect their own prince. The same convention stated that the army will keep its old flags, with the addition of a blue ribbon on each of them.

It was a union for the most part only in name. Apart from the common army, the two states behaved like completely different states. However, the Moldavians elected Colonel Alexander Ioan Cuza as the prince of Moldavia on 5 January 1859 and then the Wallachians elected Colonel Alexander Ioan Cuza as prince of Wallachia on 24 January 1859. The "The Convention from Paris" stated the thrones of Moldavia and Wallachia had to be separate, but it didn't state that the same man can't be elected the prince of both separate thrones, thus the Romanians fulfilled the rules of the "The Convention from Paris" and United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia was officialy established.

Alexander Ioan Cuza carried out reforms that slowly merged the institutions of Moldavia and Wallachia, that by the time of his forced abdication Wallachia and Moldavia were essentially one country.

On 9 May 1877, Romania became fully independent from the Ottoman Empire, this time for good. The late 19th century represented a period of freedom and rebirth for Kingdom of Romania, a lot of cultural and economic progress was made. A lot of intellectuals emerged: writers, poets, scientists and artists such as Mihai Eminescu, Constantin Brancusi, Ion Creanga, Nicolae Iorga and George Enescu.

When the First Balkan War started in 1912, Kingdom of Romania demanded the city of Silistra from Kingdom of Bulgaria in exchange for neutrality, Kingdom of Bulgaria accepted. However, in the war, the Kingdom of Bulgaria refused to give the city. As such when the Second Balkan War started in 1913, Kingdom of Romania joined Kingdom of Serbia and Kingdom of Greece and united together against Kingdom of Bulgaria and took all of Southern Dobruja, which made Kingdom of Bulgaria more weak.

When World War I started, Kingdom of Romania was neutral. The Entente persuaded it to join them in 1916 by promising Banat, Transylvania and Bukovina from Austria-Hungary. All regions populated mostly by Romanians as Bukovina used part of Moldavia while Banat and Transylvania were the Duchy of Gelou, Duchy of Glad and Duchy of Menumorut before the Hungarian conquest.

Though a member of German Empire's imperial family, King Ferdinand was in charge of Kingdom of Romania's entry on the side of the Entente, respecting its oath before the Romanian Parliament in 1914: "I will reign as a true Romanian", earning the nickname "the Loyal". As a consequence of this betrayal, Kaiser Wilhelm II had Ferdinand's name erased from the Hohenzollern House register.

The Romanians from Banat, Transylvania, and Bukovina entered the war from the beginning, with hundreds of thousands being mobilized throughout the war. Although most were loyal to Austria-Hungary, reactionary sentiments emerged after Kingdom of Romania joined the war on the Entente's side. Many of the previously loyal soldiers decided that it's better to risk their lives through desertion rather than to fight against their own country. Many novels were written on this subject, most famous being "The Forest of the Hanged", hanging was the punishment for desertion in Austria-Hungary. According to Austrian statistics in 1917, Romanians were the most disloyal ethnicity of the Empire, accounting for nearly 50% of all deserters despite being 6% of the population.

Kingdom of Romania's plan was to defend in the south against Kingdom of Bulgaria and attack in the north against Austria-Hungary. Initially, the plan worked until support from the German Empire arrived and Kingdom of Romania started being pushed back to the point where the only region left standing was Moldova.

When the communist revolution started in 1917, Bessarabia declared independence from the Russian Empire as Democratic Republic of Moldavia and 3 months later, voted in parliament for union with Kingdom of Romania. But the revolution also threw Russian Empire out of the war and now Kingdom of Romania stood alone on the eastern front. As such the Armistice of Focsani was signed and later the Treaty of Bucharest was negotiated.

After Austria-Hungary, German Empire and Kingdom of Bulgaria left Romania's land, Kingdom of Romania secretly started to rearm. After Kingdom of Greece's offensive on Thessaloniki knocked Kingdom of Bulgaria out of the war, Kingdom of Romania redeclared war to the Central Powers on 10 November, a day before it ended in Western Europe on 11 November with the Entente being victorious.

This event came to be known as "The Great Union" where all provinces with a Romanian majority namely Bessarabia, Bukovina, Banat and Transylvania united with Kingdom of Romania in the same year, with the last being Transylvania on 1st December 1918. All provinces with a Romanian majority were now under a Romanian state, as a result, Kingdom of Romania's land more than doubled since before World War 1. It was finally "A Romania for All Romanians".

Suggestions:

Event: Romanian Treasure Moved to Russia.
-> Effect: If the Soviets win the Civil War Romania will have -50 relation "Stolen Treasure"
-> Triggered: Bucharest is occupied and Romania and the Russian Empire are part of the Entente and still in war.
-> Description: _"Since Bucharest was occupied, the Romanian administration moved to Iasi, and with them, the most valuable objects which belonged to the Romanian state. Fearing an eventual German victory, the Romanian government decided to send the Treasure abroad.

The Romanian government signed a deal with the Russian government which stated that Russia would safe keep the Romanian Treasure in the Kremlin until the end of the war. During the night, a train with 21 carriages, full of gold bars and gold coins of around 120 tonnes, departed the Iasi train station eastward."_

(After the Romanian Army entered Bessarabia, at the time nominally part of Russia, in early 1918, the new Soviet government severed all diplomatic relations and confiscated the Romanian treasure.

Event: French Military Mission in Romania
-> Effect: Add Romanian Field Marshal "Henri Mathias Berthelot" with Level 3 and Defensive Doctrine.
-> Triggered: 15 October 1916 if Romania and France are part of the Entente and still at war.
-> _"Following Romania's entrance in the Great War, the French government decided to send aid and train the Romanian forces for the ongoing war in which France already has a lot of experience.

Officers and aviators were sent to Romania, most notably General Henri Mathias Berthelot who has previously fought on the French front."_

Event: Volunteer Corps of Transylvanians-Bukovinans
-> Effect: Add 2 divisons of 3x3 infantry regiments in Iasi. (in reaity it was only 1 division and 3 regiments but made out of 15.000 troops).
-> Triggered: February 1917 if Romania and the Russian Empire are part of the Entente and still in war.
-> Description: _"After Romania entered World War I as an Entente country, it began investigating the fate and loyalties of Austro-Hungarian Romanians who are prisoners of war in Russia. Meanwhile, in Romania itself came several thousand Romanian refugees from Austria-Hungary who signed up for service in the Romanian Armed Forces.

Russian authorities were undecided about letting them join, and initially prohibited such initiatives, those who insisted to establish contact with Romania were arrested by Russian police forces. After consultations with Romania, the Russian executives decided that Russia would free 15,000 of Romanians prisoners of war, transferring them to Romania in exchange for a similar number of non-Romanian prisoners from Romanian camps."_

Romania started World War 1 in 1916 with:
1 Cruiser (Elisabeta)
3 Torpedo Boats (Năluca-class)
4 Gunboats (Siretul-class)
4 River monitors (Brătianu-class)
1 Minelayer (Alexandru cel Bun)

23 Infantry Divisions.
2 Cavalry Divisons.
620,000 men (440.000 effective troops) with 1,300 guns (768 modern), 574 machine-guns, 14 aircrafts (35 pilots + 60 under training) in total 4 armies with 23 infantry divisions (13 newly formed, 5 without machine-guns) and 2 Cavalry divisions.
First Army (Ioan Culcer): c.4.5 divisions and 3 cavalry brigades
Second Army (Grigore Crăiniceanu): c.4 divisions and 4 cavalry brigades
Third Army (Alexandru Averescu): c.4 divisions, 1 cavalry brigade
Fourth Army (Constantin Prezan): c. 4 divisions, 1 cavalry brigade
Reserves: 2-3 divisions

Every nation has focus trees that can be devided in 5 branches: Military, Industrial, Political, Naval, Air.

Military

• Initially the Romanian army lend leased equipment from Austria-Hungary.
• Prior to 1914 all military plans were based on scenarios where Russia and/or Bulgaria were the enemies, this changed in the autumn of 1914 when all war plans were redesigned with Austria-Hungary as the principal enemy.
• In 1914 the Romanian government applied measures to renew and increase the number of its army officers.
• In 1917 the French Army sent generals and instrusctors to train the Romanian army and to provide insight with their experience in war so far.
• The French Army also offered weapons and equipment to the Romanian army.
• In 1917 the Romanian army also went under intense training and reforms.
• The Russian army would support the Romanian army in Dobruja.

This can be represented by some Arms Factory "Improve Arms Industry" and "Improve Arms Industry II" followed by +2.00% manpower "Reform the Army" then some more arms factories "Armed Neutrality" then some alternate but non-exclusitory routes, one against Austria-Hungary Get back Transylvania! and the other against Russia Get back Bessarabia!.

And a side focus starting from "Improve Arms Industry II" that gives -50% time for land doctrine "Increase the Number of Officers" followed by "Increase the Number of Officers II" followed by "Defend Southern Romania" that builds level 3 forts on the Romanian - Bulgarian border. (This is cannon as Romania's attack plan during World War I was to attack on Transylvania and defend in Wallachia and Dobruja)

Industrial

• 19th century Romania was a mostly agricultural country, 90% of the population worked in agriculutre and only 20% of Romania's economy was being represented by industry.
• In 1900 the cities started expanding which led the economy and population to increase.
  The most important economic branches were: Food (30%) and Chemistry (16%).
• At that time Romania also had the largest oil production in Europe.
• Romania's exports were mainly oil and food.
• Since 1914 the Romanian government prepared the economy for war.

This can be represented by some basic Civillian Factories "Expanding Cities" and "Expanding Cities II" followed by a -5% Consumer Good "Expanding Agriculture", them some "Improve Ploiesti Refineries" for more Oil.

Political

• In 1883, Romania's King Carol signed a secret defensive treaty with Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy. The reasoning behind this was that Romania was afraid of a Russian and Bulgarian alliance. It would be interesting to make for an alternative Romania joins the Central Powers case.
• Following the Second Balkan War the Russo-Bulgarian relations have deteriorated, which led Romania to disengage from Austrian influence. Another factor that led Romania to disengage from Austrian influence was the Hungarian oppressive politics applied in Transylvania.
• When the Great War began, the population was mostly in the support of the Entente and organized protests to go to war against Austria-Hungary. As Transylvania (including Banat) had a population of 5 million people out of which 3 millions were ethnically Romanian.
• King Carol was pro-Germany as he was of german descent. When the war began King Carol was in favor of joining the Central Powers while the parliment and the public was in favor of joining the Entente, thus Romania remained neutral.
• Romania remained neutral when the war started, arguing that Austria-Hungary itself had started the war and, consequently, Romania was under no formal obligation to join it as the treaty was a defensive one.
• Germany started encouraging Austro-Hungary to make territorial concessions to Romania and Italy in order to keep both states neutral. Austria-Hungary however refused.
• When King Carol died in 1914, King Ferdinand, although german himself as well, promised to reign as a true Romanian and agreed to wage war against the Central Powers for it was in the national interest.
• The negotiations of the Romanian government with the Entente Powers were finalised with the Political and Military Convention from 17 August 1916 through which the Great Powers acknowledged Romania’s right over the territories within the Austria-Hungary Empire where Romanians were in the majority.
• The Romanian government signed a treaty with the Allies (France, Britain, Italy and Russia) on 17 August 1916 that pledged to declare war on Austria-Hungary by 28 August. The Romanian ambassador in Vienna actually transmitted the declaration of war on 27 August. Germany, caught by surprise, responded with a declaration of war on Romania the next day (28 August).
• The concept of a Romania for all Romanians (That after the war made manifest) was named "Greater Romania".

Start with a generic "Strengthen the State" that gives +150 Political Power followed by some generic focuses like in most other nations, then non-exclusitory on the left "Demand Austrian concessions" (that gives Transylvania (only the south), Crisana and Banat if Austria accepts) followed by "Join the Central Powers". And on the right "Acknowledge Right over Transylvania" (asks the Entente to recognise Transylvania and Bukovina as Romanian) followed by "Join the Entente". "Join the Central Powers" and Join the Entente are exclusitory.

Naval

• The Admiral was named: Eustațiu Sebastian
• The Romanian navy was divided into two fleets and fought against the forces of the Central Powers.
• It only faced one minor battle, the Defence of Sulina, where it destroyed 1 German submarine, damaged another one and destroyed an aircraft. It suffered no casualities.

It's not that great, something basic will do fine.

Air

• The Romanian airplanes were named IAR which stands for "Industria Aeronautică Română".

Same as the Navy, except the planes are named IAR.

Other Focus Tree Ideas:
Participate in the 1st Balkan War
Participate in the 2nd Balkan War (historical)
The Great Debate - Whether Romania should do as the king says or as the government says, historically, due to this disagreement Romania decided to remain neutral in 1914.
Look to the West - Focuses on getting Transylvania, Bukovina and Banat.
Look to the East - Focuses on getting Bessarabia.
Plan Z - Builds forts on the border with Bulgaria to attack in Transylvania.
Plan
An Uneasy Alliance - Tries to ameliorate relations with Russia.
Half for Alliance - Romania gets Southern Transylvania, East Banat and Bukovina in exchange for alliance with the Central Powers.
Align with Germany - Romania joins the Central Powers (no territorial exchange)
Align with France - Romania joins the Entente
Cross the Pruth River! - Declares war on Russia
Corss the Carpathian Mountains! - Declares war on Austria-Hungary
French Mission in Romania - Adds General Henri Mathias Berthelot, add more infantry equipment and a national spirit, France should probably get an event to accept it.
Transylvanian Volunteer Corps - Increases manpower or adds new 3 divisions in Iasi.
Establish the Mountain Huntsmen - Unlocks the Mountain Infantry template or increases its research speed.

National Spirit: Greater Romania -> Effects: Stablity: +5%, Division Attack on core territory:+10%, Division Defense on core territory: +10% -> Triggered: Romania is at war with Austria-Hungary who owns Banat, Transylvania and Bukovina. -> "With Austria-Hungary as an enemy in the war, the liberation of Romanians in Banat, Transylvania and Bukovina seems closer than ever and serves as a great source of inspiration for the military and civilians alike."

National Spirit: The Return of Bessarabia -> Effects: Stability: +10% -> Triggered: Romania owns Bessarabia. -> "Taking advantage of the chaos of the communist revolution, the Romanians of Bessarabia declared independence followed by union with Romania. Although the independence is not recognized by the Soviet Union, the region is now de facto under Romania and its return is seen as a great accomplishment serving as a great source of national unity."

National Spirit: The Great Union -> Effects: Stability: +20% remove national spirits "Greater Romania" and "The Return of Bessarabia". -> Triggered: Romania has national spirits "Greater Romania" and "The Return of Bessarabia", owns Banat, Transylvania, Bukovina, Bessarabia (every core Romania has) and is not at war. -> "After centuries of domination and separation the national dream became reality, all regions with a Romanian majority stand united under a single and independent Romanian state, a Romania for all Romanians."

National Spirit: Rising Star -> In the past century Romania has known only victory, this greatly boosted the morale of the population and of the army.

National Spirit: War for Wholeness -> Due to fighting for a territory actually inhabited by romanians and with huge historical significance there is a lot more war support, increases war support.

National Spirit: French Mission in Romania -> Improve the troops.