24 of January 1859

Today it's aniversary!!!

On 24th of January 1859, the 2 romanian country, Moldavia and Wallachia, were united for the first time since 1600.
After few years, they become 1 country: our beloved Romania!
For the first time in history, romanians were strongly united in one country; they will fight hard several years after, in 1877, to be independent, and 40 years later, in ww1, to join the remained romanian soil to the body of Motherland: Transylvania.

If Transylvania is free now and belonging to Romania, is due also to this moment in history: 24th of January 1859.

Long live Romania!

If you walk down Smardan street in the old center of Bucharest, you will pass by the ancient hotel in which the decision to elect Alexandru Ioan Cuza as the prince of Wallachia (after he had been elected prince of Moldavia a couple of weeks earlier) and thus unite the two provinces was taken, you will notice that it is close to crumbling down and the access to the inner courtyard stinks of urine.

1. HOTEL CONCORDIA.
2. Alexander Ioan Cuza was the one who suceeded in, for the SECOND time, uniting these 2 principalities (Michael the Brave did it in the year 1600, for just ONE year, as he was killed in 1601 near Turda by mercenaries sent by the ambitious general Basta - he included TRANSYLVANIA as well, long time before December 1, 1918).
3. Interestingly enough, when Cuza turned into a DICTATOR, he was overthrown through a successful coup-d-etat, organized by politicians and part of the top officers. Very similar to what happened on August 23, 1944 when Antonescu, the dictator, was toppled by military and civilian plotters blessed by King Michael. There are also lots of differences : in 1944 it was a war, Russians were already pushing forward, Americans bombs fell indiscriminately, and we had a King revered by the people and the army. And maybe the most important thing from the human viewpoint: Cuza went into exile and died abroad, while Antonescu was courtmartialled and executed by firing squad.
4. The forumites are kindly asked to help with what they know on the military side of Cuza's achievements (national army, conscription law, French advisers, etc) and mistakes that led him to lose power (among them, alienation of part of the same top officers who supported him). Was he a genuine DICTATOR ?

This post has been edited by mateias on January 25, 2008 06:03 pm

Documented sources shows that A. I. Cuza aproved an invasion plan of Transylvania, draw by Axente Sever.
This plan, updated, was used in 1916 when romanian troops entered Transylvania.

With what forces? The Romanian Army at the time was made up of 7 line infantry regiments, one vanatori battalion, one artillery regiment, 33 dorobanti squadrons and 14 gendarme squadrons and companies.

In the document the plan is not detailed at all.
It is just mentioned it's existance and the fact that A. I. Cuza was agree with this plan and in was updated for 1916 attack.

I dont know any more infos, this is all I got. I hoped other fellow forumist might knew more about subject, that's why I mentioned it. For me it looks like an interesting subject to document upon....I would like to find out more....