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The Hungarian-Romanian War of 1919
The Romanian army in Budapest
Date 11.1918-11.1919 Location Transylvania and Hungary Result Romanian victory
Belligerents
Hungary	Romania
Commanders and leaders
col. Kratochwil, col. Aurel Stromfeld, Julier Ferenc, Vilmos Bohm, Bela Kun	gen. Traian Mosoiu, gen. George Mardarescu, gen. Constantin Prezan

The Hungarian-Romanian war of 1919 settled the western border of Greater Romania. What started as a drive by the Romanian army to control all territories in the West promised to Romania by the Entente in 1916, evolved in a full-fledged war against Hungary when the bolsheviks came to power there. The war ended with the destruction of the Hungarian Soviet Republic and the Romanian occupation of parts of Hungary proper, including its capital Budapest. In its final stage it involved military operations with the participation of more than 120.000 troops on both sides. The Romanian troops retreated from Hungary in March 1920.

Prelude

In 1916, Romania entered WWI on the side of the Entente with the intention to bring all territories with a Romanian majority within one and the same state. In 1918, after the communists took power in Russia and signed a separate peace in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers, Romania was left alone on the Entente's Eastern Front, a task that surpassed its possibilities by far. Therefore, it sued for peace, and reached an understanding with the Central Powers in May 1918 in the Treaty of Bucharest. However, this treaty was never signed by King Ferdinand, and on 10 November 1918, talking advantage of the precarious situation of the Central Powers, Romania reenters the war on the side of the Entente with the same objectives as in 1916. King Ferdinand calls for the mobilization of the Romanian army and orders it to attack over the Carpathian mountains into Transylvania.

In the first phase, the Romanian army advances up to the Western Carpathian Mountains. In the second phase, after the communists take power in Hungary, the Romania army advances up to the Tisza river, despite opposition from the Hungarian army. Finally in the third phase, the Romania army crushes the Hungarian army and occupies Budapest ousting the communist regime of Béla Kun.

Phase I: November 1918-March 1919

Following the Treaty of Bucharest, the bulk of the Romanian army was demobilized. Only the 9th and the 10th infantry divisions and the 1st and the 2nd cavalry divisions were available at war-time strength, but they were used to protect Bessarabia from the attacks of the Russian reds. The 1st, 7th and 8th "Vanatori"(hunters) divisions, stationed in Moldavia, were the first units mobilized in these circumstances. The 8th was send to Bukovina and the other two divisions were sent to Transylvania.

First the units of these two divisions advanced up to the line of the Mures river which was the demarcation line agreed upon by the representatives of the Entente and of Hungary in Belgrade on 13 November. At the same time, units of the German army, under the command of marshal Mackansen retreated westwards. Following a Romanian request, the Allied Command in the East under the leadership of the french general Franchet d'Espèrey allowed the Romanian army to advance up to the line of the Western Charpatians, the border of the old Principality of Transylvania. The 7th Vanatori division advanced in the direction of Cluj-Napoca and the 1st in the direction of Alba-Iulia. On 22 January 1919, the Romanian army was controlling the entire territory up to this demarcation line.

On 24 December, units of the Romanian army enter Cluj-Napoca. At this time, the Romanian army in Transylvania was stretched thin, being charged at the same time with being a deterrent for the Hungarian army and keeping the public order in the territories under its control. Hence, the Romanian High Command decides to send two more divisions into Transylvania the 2nd Vanatori division around Sibiu and the 6th infantry division in Brasov. Also a unified command of the Romanian army in Transylvania is established, with seat in Sibiu, and gen. Traian Mosoiu is named in charge.

The Romanians start organizing the territory under their control, which at this time was far from covering the ethnic spread of the Romanian population in the region, this being the land promised to them by the Entente in 1916. Two new infantry divisions, the 16th and the 18th are organized from Romanian soldiers previously mobilized in the Austro-Hungarian army.

On 28 February, the Allied council decides to notify Hungary of the new demarcation line to which the Romanian army will advance. This line coincides with the railway link between the cities of Satu Mare, Oradea and Arad. However, the Romanian army is not yet allowed to occupy these cities. A demilitarized zone is to be erected stretching from here up to five Km beyond the border marking the extent of the Romanian territorial requests on Hungary. The retreat of the Hungarian army behind the westward border of the demilitarized zone should begin on 23 March 1919.

The notification reaches Hungary on 19 March through col. Vyx. The Karoly government resigns, rather then accept the notification and on 21 March passes power up to Bela Kun that instates a communist regime in Hungary.

Within this period of time, there were only limited skirmishes between Romanian troops on one side and Hungarian and in one occasion Ukrainian troops on the other side. Some Hungarian elements participated in the harassment of the Romanian population outside of the area controlled by the Romanian army.

Phase II: April 1919-June 1919

After 21 March 1919, Romania had two communist neighbors: Hungary and the Soviet Union. The Romanian delegation at the peace conference in Paris asked for the Romanian army to be allowed and supported in ousting the communists in Hungary. Although well aware of the communist danger, the Allied council was marked by dissension between the US president W. Wilson, the English prime-minister L. George and the French prime-minister G. Clemenceau about the guarantees required by France for its border with Germany. In particular, the American delegation was convinced that French hardliners around marshal Foch were trying to initiate a new conflict that would eventually lead to new war this time against Germany and the Soviet Union. Acting on these premises, the participants at the conference tried to defuse the situation in Hungary. Hence, the South-African gen. Smuts was send to Budapest on 4 April with a proposition for the Kun government to abide by the conditions previously presented to Karoly. This action of the Allies amounted also to recognizing the communist Hungary. In exchange to fulfilling the conditions in the Vyx Note, the Allied powers will lift the blockade of Hungary and adopt a benevolent attitude towards it in the question of the territories it had to give to Romania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Kun however asked for the Romanian army to be ordered back to the line of the Mures river and the discussions stalled.

He sought to gain time to be able to buildup a military force able to wage war with Romania and Czechoslovakia. On the Romanian front, there were some 20.000 troops int he first line facing the Romanian army. Kun managed to mobilze another 60.000 in the second line in recruitment centers in Oradea, Gyula, Debrecen and Szolnok, among others. This Hungarian army was a mix of some elite units and officers from the former Austro-Hungarian army and poor-quality volunteers. As heavy weapons, they were equipped with some 137 cannons and 5 armored trains. Although a colorful mix, this army was held together by nationalist rather than communist ideals and was therefore highly motivated. Kun hoped also that the Soviet Union would come to its help and attack Romania from the east.

Once the discussions with Kun stalled, the Romanians were allowed to take action. The Romanian army had 64 infantry battalions, 28 cavalry squadrons, 160 cannons, 32 howitzers, 1 armored train, 3 air squadrons, 2 pioneer battalions, organized into two groups: North and south. The overall command of the Romanian army in Transylvania was entrusted to gen. George Mardarescu. Gen. Mosoiu was named at the command of the Northern Group. The Romanian battle plan was to strike with the more powerful Northern Group and take Carei and Oradea, thus separating the elite Szekely division from the rest of the Hungarian army made primarely of volunteers. Then the Group should proceed with the flanking of the Hungarian army. At the same time, the Southern Group would advance only up to Radna and Beius and then serve as pivot for the flanking maneuvre of the North Group. They should stop only at the Tisza river. The start of the offensive was planned for 16 of April.

The Romanian attack

The Hungarians were aware of the Romanian preparations. They fortified the mountain passes in their possession and lunch an attack against the Romanians in the night between 15 and 16 April. The attack is stopped with the help of the reserve formations and the Romanians keep their positions, from which they start their own offensive a few hours later. Between 16 and 18 April the Romanians force the mountain passes after heavy fighting. In particular on the front of the 2nd Vanatori division a battalion of Hungarian cadets offers heavy resistance and is defeated by the Romanian 9th regiment only towards the evening of the 16 of April. On the 18 of April, the first phase of the Romanian offensive is over and the Hungarian front is broken. Carei is occupied by the Romanian troops on 19 April, Oradea and Salonta on the 20 of April. At this moment, the Romanian army reached the line set by the Allies in the Vxy note. However, the Romanian High command decided to go over this line and advance to the Tisza river, for obvious military reasons: Tisza makes a natural obstacle that is easy to defend. At the same time, the Hungarian army was beaten but not destroyed.

The fate of the Szekely Division

Making use of their cavalry, the Romanians hinder any attempts by the Hungarian army to set a new front line between Nyíregyháza, Debrecen and Békéscsaba. At the same time on the front of the Northern Group, the best unit of the Hungarain army, the Szekely division under the command of col. Kratochwil is retreating towards Nyíregyháza being constantly harassed by Romanian troops mainly from the 2nd cavalry division. They try to stop and fight around the city, but are dislodged by the Romanians and Nyíregyháza is occupied on 26 April. The Division tries to flee west over Tisza but the entire eastern bank of the river was controlled by the Romanians, the last Hungarian troops defending a bridgehead over the river are defeated on the 29 of April at Rakamacz. With their retreat route cut, the Szekely division capitulates on 29 April.

The Romanian army reaches the Tisza line

Debrecen is occupied by the Romanians on 23 of April, and the Romanian army starts preparing for the assault on Békéscsaba. This begins on the 25 April and on the 26 of April, the city falls after some heavy fighting. The most remains of the Hungarian army converge towards Szolnok, where they try to escape west over Tisza. They establish two concentrical defense lines around Szolnok whose ends lie on the Tisza. Between 29 April and 1 May the Romanian army manages to break trough these lines, despite the reinforcements sent from the west bank of the Tisza. In the evening of 1 May 1919 the entire east bank of the Tisza is controlled by the Romanian army.

On the 2nd of May, the Kun government sues for peace. In the peace proposition sent through lt.-col. Werth, Kun is ready to recognize all territorial demands of the Romanians and asks in exchange for a cessation of hostilities and no intervention in the internal Hungarian affairs. The Romanians offer only an armistice and this only under pressure from the Allied supreme command, as on the 30 of April the french foreign minister Pichon, summons the romanian representative at the Peace conference, prim-minister Bratianu and asks him to stop the advance of the Romanian troops on the Tisza river and eventually retreat on the demarcation line imposed by the allies. Bratianu promises not to go over the Tisza, but the Romanian troops remain on the east bank of the river.

Gen. Mosoiu is named governor of the military district between the Romanian forntier and the Tisza river. He is replaced in his command of the Norther Group by gen. Mihaescu. At the same time, the Romanian 7th division is transported from the Hungarian front to the Russian front in north Moldavia.

The Hungarian attack on Czechoslovakia

Bela Kun tried to make use of the lull in fighting against the Romanians to improve his battered international position. He prepared an attack against Czechoslovakia, which he deemed the weaker of its enemies, as he has just been defeated by the Romanians and believed that action against the Serbs was impossible due to the presence of allied french troops in Serbia. By attacking Czechoslovakia, he also sought to establish a link to his bolshevik allies in Russia. To strengthen the army, he recruited heavily from among the male population between 19 and 25 years of age of what was left of Hungary under his control. Also many workers mainly from the Budapest industrial area joined the army. He also enlisted many former Austro-Hungarian officers that joined the army out of patriotic rather than ideologic reasons. For the offensive against Czechoslovakia, the Hungarians concentrate two divisions, the 1st and the 5th totaling 40 battalions with plenty of artillery.

On the 20 of May the Hungarians attack in force and rout the Czechoslovak troops in Miskoclz. The Romanian command tries to hold the link to the Czechoslovak army and attacks the Hungarian flank with some troops from the 16th infantry division and the 2nd Vanatori division. However, this action is to no avail and it can not stop the rout of the Czechoslovak army. The Romanians retreat to their bridgehead at Tokaj and defend their position against Hungarian attacks between 25 and 30 May. The Hungarian attack against the Czechoslovak army evolves well and the Romanian troops in the North are in danger of being outflanked. On the 3 of June, the Romanians are thus forced to retreat from Tokaj on the east bank of Tisza. They destroy all bridges over the river in the process and break any contact with the Hungarian troops. To deal with the danger of being outflanked and hinder the communication between the Hungarians and the Russians, the Romanian troops along Tisza extend their defense line further North and link with the troops of the Romanian 8th division, which starting the 22 of May advanced from Bucovina to meet them.

Involvement of bolshevik Russia

On the 9 of April 1918 Bessarabia unites with Romania. The unification act that brought these old romanian lands within the modern Romania state was not recognized by the bolshevik Russia. Hence the state of conflict between the Kingdom of Romania and the bolshevik Russia. Having to fight the whites, the Poles and the Ukrainians and later an allied invasion, the Russian reds had no resources available to seriously threaten Romania. Before the communist takeover in Hungary, they limit themselves to sporadic attacks over the Dniester river. As during this period of time the Romanian army is being reorganized such attacks are more or less successful. However, they are always met with force by the Romanian troops stationed in Bessarabia, which manage on all ocassions to throw the bolsehviks back over the Dniester. The most important attack takes place at the end of January, when the bolsheviks manage to take control of the Romanian city of Hotin, which they hold for a few days before being routed by the Romanian army. After this, starting February 1919, there are enough Romanian troops in Bessarabia to thwart most bolshevik attack attempts. Furthermore, a french-greek army of five divisions (three French and two Greek) under the command of the french general d'Anselme and with support from Polish, Ukrainian and Russian volunteers, attacks the bolsheviks in the direction of Odessa, which they also occupy. All these events lead to a clam down of the situation in Bessarabia over most of the next two month.

In support of the allied attack, Romanian troops of the 39th regiment occupy on the 21 of March, Tiraspol. Fighting at the same time in Transylvania, the Romanian army can not provide more soldiers. In April, the army under general d'Anselme is defeated by the reds at Berzov. They are forced to evacuate Odessa and retreat trough southern Bessarabia abandoning some of their heavy equipment. At the same time, the Romanian army starts fortifying its positions in Bessarabia in preparation of a possible bolshevik large-scale attack.

On the 1st of May, the Russian bolshevik foreign minister G. Chicherin, issue an ultimatum to the Romanian government, asking it to evacuate Bessarabia and threatening with the use of force in the case of non-compliance. By this they try to ease the pressure against the Hungarian bolsheviks forcing the Romanian army to prepare for an attack in the East. This is why the Romanians bring the 7th division as reinforcement from the Tisza front into Bessarabia.

After the ultimatum, the attacks on the Romanian troops in Bessarabia intensify and peak on the 27-28 of May when a few hundreds of bolshevik troops attack Tighina. In preparation of this attack they throw manifests out of a plane, inviting the allied troops to fraternize with them. However, only 60 french soldiers switch sides and support the Russians when they pass the Dniester. The bolsheviks enter Tighina and are repulsed later that day by the Romanians with the help of some french troops in town.

To counter the bolshevik threat, two more Romanian divisions are sent in the area: the 4th and the 5th infantry divisons. Furthermore, a territorial command is organized in southern Bessarabia, comprising mainly the 15th infantry division.

Phase III: July 1919-August 1919

The Allied council was deeply displeased by the Romanian advancing to the Tisza more or less on their own. There were even voices blaming the Romanians for the troubles in Hungary and asking for an immediate retreat on the original demarcation line as well as a downsize of the Romanian army. The Council tried also to persuade the Romanians to start talks with the Kun government. However, the Romanian government stood by its decision and argued that the Tisza line was the sole military meaningful demarcation line until the final border line between Romania and Hungary was established and internationally recognized.

The Council put pressure on Kun to stop its advances into Czechoslovacia under threat of a coordinated attack of the French, Serb and Romanian troops from the South and the East respectively. They also promised a favorable attitude towards Soviet Hungary in the peace talks to follow and in delineating Hungary's new borders. On the 12 of June, these borders are brought to the attention of the governments of Romania, Czechoslovaica, Yugoslavia and Hungary. Under these circumstances, Hungary signs an armistice with Czechoslovacia on the 23 of June and the hungarian troops retreat 15 Km South of the demarcation line. The Council demands that the Romanians retreat also to their new borders, but the Romanians reply that they will do this only after the Hungarian army demobilizes. Upon hearing over Council representatives from the Romanian demands, Kun answers that from now on he relies solely on the might of his army.

This new turn of events swings the Council against Kun and on 11 of July, it is decided to start a coordinated attack of serb, french and romanian troops against Soviet Hungary. The planning for this attack is entrusted to Foch. However, immediately after the Czechoslovak armistice, Hungary started to mobilize its army against the Romanians along Tiza and on the 17 of July the Hungarians are the first to strike.

The opposing forces

The Romanians were facing the Hungarians on a front of some 250 Km, along Tisza, from South of Szeged, where there were french and Serb troops up to North of Tokaj where ther were Czechoslovak troops.

In comparison to April 1919, the Hungarian army facing now the Romanians along the Tisza has greatly improved. It was better organized and equipped it had a high moral as it fought for its motherland. The moral was further boosted by their successes against the Czechoslovak army. The communists hold control of the army command by their commissaries, but they were supported by experienced professional officers. At division level and below there were mostly professional officers in command. The Hungarians had 100 infantry battalions, with some 50.000 men, 10 cavalry squadrons with 1365 men, 69 artillery batteries of calibers ranging up to 305 mm and nine armored trains. The troops were organized for the attack into three groups, north, central and south, with the central group being the most powerful. They planned to cross the Tisza with all three groups and then advance towards Satu Mare, Oradea and Arad respectively. They expected to ignite a communist revolt in Romania as well and counted on some form of support from the Soviet Russia, hopefully an all out attack into Bessarabia on Romania's Eastern border.

The Romanian army had some 92 battalions with some 48.000 men and 58 cavalry squadrons with 12.000 men, some 80 artillery batteries of calibers ranging up to 155 mm and two armored trains, as well as some support units. They were positioned along three lines. The first line included the 16'th division in the North and the 18'th division in the South. In the second line, there were more powerful formations, the 2nd Vanatori division in the North, concentrated in and around Nyiregyhaza and the 1st Vanatori division in the South concentrated in and around Békéscsaba. The third line included the most powerful Romanian formations and was to be used as maneuvering mass it was composed of 1st and the 6th infantry divisions and the 1st and the 2nd cavalry divisions as well as some support units. They were occupying positions along a the railway link stretching from Carei, over Oradea up to North of Arad. The 20th and the 21st infantry divisions had security and public-order duties behind the third line. The first line was rather thin, as it was supposed to fight delay actions until the true intentions of the attacking Hungarians were to be revealed. After that, together with the troops in the second line were to hold the attackers until the counter attack of the troops in the third line could commence. For such maneuvering actions, the Romanian command planed to make use of the railway links in their control and prepared sufficient number of trains. The Romanians were also highly motivated, fighting for their dream to unify all Romanian lands into one single country. Most soldiers were experienced veterans of the battles of WWI.

The Hungarian attack

Between the 17 and the 20 of July, the Hungarians bombarded the Romanian positions and conducted reconnaissance operations. On the 20th of July, around 3:00 AM, after a violent bombardment, the Hungarian infantry of all three groups crossed the Tisza and attacked the Romanian positions.

Fighting on the flanks

In the North, on the 20th of July, the Hungarians take Rakamacz and some villages around it. Troops of the Romanian 16th division take back the villages but manage to retake Rakamacz only the next day with help of troops from the 2nd Vanatori division. However, the Hungarians renew their efforts and supported by their artillery retake Rakamacz and two villages around it, but cannot break out of the bridgehead. Therefore, they try to outflank the Romanian positions and cross the Tisza further south at Tiszafüred with troops of the 80th international brigade but they are stopped there also by troops of the Romanian 16th division. The Romanians bring also some troops of the 20th infantry division into the fighting and manage to clear the bridgehead at Tiszafrüed on the 24 of July. Not being able to break out of Rakamacz, the Hungarians start fortifying their positions and redeploy some troops somewhere else. There is a lull in fighting in the North, as the Romanians follow suite. Only on the 26th of July do the Romanians attack again and after some violent fighting that holds until 10:00 PM, manage to clear the Hungarian bridgehead. After this, the Romanians are in complete control of the North part of the Tisza's eastern bank.

In the South, the Hungarian 2nd division needs two days to take Szentes which is being hold by the 89th and the 90th regiments of the Romanian 18th division. On the 21st and 22nd of July Hódmezővásárhely changes hands several times between Hungarain troops and Romanian troops of the 90th infantry regiment supported by the 1st Vanatori brigade. Then on the 23 of July, the Romanians finally retake Hódmezővásárhely, Szentes and Mindszent, thus throwing the Hungarains back over the Tisza and ending the fighting in this sector of the front. This allows the Romanians to take the 1st Vanatori brigade from the South front and use it in the center, where the Hungarain attack is progressing very well.

Fighting in the center

On the 20 of July, the Hungarians manage to establish a sold bridgehead on the east bank of the Tisza, just opposite Szolnok, despite oposition from the Romanian 91st regiment of the 18th infantry division. They bring the entire 6th and 7th divisions within the bridgehead and overwhelm the troops in the first Romanian line. The Hungarian 6th infantry division attacks to the east and takes Török Szt-Miklos, while the 7th division advances towards Mezőtúr. At the same time, the 5th divsion is brought over the Tisza and attacks towards Túrkeve. On the 22 of July, Hungarian advance towards Kunhegyes, after crossing the Tisza some 20Km north of Szolnok and defeating the Romanian 18th Vanatori regiment. The Romanian troops of the 18th division are reinforced with formations from the second line, including some troops from the 1st cavalry division, and the entire 2nd Vanatori brigade. On the 23 of July, the Hungarians manage to take Turkeve and Mezotür. When the night falls on the 23 of July, the Hungarians controlled a 80Km wide and 60Km deep chunk of the right bank of the Tiza, opposite Szolnok. Facing them to the east and to the South were troops of the Romanian first and second line. To the North, a Romanian maneuver group was forming with troops from the third Romanian line, including the 1st infantry division of gen. Obogeanu in the center, the 6th infantry division under gen. Olteanu to the left and the 2nd cavalry division of gen. Davidoglu to the right of the group, along Tisza.

The Romanian counter-attack

The Romanian maneuver group attacked on the morning of the 24 of July. Elements of the 2nd cavalry division, supported by troops of the 18th infantry division take Kunhegyes. The Romanian 1st infantry division attacks the Hungarian 6th infantry division head on and pushes them back, managing to take Fegyvernek. The Romanian 6th division, is less successful being counterattacked on the left flank by the Hungarian reserve formations. In total, on the 24 of July, the Romanians manage to push the Hungarians back some 20Km and retake the initiative. They reinforce the maneuver group with troops from the North, which became available when the fighting decreased in intensity there. These include the 2nd Vantori division and some cavalry units. The Romanian troops along the entire front receive the order to attack the enemy the next day. On the 25 of July, the fighting continues being particularly violent on the front of the Romanian 1st infantry division, in and around Fegyvernek, where the Hungarians choose to counterattack. Towards the end of the day, the Romanians maneuver group starts breaking trough the Hungarian positions in the North. Also in the South, the Hungarian positions are being overruned. The Hungarians start a general retreat towards the Tisza bridge in front of Szolnok, which they blow up on the 26 of July to stop the Romanians from following them. On the evening of 26 July, the entire east bank of the Tisza is again under Romanian control.

The Romanians cross the Tisza

After repulsing the Hungarian attack, the Romanians start planning to cross the Tisza and deliver the final blow to Soviet Hungary, despite some opposition from the Allied council. They bring the 7th infantry division back from the front in Bessarabia, where the Russians were holding still and bring also the 2nd infantry division in as well as some smaller infantry and artillery units. Therfore, for crossing the Tisza they have prepared 119 battalions with some 84.000 troops, 99 artillery batteries with 392 guns and 60 cavalry squadrons with 12.000 men. The Hungarians make efficient use of their artillery, attacking the Romanian concentration areas. Between 27 and 29 July, the Romanians test the strength of the Hungarian defense with small attacks. They finally decide to cross the Tisza in the vicinity of Fegyernek, where it makes turn. On the night of 29 to 30 July, the Romanians cross the Tisza. The main crossing at Fegyvernek is covered by decoy operations on other points of the front, where intense artillery duels take place. The Romanians manage to surprise the Hungarians at Fegyvernek. The latter decide on the 31st of July to abandon the Tisza line and retreat towards Budapest.

The debacle of the Hungarian army

After the bulk of the Romanian troops cross the Tisza, the start advancing towards Budapest. The Romanian cavalry covers the flanks of the main body of troops and tries to discover the points of concentration of the Hungarain army, at the same time the sever the links between different corps of the Hungarian army. On the 1st of August, most fighting takes place in the South, in and around Szolnok. The city being severely affected by the fighting. At the end of the day, the Hungarians send representatives to negotiate their surrender. In the center and in the North, the Hungarian troops are completely surrounded by the evening of the 3rd of August and the units start to surrender or to disintegrate. The 3rd of August sees the end of the Hungarian red army as a fighting force.

The Romanians occupy Budapest

The Romanians continue their push towards Budapest. The first Romanian units to enter Budapest in the evening of the 3rd of August are three squadrons of the 6th cavlary regiment of the 4th brigade, under the command of gen. Rusescu. The 400 men with two guns have to wait until midday on the 4th of August, when the bulk of the Romanian forces enter Budapest and parade trough the center of the city, in front of their commander, gen. Mosoiu.

Aftermath

On the 2nd of August, Bela Kun flees Hungary in the direction of Austrian border and eventually reaches the Soviet Union. A socialist government under the leadership of Gyula Peidl is installed in Budapest with the help of some representatives of the Allied council, but it is short lived. Power is taken then by a nationalistic group trying to instate Archduke Josef as head of state and Stefan Frederic as prime minister. However, the allies could not accept a Habsburg as head of state and hence a new government is needed. The Romanians occupy all Hungary, with the exception of a piece of land aroud the Balaton lakes. There, a center-right nationalist group formed around Admiral Horthy is preparing to take over power, after the Romanians would eventually leave. The troops supporting Horthy are supplied with arms by the Romanian army. In the regions under their control the Romanians take over police and administration duties.

In the third Phase of the Hungarain-Romanian War, the Romanians lost 123 officers and 6434 soldiers: 39 officers and 1730 soldiers dead, 81 officers and 3125 soldiers wounded and three officers and 1579 soldiers missing. Until the 8th of August 1919, they have made 1235 officers and 40.000 soldiers prisoner, captured 350 guns, including two 305 mm, 332 machine guns, 52.000 rifles and 87 airplanes. They also captured large quantities of ammunition, and means of transportation.

The terms of the Romanian-imposed armistice were harsh on Hungary. The Hungarians had to cede all war materials, excepting those weapons necessary for the troops around Horthy. Furthermore, they had to hand over to the Romanians their entire armament industry, 50% of the rolling stock of the Hungarian railroad, 30% of the living stock, 30% of all agricultural tools and 35.000 wagons of cereals and animal food. Also, all goods identified as war booty taken from Romania after the Peace of Bucharest in 1918, were confiscated.

The entire war against Hungary, was waged over a period of nine month. The Romanians lost 188 officers and 11.478 soldiers, out of which 69 officers and 3601 soldiers dead. The Romanians start retreating from Hungary in November 1919. Between 14 February and 28 March 1920 all Romanian army units leave the Hungarian territory.

Order of Battle

• Phase I
  • Romanian army
    • 1st Vanatori division
    • 2nd Vanatori division
    • 7th Vanatori division
    • 6th infantry division
    • 16th infantry division
    • 18th infantry division
• Phase II
  • Romanian army
    • Northern Group (gen. Mosoiu)
      • gen. Olteanu Group
        • two infantry battalions
        • one cavalry brigade
        • one artillery battery
      • 2nd cavalry division (Baia Mare)
      • 7th Vanatori division (Zalau)
      • 6th infantry division (Huedin)
      • Group Reserve
      • 16th infantry division (Dej)
    • Southern Group (gen. Mardarescu)
      • 2nd Vanatori division (Rosia)
      • Beius regiment
      • Group Reserve
      • 1st Vantori division (Deva)
    • Army Reserve
      • 18th infantry division
• Phase III
  • Romanian army
    • Northern Group
      • 16th infantry division (first line)
      • 2nd Vanatori division
    • Southern Group
      • 18th infantry division (first line)
      • 1st Vanatori division
    • Army Reserve
      • 1st infantry division
      • 6th infantry division
      • 20th infantry division
      • 21st infantry division
      • 1st cavalry division
      • 2nd cavalry division
  • Hungarian army
    • Northern Group (Tokaj)
      • 2nd Szekely brigade
      • 3rd Szekely brigade
      • 39th infantry battalion
      • Szanto detachment
      • Group Reserve (Miskolcz)
      • 1st infantry division
    • Central Group (Szolnok)
      • 5th infantry division
      • 6th infantry division
      • 7th infantry division
      • 80th international inf. brigade
      • Group Reserve (Czegled)
      • half of the 3rd infantry division
    • South Group (Csongrad)
      • 2nd infantry division
      • Group Reserve (Kistelek)
      • 4th infantry division
    • Army Reserve (Abony-Czegled)
      • half of the 3rd infantry division
      • one cavalry regiment

Rferences

• C. Kiritescu: Istoria razboiului pentru intregirea Romaniei, Vol. II, ed. Romania Noua, 1923
• Moldova: A Romanian Province Under Russian Rule : Diplomatic History from the Archives of the Great Powers, Algora Publishing 2002, ISBN: 1-892941-87-2
• Grecu Dan: The Romanian military occupation of Hungary. http://membres.lycos.fr/dgrecu/OcH.html