Gheorghe Cliveti
Abstract
The reasons why Romania declared its neutrality in the war that had begun in the summer of 1914 have been identified by historians mainly in the text of the decision adopted by the Sinaia Crown Council of 21 July/3 August 1914.
However, these reasons have been little investigated from the perspective of the alliance treaties concluded and renewed by Romania with the powers of the Triple Alliance. Romania’s close relations with Austria-Hungary and Germany were fuelled by Russia’s “machinations” and by the country’s desire to counter the danger posed by its Balkan neighbours. The Old Kingdom’s joining of the Triple Alliance was a well-calculated option that was to prove beneficial for the security of the Romanian state.
Starting from these general considerations, the aim of this study is to analyse the oftentimes tense evolution of relations between Romania and the Triple Alliance powers prior to 1914. The Romanian state’s foreign policy and the diplomatic relations it developed at the end of the nineteenth century and in the years that preceded the outbreak of World War I illustrate the arguments that led to Romania’s decision to adopt a position of neutrality.
Keywords: Romania, Triple Alliance, defensive alliance treaties, international relations, Balkan states.