The Russo-Romanians aim to conquer Bulgaria in 1916 in place of launching the Brusilov Offensive

W

WolfBear

Well-known member
What if, instead of launching the Brusilov Offensive, the Russo-Romanians aim to conquer Bulgaria in 1916? The logic behind this would be to completely cut off the land connection between the European CPs and the Ottoman Empire and thus to try forcing the Ottoman Empire to capitulate in 1917 with the capture of Constantinople by land.

What do you think?
 
WolfBear said:
What if, instead of launching the Brusilov Offensive, the Russo-Romanians aim to conquer Bulgaria in 1916? The logic behind this would be to completely cut off the land connection between the European CPs and the Ottoman Empire and thus to try forcing the Ottoman Empire to capitulate in 1917 with the capture of Constantinople by land.

What do you think?
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When would the Russians decide to do this? Why would they decide to do this?

Why would the Romanians prioritize Bulgaria when they were satisfied with their Bulgarian border and their big territorial prize was Transylvania?

Would changing the date of Romania's entry into the war be part of this, because the Romanians didn't declare war until the year was more than half over in August 1916, after the Brusilov Offensive was underway? And the Russians have no way to reach Bulgaria, except by sea, until the Romanians joined the war.
 
raharris1973 said:
When would the Russians decide to do this? Why would they decide to do this?

Why would the Romanians prioritize Bulgaria when they were satisfied with their Bulgarian border and their big territorial prize was Transylvania?

Would changing the date of Romania's entry into the war be part of this, because the Romanians didn't declare war until the year was more than half over in August 1916, after the Brusilov Offensive was underway? And the Russians have no way to reach Bulgaria, except by sea, until the Romanians joined the war.
Click to expand...

The Russians would do this before the Romanian entry into the war. They would do this in order to help liberate the Straits and completely cut off the Ottomans from the other CPs by knocking Bulgaria out of the war.

Because knocking out Bulgaria means an earlier end to the war since it will also knock out the Ottomans shortly afterwards--or at least that would be the hope. Then the Entente could focus all of their energies on Germany and A-H and Romania could get Transylvania. It's not like there was a genocide in Transylvania, so Romania didn't have to invade it immediately.

Yes, it would.
 
@raharris1973 Think of it this way: Capturing Transylvania won't do anything to help shorten the war since all four CPs will still continue fighting even afterwards. In contrast, going after Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire can result in at least one and possibly two CPs being knocked out, thus making it easier to subsequently go after the remaining CPs and ending WWI more quickly, which ultimately allows Romania to get Transylvania in the long(er)-run anyway. :)
 
Considering how swiftly Germany defeated Romania, this is a good way for a large number of Russians to get pocketed in Bulgaria and cause Russia to collapse even faster.
 
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