Background
Having launched its invasion of northeast Transylvania in late August 1916, the undefeated Romanian Northern Army was ordered to withdraw, due to factors outside its control, such as setbacks on another army's front. The exhausted Austro-Hungarians under General Arthur Arz von Straußenburg moved slowly, giving the Romanians an uncontested run towards the border, where they settled into prepared defensive positions. The Romanian retreat started on 5 October and was carried out in the best order, with only negligible losses. General Arz sent his 72nd Division to the northern passes — Békás (Bicaz Gorge) and Tölgyes (Tulgheș) — with the VI Corps directed towards the southern ones — the 61st Division to Gyimes (Ghimeș) and the 39th Honvéd Division to Úzvölgye (Valea Uzului). The Austro-Hungarians crossed the Romanian border at Palanca in the Gyimes Pass (Ghimeș-Palanca Pass) region on 13 October. [1] [2]
Commanding the Northern Army was Constantin Prezan, a general who had studied in France. [3] Prezan was, however, widely regarded as more of a courtier than a serious military officer. Fortunately for the Romanians, his operations officer was Captain Ion Antonescu, a "talented if prickly" individual.Such was the influence of Captain Antonescu that, in his memoirs, General Alexandru Averescu used the formula "Prezan (Antonescu)" to denote Prezan's plans and actions. [5]
Battle
In the Uz Pass [ ro; de ], violent fighting began on 14 October. Positions were lost and gained, but overall the Romanians maintained themselves close to the border or even on the border itself, inflicting reverses and serious losses. By 26 October, the Honvéds had gained only a small insignificant portion of territory across the Romanian border. [6] By 29 October, the 39th Honvéd Division had incurred casualties amounting to 146 killed, 553 wounded and 644 missing. [7]
At Palanca, the Austro-Hungarian 61st Division made good initial progress. Palanca itself was conquered in two days of fighting (13 to 15 October), and by 17 October the village of Agăș, Bacău County, was reached, seven miles into Romanian territory. On the following day, the Austro-Hungarians attempted a further advance, but were counterattacked by the Romanians from two directions, and had to hastily retreat, the Romanian forces taking almost 1,000 prisoners and 12 guns. [8] [9] Aside from its losses at Agăș, by 29 October, the 61st Division had lost a further 22 killed, 82 wounded and 158 missing. [10]
The Battle of Prunaru was a military engagement between German and Romanian forces during the Romanian Campaign of World War I. It resulted in a tactical German victory, but following the heavy Romanian resistance the Germans halted after taking Prunaru. General Constantin Prezan's maneuver group checked the German forces in the region within two days, exposing the left flank of Field Marshal August von Mackensen's Danube Army.
The Battle of Transylvania was the first major operation of Romania during World War I, beginning on 27 August 1916. It started as an attempt by the Romanian Army to seize Transylvania, and potentially knock Austria-Hungary out of the war. Although initially successful, the offensive was brought to a halt after Bulgaria's attack on Dobruja. Coupled with a successful German and Austro-Hungarian counterattack which started in mid-September, the Romanian Army was eventually forced to retreat back to the Carpathians by mid-October. The Romanian armies however managed to escape the Central Powers' attempts to completely destroy them. The Battle of Transylvania also caused the replacement of the chief of staff of the German Army and the shifting of German attention to the region, causing German offensive operations at Verdun to cease.
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On 27 August 1916, Romania entered World War I on the side of the Allies, three of its armies invading Transylvania. The 1st and 2nd Armies invaded the southern part, while the Romanian North Army invaded the northeastern part. Unlike the 1st and 2nd Armies – which had to contend with a German-led counter-offensive – the North Army faced primarily Austro-Hungarian forces, and as such its campaign hardly had any major battles. After conquering three Hungarian urban districts, the undefeated North Army was ordered to withdraw due to events outside its control, after inflicting heavier losses than those it had incurred.
The Battle of Mezőlivádia was a military engagement fought between Romanian and Central Powers forces during the Romanian Campaign of the First World War. It was part of the Battle of Transylvania. This battle is notable for being the first Central Powers counterattack against the Romanian invasion of Transylvania, as well as the first military engagement during the Battle of Transylvania to involve German forces. The battle resulted in a Romanian victory.
The Nagyszeben Offensive was a Romanian military operation during the opening stages of the Battle of Transylvania, during the Romanian Campaign of 1916 in World War I. It was fought against Austro-Hungarian forces and resulted in a Romanian victory, the city of Nagyszeben (Sibiu/Hermannstadt) being reached within a week. A further week of minor operations following the one-day Romanian occupation of the city resulted in the stabilization of the Romanian front line in the region for the ensuing fortnight.
The Petrozsény Offensive was the opening action of the south-western front of the 1916 Battle of Transylvania, during World War I. The Transylvanian coal-mining center of Petrozsény (Petroșani) was occupied by the Romanian Army on 29 August, two days after the Kingdom of Romania declared war on Austria-Hungary.
The First Battle of Orsova was a World War I military engagement between Austro-Hungarian and German forces on one side and Romanian forces on the other side. The Central Powers failed to advance, the battle thus resulting in a Romanian victory.
The Third Battle of Petrozsény was a World War I military engagement between Romanian forces on one side and Central Powers forces on the other side. It was part of the wider Battle of Transylvania and the last engagement in the area around Petrozsény. The battle resulted in a Central Powers victory.
The Battle of Sellenberk was a World War I military engagement fought between Romanian forces on one side and Central Powers forces on the other side. It was part of the wider Battle of Transylvania and resulted in a Romanian victory.
The Battle of Nagyszeben was a World War I military engagement fought between the forces of the Central Powers on one side and the forces of Romania on the other side. It was the decisive engagement during the Battle of Transylvania, and also the largest, involving four armies out of the five fighting in the region: two Romanian, one German, and one Austro-Hungarian.
The Uz Valley Cemetery (Romanian side)
The Austro-Hungarian side of the cemetery, with German gravediggers (during World War I)
Romania 
Austria-Hungary 
