The Place of Romania in European History, Part II
Kenneth Johnstone traces Romania's development, from the Crimean War to independence and enlargement.
The Crimean war showed the determination of the western Powers not to leave the ‘Eastern Question’ to be settled between Russia and Austria or by Russian force alone. Austro-Russian rivalry and Romanian helplessness in the area were illustrated by Austria’s action in 1854 when, war having already been declared between Russia and Turkey, Austria, with Prussia’s concurrence, insisted that Russian troops withdraw from the Principalities and herself proceeded to occupy northern Moldavia and the greater part of Wallachia, nominally as a protective screen for Turkey, but in fact hoping to retain the provinces under her own control as a reward from a grateful Europe, an expectation that was to be disappointed.
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