Consumul de alcool pe frontul românesc al Marelui Război. Soldatul român, aliaţi, civili (1916-1917)
Alcohol Consumption on the Romanian Front of the Great War. The Romanian Soldier, Allies, Civilians (1916-1917)

Summary/Abstract: The Romanian Army was caught on the wrong foot when it decided to join The Entente in the First World War. The Romanian Army was not prepared from a tactical point of view, or equipment wise, to join the new form of industrial war. As we know, Romania was part of the victorious side at the end of the war. But the article is about alcohol influence on the Romanian troops and its allies. The Romanian soldier, mainly with origins from rural areas, had alcoholic problems even before the war. Under the pressure of combat, misguidance in orders and corruption, Romanian soldier started to loot the countryside and the cities during the autumn retreat in order to obtain alcohol, while in the 1917 campaign alcohol was use for recreational purposes. The main problem was with the Russians, as they would plunder, rape and burn Romanian settlements in order to get beverages that contain alcohol. Those were happening while the Russian Empire was an ally of Romania and the Russian troops supposed to help the Romanian Army to achieve victory.

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