They sent one of the best of the French generals to teach the Roumanians the latest science of war, but men and guns they could not send.  Look at the map and see how Roumania was shut off from all help except what came from Russia.  Here Sturmer was doing his part to help Germany.  Ammunition and troops which were intended to rescue Roumania, never reached her.  The Germans had spies in the Roumanian army and before each battle, knew exactly where the Roumanian troops would be and what they were going to do.

The German gun factories had sold to Roumania her cannon.  On each gun was a delicate sight with a spirit level—­a little glass tube supposed to be filled with a liquid which would not freeze.  Slyly the Germans had filled these tubes with water, intending, in case Roumania entered the war on their side, to warn them about the “mistake.”  When the guns were hauled up into the mountains and freezing weather came, these sights burst, making the guns almost useless.  Overwhelmed from both the northwest and the south, the Roumanian army, fighting gallantly, was beaten back mile after mile.  Great stores of grain were either destroyed or captured by the Germans.  The western part of Roumania where the great oil wells are, fell into the hands of the invaders, as did Bukharest, the capital.

Sturmer had done his work well.  Germany, instead of being almost beaten, now took on fresh courage.  Thanks to Roumanian wheat, Roumanian oil, and above all, the glory of the victories, the central powers were now in better shape to fight than if Roumania had kept out of the war.  The German comic papers were full of pictures which declared that as England and France had always wanted to see a defeated Hohenzollern they might now take a long look at King Ferdinand of Roumania.

Questions for Review

 1.  What was the great disappointment connected with the rise to power
    of the “young Turks”?
 2.  What would you say was the secret of the success of Venizelos in
    Greece?
 3.  What mistake did the Greeks make at the close of the war of 1913?
 4.  What was the real cause of the strife between Venizelos and King
    Constantine?
 5.  Would King Constantine have been justified in holding as prisoners
    the French and British troops who were driven back upon Greek
    soil?
 6.  What right had Venizelos to set up a republic?
 7.  Was it right for the Entente to force the resignation of King
    Constantine?
 8.  What made Roumania decide to join the Entente?
 9.  How was the Roumanian campaign a great help to the Central Powers?

CHAPTER XXI

  The War Under the Sea

Britannia rules the waves.—­Enter the submarine.—­The blockade of Germany.—­The sinking of the Lusitania and other ships.—­The trade in munitions of war.—­The voyages of the Deutschland.—­Germany ready for peace (on her own terms).—­The reply of the allies.—­Germany’s amazing announcement.—­The United States breaks off friendly relations.