The end (sfârşit) of the First World War (primul război mondial) saw the union of all the regions inhabited by Romanians. The provinces of Transylvania, Banat and Bessarabia were added to the country to create what Romanians called România Mare. During the reigns of Ferdiand (1914-27), Carol II (1930-40) and Michael (1940-7), efforts were made to develop Romania. Modern highways (şosele) were built, a public bus, rail (calea ferată) and air system were introduced, and electricty (electricitate), gas (gaze) and water (apă) were brought to towns. More schools (şcoli) and hospitals (spitale) were also constructed. However, despite these advances the life of the peasants in the villages remained largely unchanged. Before the outbreak of the Second World War (al doilea război mondial) 80% of Romania’s 18 million people lived on the land (pământ).

In June 1940 the Soviet Union seized Besserabia and two months later Romania lost more territory, this time to Hungary, when, under pressure from Germany, she was forced to give away the northern part of Transylvania. At the end of the Second World War in 1945 Soviet troops occupied Romania and the first steps were taken to communize the country. This involved the abolition of all institutions and the creation of new ones, and the imprisonment of all those who opposed this process. The complete subjugation (subjugare) of Romania to the Soviet Union was marked by King Michael’s forced abdication (abdicare) in December 1947 and the proclomation (proclamare) of the Romanian People’s Republic.