Horia, Cloşca şi Crişan Division

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The Horia, Cloşca şi Crişan division was created in April 1945 from Romanian volunteers, mostly prisoners of war, but also Communist activists such as Valter Roman. It was created by the Soviet Union at Kotovsk. Its first leader was General Mihail Lascăr, who had been taken prisoner in November 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad.^[1] General Lascăr commanded the division from April 12 to September 12, 1945.

The division did not see combat in World War II. Under the firm control of Romanian communists and backed by Red Army troops, the HCsC Division was a key instrument with which the Soviets established complete communist control of Romania after the war against the wishes of the regular Romanian army. By 1947, the HCsC Division, along with its sister unit, the Tudor Vladimirescu Division, was motorized and partially equipped with tanks.^[2] In an army with practically no armor, this equipment gave the two divisions a significant advantage in mobility and firepower.