During the Russo-Turkish war of 1877 the Kingdom of Romania seizes its chance to declare its independence from the Ottoman Empire and joins the war on Russia's side.When Romania's National Assembly declares the independence of the kingdom from the Ottoman Empire the Turkish envoy Mehmet Ali attempts to salvage the relations between Romania and Turkey.But the Ottomans are not prepared to accept full Romanian independence and this leads to a state of war between Romania and the Ottoman Empire. Romania starts a general draft of all able men with many joining the army as volunteers.Romanians from the neighboring Habsburg-controlled Transylvania also volunteer.Romanian women volunteer as nurses for the front.The Romanian armies join the Russian armies against the Ottoman forces that are dug in a series of Bulgarian forts south of the Danube river.When the Russo-Romanian armies cross the Danube into Ottoman territory full hostilities begin.