Metropolitan Conon's most problematic stances were expressed during World War I, a period of political division. In 1916, Romania joined the Entente, but rapidly lost the Battle of Bucharest to the Central Powers: their armies occupied the city and forced the government to move the capital to Iași. Conon, who stayed behind in occupied Bucharest, was persuaded by the German authorities to sign a letter to the soldiers and the Orthodox faithful in Moldavia, urging them to give up the fight against Germany. The letter, written by author Gala Galaction at the request of collaborationist politician Virgil Arion, was later modified by the German authorities without Galaction's consent, and dropped as airborne leaflet propaganda over the Romanian trenches.