These incidents came shortly before the Iron Guard's own ouster from power (the Legionary Rebellion). Cioculescu maintained a low profile during the following period, when the country was placed under an authoritarian regime presided upon by the Guard's former ally, "Conducător" Ion Antonescu. The period saw Cioculescu focusing on his activities as a literary historian, publisher and editor. In 1940, he published his synthesis "Viața lui I. L. Caragiale" ("The Life of I. L. Caragiale"). For a while, he accepted the offer made by official journalist Pamfil Șeicaru to manage the literary supplement of his "Curentul" newspaper. The journal also published the fragments from Iorga's works in his possession. The following year, he was, with Perpessicius, Vianu and Streinu, co-author of Editura Vremea's special volume of praise for Lovinescu, who was at the time marginalized by the Antonescu regime. In 1942, Cioculescu oversaw the revised edition of "Peregrinulu transelvanu" ("The Transylvanian Pilgrim"), a travel account by the 19th century author and activist Ion Codru-Drăgușanu, detailing the author's impressions of England and France.