he held two important positions under gheorghiu-dej: minister of defense and vice premier. on 27 december 1947 he became minister of defense, taking over the position previously held by mihail lascăr. he held this office until 3 october 1955, while in 1956 he became minister of transportation. during his tenure, a sovietization of the romanian army occurred. bodnăraș sent several romanian communists to moscow to be trained in a special military school, among them the young nicolae ceaușescu, who became a close and zealous collaborator and was appointed general and political commissar of the military forces.