Franco-Prussian rivalry 1866-71 Flashcards
1
Q
What was the situation in 1866 between Prussia and France, after the Austro-Prussian War?
A
- Napoleon III attempted to pressure the 2 powers into making peace on his terms by threatening to join the war on either side.
- Fast Prussian victory made his mediation unnecessary
- Bismarck feared France allying with Austria: sent a Prussian ambassador to inform Napoleon that Prussian expansion was only in North Germany, thus the division of north and south states was presented as a ‘reward’ for his neutrality.
2
Q
What was the stance of the 4 southern states?
A
- distrusted Bismarck
- distrusted Napoleon: correctly believing he wanted their territory in return for French neutrality
- distrusted each other
3
Q
What inspired the Luxembourg crisis?
A
- July 1866, French ambassador presented Bismarck with plans for France to acquire part of the Rhineland – belonging to Bavaria and Hesse.
- Bismarck rejected – did not want to give away German territory
- Bismarck also did not want to alienate Napoleon, so he suggested France should look further north for expansion, in French speaking areas of Luxembourg and Belgium.
4
Q
Describe the Luxembourg crisis
A
Napoleon wanted to prove that France was still Europe’s greatest power. To do this, he needed territorial gains.
- Bismarck helped Napoleon persuade the King of Netherlands (also Duke of Luxembourg) to give it up: King agreed – short of money & dgaf about Luxembourg.
- Prussia had rights to garrison the fortress in Luxembourg: from the 1815 Vienna Peace Settlement.
- End of 1866, Napoleon was encouraging unrest in Luxembourg against Prussia, Bismarck felt no need to be friendly to France.
- In response to Napoleon and to encourage nationalist sentiments, Bismarck presented Luxembourg as German – anti French sentiment increased throughout Germany.
- Napoleon manipulated the King of Netherlands that Prussia wanted some Dutch territory, offering to protect Netherlands in exchange for Luxembourg.
- Bismarck used German patriots and spreading German nationalism to threaten the king.
- Bismarck appeals to the Great Powers to discuss Luxembourg in the London conference.
- London conference: Prussian garrison withdrawn, Luxembourg guaranteed independence and neutrality, no territorial gain for France.
- damage to Franco-German relations
- Austria unlikely to ally with France, Emperor Franz Joseph knew that most German Austrians were anti-French.
5
Q
Describe the Hohenzollern Candidature
A
- 1868, Queen Isabella of Spain deposed by revolution
- Spanish government looking for a new monarch among European royals.
- offer made to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern, whose father reffered the offer to William as he was head of the Hohenzollern family.
- William was not prepared to consent, knowing it would provoke French hostility – 2 Hohenzollern monarchs aligned with anti-French policies.
- Bismarck persuaded William that increasing the power of the Hohenzollern would increase the power of Germany as well.
- Bismarck secretly sent bribes to Leopold & father, on top of putting pressure on the Hohenzollern family.
- Leopold finally accepted and William gave his consent.
6
Q
Describe the crisis following Leopold’s acceptance
A
- Bismarck planned for Leopold’s acceptance document to arrive in Spain as the Cortes were in session, and to be immediately presented and ratified, before it was announced to the public.
- a cipher clerk’s error incorrectly communicated Bismarck’s plan – the Cortes were not in session when the document arrived.
- news of Leopold’s acceptance was leaked
- 3 July 1870, news reached Paris.
- French ambassador Count Benedetti met with William, who was having a spa day at Ems.
- William had no wish for war and assured Count Benedetti of Prussia’s friendship for France.
- 12 July, Leopold’s father withdrew Leopold’s candidacy by a telegram to the Spanish government.
- Bismarck felt humiliated and shamed, threatening to resign.
- French statesman Duke of Gramont – personally disappointed that Prussia backed down – pointed out to Napoleon William’s dubious and untrustworthy renunciation, goading the emperor.
- 13 July, Count Benedetti ordered to see William again to demand an official renunciation from him as personal assurance.
- William felt insulted and refused since they had already met prior, but the meeting was placating and civil.
7
Q
What is the Ems Telegram?
A
- as standard procedure Bismarck was notified by William of the events on 13 July, and had permission to publish it in the press.
- Bismarck, dining with General Moltke and War Minister Roon. 3 of them shortened the text. For the French, it would seem like William insulted Benedetti. For the Germans, it would seem like Benedetti insulted William.
- Bismarck then published the amended Ems telegram in newspapers in Berlin. Prussian embassies relayed the text to foreign governments.
8
Q
Describe the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war
A
- Ems telegram caused uproar in France, with French newspapers demanding war.
- Napoleon’s wife, ministers, deputies, and the French public were urging France into war.
- 19 July 1870, France declared war on Prussia.
- France was prepared to fight, before the Ems telegram.
- Bismarck claimed that France was the aggressor, and the south German states were supporting Prussia in war. (1866 alliance)
- government propaganda led to all Germans proud of and wanting to be associated with Prussia’s glory.
9
Q
Describe the international situation in 1870
A
- Austrians may have wanted to fight Prussia but Hungarian government was deeply opposed to war
- Russia promised to join Prussia if Austria joined France – ensured Austrian neutrality
- Denmark was considering joining France to recover Schleswig, but ultimately did not participate
- Italy was greedy, France not willing to promise their demands in exchange for support
- Britain has long been distrusting of Napoleon, especially when Bismarck made it seem as if Napoleon wanted to invade Belgium by publishing documents given to him by French ambassador discussing France’s rewards for staying neutral in the Seven Weeks War. – Bismarck kept these documents in case they would come in useful. – the documents caused outrage in Britain.
- France was alone in the war
10
Q
What was different about the Prussian army?
A
- Prussian German army – Germany was united against France.
- Prussian military organisation and system extended to armies of all North German Confederation states.
11
Q
What were the factors of German success?
A
- well planned mobilisation
- 6 German railway lines to the French-German frontier, France only had 2
- brilliant military leaders
12
Q
What about the French army?
A
- slower mobilisation
- no plan of campaign
- fought well with mitrailleuses – rapid fire barrel firearms
13
Q
Timeline of war
A
5 August, Spicheren – Prussia
6 August, Worth – Prussia
14 - 18 August, fortress of Metz – Prussia (majority of Napoleon’s skilled troops down)
30 August, Sedan – French army encircled by Germans
1 September – French army could not break out of Sedan
2 September – French surrender
14
Q
How did the war end?
A
- Germans took 100,000+ war prisoners, including Napoleon.
- 4 September, news of emperor’s capture and revolution in Paris, establishing the Third French Republic.
- new French government wanted peace but did not want to give up territory, Bismarck said no he wanted Alsace and Lorraine
- 20 September, Paris besieged by German forces.
- 28 January 1871, French government agreed to an armistice – Parisians were starving, food shortage, and suffering German bombardments.
15
Q
What were the outcomes of the war?
A
- All Germans had supported the war effort
- popular pressure for permanent unity grew in southern states
- November 1870, 4 southern states each signed a treaty, joining the German Empire.
- became a federal state: each state retained their monarchies and most powers over internal state affairs
- King Ludwig II of Bavaria, bribed by Bismarck to put his name on a letter asking William to accept the title of emperor. Other signatures were added. A month later the appeal was seconded by the North German Reichstag.
- 18 January 1871, William proclaimed Kaiser at Versailles.
16
Q
What was the Treaty of Frankfurt?
A
- France to pay a heavy fine, the same amount as the indemnity imposed on Prussia in 1807 by Napoleon Bonaparte.
- Germans believed France was the aggressor, therefore they should be punished for losing. Punishment was in the form of annexing Alsace and half of Lorraine – largely German speaking areas and rich in iron ore.
- Franco-German relations now irrecconcilable
- Bismarck did this so that France was so weakened, it was not a future threat to Germany.
