German Unification: How and why was the unification of Germany achieved by 1871?

Question 1

Napoleon III - Bismarck relations until 1866

Answer 1

INTERNATIONAL SITUATION BETTER THN EXPECTED - Britain welcomed prussias fdominant position, russia was happy to have ally against Austria

-Meeting at Biarritz
-Napoleon iii remained neutral in Austro prussian war in hopes to mediate but Bismarck declined
-threat of united germany concerned france
-France wanted south german states, bismarck didnt want to give them to hm but did not want to lose him as an ally -> suggeste belgium and luxembourg

Question 2

The Luxembourg Crisis Events

Answer 2

-Npoleon needed territiorial success
-Bismarck didnt feel the need to be friendly towards france- bismarck started referring to louxembourg aS German and did not want to give it up
-stirred up anti french sentiment

WHY - to start provoking Napoleon into starting war
but he dint want war yet- needed time after austrian war

ALSO maybe controlled by german nationalists that hated france as he couldnt afford to alienate them

Question 3

Results of the Luxembourg Crisis

Answer 3

Conference in London : Prussian Garrisson withdrawn
-louxembourg independence maintained by GREAT POWERS

HEAVY BLOW TO NAPOLEON BECAUSE NO TERRITORIAL GAIN

relations deteriorating
napoleon now seen as german leader for the first time not just prussian
stirred up german nationalist feelings and used them against france

Question 4

Bismarck Intentions

Answer 4

-wanted war but not in a rush
-knew it had to be started by france to be popular throughout france -> provocation campaign
-knew war would speed up unification process

Question 5

the Hohenzollern Candidature

Answer 5

Bismarck pushed through bribes the candidacy of Leopold of HOHHENZOLLERN for the spanish thrown

-napoleon saw it as a threat of encircling it with hohhenzollern leaders with leaders in both Berlin and Madrid pursuing anti -french policies

-Bismarck pursued william to go through with the plan
regardless of french hostility

IMPACT

-regardeed as totally unacceptable by napoleon

-Count Benedtti told king that continuing would lead to war-william assured him thy odnt want war

-leopold renunciation was announced in a telegram from his father but France wanted official answer from William- he found that deeply insulting and sent telegram to Bismatck

Question 6

the Ems Telegram

Answer 6

Bismarck striked out some words from the telegram to make it seem insulting to the Count and to seem uncompormising of renunciationg support for Leopold

-published in newspapers

IMPACT
-widespread uprisings in france

Question 7

The War - 1870 : Diplomatic situation

Answer 7

-Britain neutrality -distrustful of napoleon
-Italy made high demands in return for supporting france which they did not accept
Russia promised to join Prussia if Austria joined France -> Austrian neutrality

-

Question 8

Metz

Answer 8

-german troops cut off french escape route to Paris
-Bulk of napoleon troops out of action

Question 9

Sedan

Answer 9

-new French troops intercepted by germans at belgian border and encircled
- German artillery had longer ranfe and higher rate of fire
-French losses : 40 000 Prussia: 9000

–they then met to discuss peace

Question 10

Results of war- Empire

Question 11

Reason for Prussian Victory

Answer 11

-Army - controlled by brilliant moeltke
- German troops were impenetrable and imprevisible while every ovement of french troops were reported to Prussia - better tactics

-French Isolation - see above diplomatic situation - britain italy austria russia

-artillery -longer range and higher rate of fire

-mobilisation well planned - 470 000 troops had moved to borders of Alsace by beginning of August compared to only 300 000

-railway - six german lines vs 2 french lines -> better transport of food artillery and troops