Prussian Army Flashcards
Who was Von Roon?
- Prussian Minister of War 1859-1873
- Appointed by Prince Wilhlem to reform the army after the Italian war 1859 revealed clear weaknesses in the Prussian army (the army attempted to mobilise in support of Austria however the war was over before mobilisation was complete).
Describe the work of Von Roon?
Military reform bill 1860 aimed to double the army size from 50,000 to 110,000, increase the period of military service from 2 to 3 years, and reequip troops with new artillery such as the needle gun.
Bill was rejected by radicals and liberals in June 1861 who formed the Progressive Party (had many seats in parliament by 1862 they held the majority in the lower house). Faced with a constitutional crisis, on Roons advice William appointed Otto von Bismark as chief minister. His appointment was one of the most momentous occasions in European history. (Bismark solved the problem of military budget by withdrawing the bill, declaring parliaments support for it was unnecessary as army reforms could be financed by taxation. He ignored parliamentary complaints that his reforms were illegal and he increased taxes and reorganised the army as if parliament did not exist.)
In Battle of Sadowa July 1866 Prussia introduced their new breech loading needle gun which had five times greater fire than anything Austria possessed resulted in 45,000 Austrian injuries compared to 9000 Prussian. New technology implemented by von Roon was responsible for Prussian army success.
Who was Moltke?
Military general 1855-1870
What work of Moltke can be considered significant in the unification of Germany?
- Use of railways as military tactics meant Prussian mobilisation was much more efficient than that of Austria at the Battle of Sadowa 3rd July 1866. Moltke was responsible in setting up railways and implementing telegraphs in an attempt to better organise troops. Prussias railways network was 19,000km in length, double that of Austria’s which menat they could mobilise troops faster.
- Accomplished military leader responsible for Prussian victory in Autro-Prussian war 1866 and Franco-Prussian war 1870.
- Responsible for the surrender of Napoleon at Sedan
- Prussian army was controlled by the General Staff under von Moltke. This organisation was unique in Europe as their job in peace time was to prepare the overall war strategy and direct operational movement. Advanced planning made them efficient when war time came.
How can the significance of Moltke be considered limited?
(How did Bismark use the army 1871 to ensure Paris surrendered?)
limited role as in January 1871 Wilhelm I asserted and over-powered Moltke ordering him to consult Bismark about the future of military operation in Paris. Bismark ensured that Paris was attacked with high impact Krupp Siege guns (city was shelled 12,000 times) which were more advanced than France’s military (who were using the French bronze muzzle loading canon which relied on faulty time fuses). This led to Paris surrendering 1871 and the city suffered the humiliation of a triumphal German march through its streets.
- Although Moltke was significant in ensuring Napoleons surrender at Sedan, it was Bismark who was responsible for overall German victory in Franco-Prussian war.
How was Bismark signifcant in the development of the Prussian army?
- After the constiutional crisis 1861-1862 Bismarks government continued to collect taxes and disburse funds without reguard for parliament legislation. He denounced the liberals and maintained the governments right to act autonomously since the constitution did not specify a procedure in the event that the legislative failed to approve a budget.
- This paved the way for reforms implemented by Von Roon (double army size, increase length of conscription, introduce new technologies) which ultimately gave Prussia an advantage in foreign wars.
German unification was the result of three wars- 1. Denmark 1864
What was the nationality in Schleswig, what happened as a result?
- Populated by Danes and Germans
- 1863 Danish king sent troops into Schleswig in attempt to make it Danish territory. In response German troops were sent to Holstein (neighbouring Duchy of German population).
- 1864 Prussian and Austrian troops entered the Duchy’s and Denmark was defeated
- Despite Bismarks wishes to make the two Duchy’s part of Prussia the Treaty of Vienna 1864 agreed that they should be jointly occupied by Austria and Prussia.
German unification was the result of three wars- 2. Austro-Prussian 1866
Why did the Austro-Prussian war break out?
- Tensions between Austria and Prussia over the administration of Schleswig-Holstein rose as in the Gastein Convention Austria was given Holstein and Prussia Schleswig, both Duchy’s were admitted to the Zollverein of which Austria was not a member.
- This joint administration led to dispute between the two powers, along with Bismarks plans to reform the German confederation to exclude Austria, led to Austria declaring war on Prussia 1866
German unification was the result of three wars- 2. Austro-Prussian 1866
What was the treaty of Prague, why was this significant in German unification?
- Agreement at the end of the Austro Prussian war
- Terms of treaty: All German states North of River Main were to be formed into North German confederation under Prussian leadership, Prussia annexed territory including Schleswig, Holstein and Frankfurt.
- Austria were now forced to withdraw from German affairs, this left the feild clear for Prussian influence to dominate, 2/3 of all Germans were now part of the North German Confederation under Prussian leadership. The constitution Bismark drafted for this in 1867 became the basis of the constitution of the German Empire
German unification was the result of three wars- 3. France 1871
How was the role of Prussian military essential in ensuring full unification?
- Reforms of individuals such as Moltke and Roon meant that the Prussian army was well equipped and organised to defeat France. In January 1871 Bismark ensured Paris was shelled 12,000 times leading to the city surrendering. The Franco-Prussian war chanelled German nationalism as all states united against the common enemy of the French. This encouraged the un-united southern states to accept William IV as Emperor of a united Germany.
- The Franco-Prussian war was dominated by Prussian military expertise and tactics. e.g. Moltke.
Counter point
Why is it possible that the role of the Prussian army in achieving German unification maybe exaggerated?
It was the first truly German war, all German states fought as one and were proud of their victory and wished to be associated with Germany’s triumph.
What example illustrates the integral role railways played in German unification?
In Franco-Prussian war railways were utilised. There were 6 tracks to the French-German boarder from the German side compared with only 2 from the French side
