Transcript Germany 1815

THE WAR WITH FRANCE AND THE
UNIFICATION OF GERMANY
The Unification of Germany 1862- 1871
Luxembourg Crisis



France lost heavily from 1866- prestige, military
(supposed) supremacy and there developed an
increased anti-Prussian opinion and has lost all
potential allies
Luxembourg Crisis 1867- Napoleon wished to annex
the duchy in return for its neutrality in 1866- Bismarck
even stated “there would be no obstacles in the way of
French expansion on the basis of French nationalism”
Lux. was not even in the N. G. Confed.
Luxembourg Crisis




Bismarck allowed the news of Napoleon’s “scheming” to be
published- public outrage- Bismarck switches course
Bismarck releases a secret military agreement with the South
German states- Prussia would oppose the French acquisition
of Lux. and provide military support to Lux.
Threat of war against Napoleon III- meeting held in LondonFrance backs down- Luxembourg becomes independent
https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/harp
/0601.html
The Hohenzollern Candidate




1868 Queen Isabella II overthrown in Madrid (liberalconstitution)
The liberals looked to possibly remove her and asked
for possible foreign candidatesPrince Leopold von Hohenzollern-Simaringen- nephew
to the King of Prussia (married a Portugese Princess)
Prussia (Bismarck) offered- Uproar in France (why?)
The Hohenzollern Candidate



French ambassador, Benedetti visited King Wilhelm
I at Ems (resort town in Prussia) to present the
French perspective- agreed to withdraw without
any ill will
Napoleon sends Benedetti back to seek assurances
that it wouldn’t happen again- Wilhelm refuses but
both part happy and confident
Wilhelm dictates a telegram to Bismarck
Ems Dispatch


Bismarck edits the
telegram- makes it public
in France and the
German states
page158
DID BISMARCK PLAN A WAR
WITH FRANCE?
Unification of Germany- 1862- 1871
Historical Debate




Pages 156- 157- 3 options, well more like 2
Did Bismarck intend to go to war with France? 159161
*keep close attention to the issue of the Southern
German states
What do you think?
War with France




300,000 Prussian troops at the border within days (railways
and already mobilized??)
Prussia suffered heavy losses, more than the French, but the
French withdrew (probably due to the Prussian artillery)
Fortress of Sedan- 150,000 Prussian troops vs a small relief
force- Wilhelm, Bismarck and Napoleon III watched the
assault
France- 17,000 losses- Prussia- 9000 losses- Napoleon III
taken prisoner
War with France



War continues- September 19 1870 Paris is
surrounded by Prussian forces
Slow peace process- allowed French guerrilla
resistance fighters- Prussian response is brutal
War erupted again in Jan. 1871 until a Adolphe
Thiers is elected to the French provisional
government- negotiates with Bismarck
Bismarck and Thiers



Bismarck acquires Alsace and Lorraine, and France
is required to pay 5 billion francs- Treaty of
Frankfurt
Revolution in Paris due to the war and the treatythe Paris Commune- opposed the new Republic
France attacks its own people as Prussian troops
watch
Results of the War





German leadership- poor- Bismarck looses his grip on the army
Peace is very hard to be negotiated- Austrian Treaty was easy and
kept both nations friendly
Taking Alsace and Lorraine made friendly relations impossible- hello
World War 1
Regardless- January 1871 Germany is proclaimed as an Empire by
the German princes at a ceremony at VERSAILLES!
http://germanhistorydocs.ghidc.org/sub_image.cfm?image_id=1403
The German Empire

Federal constitution- with Emperor Wilhelm I as hereditary King

Bismarck- Imperial Chancellor until 1890- appointed all ministers

Reichstag- elected by universal manhood suffrage (over 25)



Individual states had their own assemblies and dealt with their own internal
concerns
Bundesrat- assembly of rep. of all the states (Prussia was the biggest and
most dominant)
Budget was voted on for 7 years- Foreign affairs were the direct
responsibility of the Chancellor
How did he do it?