Date post: | 22-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
View: | 213 times |
Download: | 0 times |
HIST2086Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor
War with France 1870-1
Lecture 1326 October 2010
Bismarck’s strategy 1866-70
German unity ‘from above’ with Prussian leadership + dominance as prime goal:
• To make use of national movement as ‘integrating ideology’ to give artificial North German Confederation a major task
• To safeguard monarchy by employing ‘Bonapartism’: Successful government
→ loyalty → legitimacy + no ‘peoples war’
Luxemburg Crisis (1)
• Grand-duchy of Luxemburg: Person union with Holland + Prussian garrison s. 1839
• Napoleon III’s wish to acquire Luxemburg as price for his mediation in 1866 → Strong need to raise his own prestige in France
• Strong anti-French German public mood
• Bismarck’s fear of uncontrolled German ‘peoples’ war’ → Conference at London …
Luxemburg Crisis (2)
Conference at London, 1867:
• Luxemburg declared neutral + 5-power-guarantee• France kept out of Luxemburg + Prussian garrison withdrawn
= No territorial gain for France + heavy blow for Napoleon
► Serious damage of Franco-Prussian relations► Bismarck seen by France as German nationalist +
Prussian expansionist + strongly defiant to French hegemony of Europe
► War between France + Prussia soon expected
Napoleon's strategy 1867-70
• Re-strengthen ‘Bonapartism’ by successful foreign politics
• To set-up a coalition of France + Austria + Italy ≠ Prussia (+ Russia)
But: Austria’s readiness for war only when Russia sided Prussia
Italy’s excessive territorial demands incl. Papal State at Rome under French military protection
= No formal coalition: Unsuccessful French plans
Hohenzollern Candidature Crisis (1)
Spanish revolution of 1868:• Driving out Spanish Queen Isabella
• Moderate Spanish right’s search for new monarch to safeguard monarchy
→ Offer of Spanish crown to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern = Catholic side-branch of royal Prussian House of Hohenzollern
Hohenzollern Candidature Crisis (2)
Bismarck’ perception of candidature:
• Option 1: Hohenzollern prince as Spanish King → One French army corps bound at Spanish border in case of French attack on Prussia → French ‘encircled’
• Option 2: Any other Catholic prince as Spanish King supported by France → Replacement of French troops in Rome by Spanish → Italy ready for coalition with France → Prussia ‘encircled’ + no German unity achievable
Hohenzollern Candidature Crisis (3)
• Bismarck’s secret encouragement of Hohenzollern candidature
• Strong French critic after official publication of candidature + desire for triumph, for
intimidation, humiliation of Prussia + creating war-like mood
• Spanish renunciation of Leopold’s candidature after strong French pressure: Such
voluntary step of Leopold not enough to satisfy French negative ambitions towards Prussia
Hohenzollern Candidature Crisis (4)
• France’s demand of official renunciation from King William I on behalf of Leopold for all time
= Overemphasising crisis + Napoleon’s overplaying his hand
• France’s demand refused by King William but his conciliatory reply to French ambassador Benedetti at Bad Ems
• ‘Ems telegram’ amended by Bismarck to provoke war with France → King’s action seemingly more abrupt + dismissive than in reality
Hohenzollern Candidature Crisis (4)
Napoleon’s situation:
• Option 1: To suffer major diplomatic defeat against Prussia → probably end of
Napoleon’s government
• Option 2: To escape into war → probably good chance to defeat Prussia:
Declaration of war, 19 Jul 1870
Warfare (1)• Strong anti-French feelings in all-Germany:
‘National uprising’ in North and South
• Neutral stance of Russia + Austria + Britain
• Quick mobilisation of Prussian + other German states armies + well-trained troops under Prussian General von Moltke
• France’s war declaration with no prior preparation or military action → Slow mobilisation of
French army → early battles defeats
Warfare (2)
3 major series of operations:
• Battles leading to trapping of French army under Bazaine in Metz (- October 1870)
• Surrender of Napoleon III at Sedan (2 Sep 1870)
• Investment of Paris (- 28 Jan 1871)
War Results
Founding of German Empire at Versailles, 18 Jan 1871
Treaty of Frankfurt, May 1871:• Annexation of French provinces Alsace + (East-)
Lorraine by Germany• Heavy French war indemnity
= New border line for military strategic reasons = Strong German public pressure on Bismarck to
annex French territory as punishment
► Long-lasting French revenge feeling