The Franco-German war (July 19th 1870 - January 28th 1871) opposed the Second Empire French and the German kingdoms plain behind the kingdom of Prussia (also it is sometimes called war free-Prussian ). The conflict marked the culminating point of the tension between the two powers, resulting from the Prussian will to dominate all the Germany, which was not whereas a federation of quasi-independent States. The defeat involved the fall of the French Empire.

Exploitation of the febrility of France

The candidature the June 21st 1870 of the German prince Léopold de Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen for the throne of Spain, vacant since the revolution of September 1868 is the element release of the war. The July 6th the duke of Gramont, Foreign Minister announces that France is opposed to this candidature. The July 12th Léopold de Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen withdraws its candidature, which is announced by his/her father prince Antoine. The July 13rd, whereas France requires of him, via its Benedetti ambassador sent near him in the town of water of Ems, to guarantee the withdrawal of Léopold, the king Guillaume of Prussia, aggravated, makes confirm the renunciation of the prince, by adding that it “does not have anything else any more to say to the ambassador”.

However its telegram (the Dépêche of Ems) reporting its maintenance with ambassador of France east rewritten by Prime Minister of Prussia Bismarck (even if Léopold were well withdrawn), to let accept a dismissal humiliating of the ambassador so as to cause the indignation of the French. The Prime Minister indeed seeks to lower arrogant France, whose diplomatic position is an obstacle to weld the German States and to open the way with the German Unité. However, after the success of the Battle of Sadowa at the time of the War austro-Prussian, to embarrass the French diplomacy, more than one new victorious war, seems to him the most effective means to achieve its goal. Even if he does not seek the war inevitably, the Prime Minister Bismarck is well informed of realities of the French Army, growing old not prepared with a European war, demoralized by the disaster of the forwarding in Mexico, soldiers badly equipped, bad positioning of the devices, no chief of value. He knows consequently that a war could serve the German objectives of Prussia. The Parisian press denounces the affront. The mobilization, stopped secretly the July 13rd, is signed the 14. The 15, it is approved by the legislative Body. In spite of the ultimate warnings of Adolphe Thiers, the French legislative Body votes also the appropriations of war. The July 16th, the marshal Bazaine is placed at the head of the 3rd army corps of the Rhine. It receives authority on the armies of the generals Frossard and Ladmirault like on the imperial Garde.

The Chabaud-Latour general is in charge of work of defense of the capital. Work is undertaken with the Mont Valérien, at the forts of Montrouge, Bicêtre, Ivry, Vanves, Issy, then the August 3rd at the forts of the East, and Saint-Denis more than one score of fears S are built. The July 17th at the time of an popular assembly of students and workmen with the Bastille, Emile Olivier pushed by the public opinion, declares the war with the Prussia (notified declaration two days later). The July 19th Emile Olivier declares, in front of the legislative Body, to accept the war “of a light heart”. The German States then take party for Prussia which appears attacked. Napoleon III, pacifist but sick, lets make. The July 19th France declares the war with the Prussia. This decision causes an enthusiastic gathering of Parisian in front of the Palais of Tileries. Little realizes that the French Army is badly prepared with this war.

Armaments and troops

" We are ready and archi-loans, it does not miss with our army a button of gaiter. " General the Ox of the French Army.

Rifles

The Chassepot model 1866 French, with a ammunition of 11 mm, has a range of one kilometer definitely higher than the German Dreyse, with a ammunition of 15 Misters.

But the France with the bad idea to buy the ammunition with the Belgian manufacture of Herstal by omitting the simple fact that the Kronprinz was the principal shareholder of this Belgian manufacture. The orders of ammunition did not arrive in time at Sedan. Without ammunition, Napoleon III goes to avoid a desperate carnage. The Manufacture of Herstal explains by mail this failure of delivery because of disorganization which reigns on the roads at that time and the empêtrés carriages…
The Manufacture of Herstal presents its invoice which is paid by IIIe République.

Guns

The German Krupp out of steel takes care by the cylinder head while its French counterpart Of Hitte is out of bronze and takes care by the mouth. These advantages are however limited by the quality of metal. The German superiority comes rather from the use of shell striking rather than fusing. The percussion shell, in 1870, penetrates the earth furnishs and fact fougasse without large damage. The fusing shell with shrapnel was dangerous in a radius of 100 meters. Inferiority comes especially, according to directing the Suzanne general of artillery in 1870, of the directions for use of French artillery. Not large battery, duel with opposing artillery with for only result attracting on it a concentration of the unfavourable batteries. Only one large battery was consisted colonel de Montluisant with Saint Privat on August 18th. It inflicted strong losses with the Prussian Guard. Lastly, it is necessary to quote the guns with balls, these machine-guns, which drew approximately 125 blows at the minute. Each time the officers, ordering these batteries, understand that it was not to better engage the fight against opposing artillery but against the infantry, from the visible results are obtained. It even seems that the majority of the Prussian losses their is ascribable.

Troops

With the beginning of the conflict France has 265  000 soldiers brought together in the Armed with the Rhine against 500  000 Prussian soldiers to which the forces of four German States of the south are added, is a total of 800  000 soldiers. One can take into account only the forces available on the battle field. Force is to note that in the majority of the cases they are the Prussians who were of lower number. 30.000 French against 14.000 Prussians with Spicheren, 120.000 against 35 then 70.000 Prussians on August 16th.

Short recall of the facts

A victory without call of Germany

Badly prepareds, much lower of number and very badly ordered, the French are severely beaten in several battles, where they make however some time proof of plume, generally heroic, in particular at the time of the battles of Reichshoffen. The September 2nd, to the Battle of Sedan, the French emperor Napoleon III goes with 100  003 soldiers, 419 guns and 6000 horses. That involves later two days a Révolution without violence with Paris and the creation of a government of national defense. A new crushing French defeat takes place with Metz, where the marshal Bazaine goes with 180  000 soldiers the October 29th. A Armistice is signed the January 28th 1871, ten days after the proclamation of Guillaume like German Empereur with Versailles. The strategy of Bismarck is a success. Victoire without call: it is quickly known as. “The French Army, vigorous and aguerrie, constituted a frightening instrument. Handled by solved chiefs, it could have balanced fortune and have drawn from successes, if not the victory, of many occasions which were offered”. All the combat which opposed it to the Prussian forces, it is it which remained Master of the battle field. She withdrew herself not because she had the sword in the kidneys but on order of the high command. The difference of the losses, especially at the time of what the Prussians call “the critical days” of the August 16th and 18th 1870, is enormous. The 16, total French losses: 9.279; Prussian losses: 15.790. The 18, the difference is even larger: Prussians: 20.100; French: 8.331. It is the French high command which offered the victory to the enemies.

Human losses

This war made 47  000 died in the rows of the German Armée is 14% of manpower, (of which the half of disease), 128  000 wounded and 100  000 patients.

It costs the France 139  000 dead (with the combat or of disease), 143  000 wounded and 320  000 patients. These figures include/understand also the civilians touched by the bombardments and the Famine, and the tragedies such that of the camp of Breton of Conlie.

Insurrection of the Commune

However, the National guard and the workmen of Paris refuse to accept the defeat, criticizing the conservative government not to have known to organize an effective national resistance, and take the control of the capital the March 18th, setting up an insurrectionary government: the Common of Paris. With the tacit agreement of the Prussians, this one is fought then crushed at the time of the “bloody Semaine (21 May 28th) by the government of Adolphe Thiers taken refuge with Versailles.

A peace treaty, regarded as humiliating by France

The preliminary peace treaty Franco-German, signed with Versailles the February 26th, is confirmed by the Traité of Frankfurt (May 10th 1871). France must return to Germany the countries annexed by Louis XIV in 1681: four old departments of the the Alsace-Moselle (Haut-Rhin except Belfort, the Low-Rhine, a very large part of the department of the the Moselle, a large part of the department of the Meurthe and an any small portion of the department of the the Vosges) (which constitutes until in 1919 the German province of Alsace-Lorraine) and to pay a War indemnity of 5 billion francs gold. The German troops occupy part of the France until the total of the allowances is versed in September 1873. The annexation was to relate to the the Moselle and the Alsace whose Territoire of Belfort, but being given the bravery of the French troops of the colonel Pierre Philippe Denfert-Rochereau at the time of the seat of Belfort, this territory remains in France.

Consequences of the war: birth of IIe Reich German and IIIe French Republic

Whereas the war links all the German Empire under the Prussian crown, France becomes a republic (February 1875) where the memory of the Commune divides a long time the right-hand side and the left. An indirect effect of the war is that the Papal States, which are not any more under French protection, are annexed (the September 20th 1870) by the Italy, supplementing the unification of the country.

The immediate consequence of this war is the advent of Germany bismarckienne which will dominate only continental Europe during nearly thirty years. Évincée France is diplomatically insulated. But while animating more than ever the nationalisms, remains in France the feeling of a revenge to take which develops until in 1914 and reached its ultimate and dramatic consequences (First World War).

Bibliographical orientations

Historical works

  • Pierre Lehaucourt, History of the war of 1870-1871 , Shepherd-Levrault, 1893-1907 (fifteen volumes)
  • Lt-Colonel Rousset, general History of the Franco-German war (1870-1871) , illustrated Bookstore Jules Tallandier, about 1910 (two volumes)
  • Henri Guillemin, This curious war of 70: Thiers, Trochu, Bazaine , Gallimard, Collection the continuation of Times, 1956,266 pages.
  • Henri Guillemin, the heroic defense of Paris (1870 - 1871) , Gallimard, Collection the continuation of Times, 1959,422 pages.
  • Henri Guillemin, the capitulation (1871) , Gallimard, Collection the continuation of Times, 1960,410 pages.
  • François ROTH, the war of 1870 , Beech, 1990
  • Roland Hoyndorf and Willy Schneider the loss of Lorraine Alsace , Coprur Editions.

Novels

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • the organization of the imperial army French in August 1870
  • the organization of the German army in August 1870
  • War of 1870: The army of the Loire
  • the war of 1870-1871 in images

-----

Random links:Jean-François Phliponeau | Joan To stack | Museum of the Art schools of Nimes | Large Strand | The Community of common South Roussillon

© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org