Posted on 07/16/2020 7:50:48 PM PDT by Pelham
On July 15, 1870, the French Empire mobilized its armed forces, and the following day, the North German Confederation—led by Prussia—followed suit. Once the Franco-Prussian War was declared, actual combat began with startling rapidity. The Prussians won a decisive victory at Sedan at the start of September, capturing French Emperor Napoleon III. Even so, the French managed a heroic second effort that kept the war going into 1871, but the Prussians still emerged victorious.
This short struggle killed some 200,000 people and involved more combatants on both sides than the recently concluded American Civil War, which had spanned four years. A somewhat larger number of people perished in the outbreaks of epidemic disease and internal political violence that surrounded the war.
At the time, the Franco-Prussian War was a shocking and apocalyptic global event. Today, it is largely forgotten in the English-speaking world, overshadowed by the far vaster struggles of the following century. We should not expect any explosion of commemoration on this 150th anniversary, but such neglect is badly mistaken. Without the war of 1870-71—without the political, military, and diplomatic revolutions that it launched—neither of the World Wars nor any later conflict can be properly understood. That Franco-Prussian War created a whole new European reality, with ramifications that spanned much of the globe. It echoed through the 20th century, and it still has potent lessons today.....
....In broad outline, this story is familiar to anyone with a knowledge of European history, but some aspects of it must surprise. At least for Anglo-Americans, the common assumption is that Germany was the unquestioned aggressor, and that this was an early phase of a ruthless expansion that would resume in 1914, and again in 1939.
However, France at that time was a much stronger candidate for the role of historical bully. Since..
(Excerpt) Read more at chroniclesmagazine.org ...
"The Commune held out for two months in increasingly desperate straits, with growing violence against the bourgeois and clergy, who found themselves hostages. Women militants were at the forefront of the movement, including the semi-mythical female arsonists, the Pétroleuses. When the city fell to Versailles government troops in May, the resulting purges and massacres claimed some twenty thousand lives, culminating in the atrocious Bloody Week. Tens of thousands of other Communards —as the Commune’s members were called—were imprisoned or transported."
Basically the French couldn’t stand that there was a new kid on the block.
“Basically the French couldn’t stand that there was a new kid on the block.”
More that the French didn’t think there was anyone who could give them a problem. They had been mainland Europe’s chief military power since the 1600s. And under Napolean circa 1812 they came close to conquering everything in Europe including Russia.
Bismarck began unifying the German states under Prussian rule in the 1860s. When France attacked his North German Confederation they ran into a much tougher opponent than they expected.
German technology with breachloading centerfire rifles with internal magazines that could be loaded and fired lying down beat French technology with single shot breachloaders and muzzle loaders that had to be loaded and fired while standing.
The old story of better technology winning was repeated.
The French Chassepot rifle was much better than the Prussian Rifle (Dreyse).
The Prussian artillary was much better than anything the French had and the Prussian military organization was light years ahead of the French.
Kind of like 1940 when the Germans used a new style of warfare against the French.
Great grandfather’s brother fighting forPrussia lost a leg
What is the point of this excessively long and meandering article?
“What is the point of this excessively long and meandering article?”
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George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
No one forced you to continue to read it when it became too long for you.
FR, a moveable feast, has always had interesting history posts, and you always learn from history.
This particular article was of particular interest to me because I had a grandfather from southern Germany, a grandmother from what was Prussia....plus a great-great grandfather that actually fought in the Franco-Prussian war described in the article
I have a fading photo of him as an old, old man standing erectly and proudly in his saved uniform with all his medals on the jacket.
Danke schon, Pelham.
Leni
Fascinating how history builds upon itself. Prussia creams France in the Franco-Prussian War and:
“On Jan. 18, 1871, Bismarck achieved his lifelong goal by proclaiming a new German Empire, a second Reich. Even more deliciously, he did so in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, the historic symbol of French political and cultural splendor.”
Built upon resentment of having lost the Franco-Prussian War, France with its allies, forces the Germans to surrender at the end of WWI and sign the Treaty of Versailles in same said location.
Built upon resentment of having lost WWI to France and its allies and having been saddled with onerous reparations by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany retaliates during WWII and invades France shortly after the start of the War, and captures Paris/Versailles and occupies the City.
And the beat goes on. Now Germany has recaptured much of the EU though a different form of power, economic power, and thus calls the shots politically for much of how the EU is shaped. What goes around continually comes around.
Have you forgotten the Needle Gun? Called such for it’s pinpoint accuracy at long range. Probably the most important weapon on either side.
“German technology with breachloading centerfire rifles with internal magazines that could be loaded and fired lying down beat French technology...” [fella, post 5]
“Have you forgotten the Needle Gun? Called such for it’s pinpoint accuracy at long range...” [Jumper, post 12]
Your timelines and technical details are mixed up.
The Prussians adopted von Dreyse’s needle gun in 1841. A single-shot breechloader, it derived its colloquial name from the long sharp-pointed firing pin, which punctured the paper or cloth cartridge from the rear, passed through the charge, and struck the priming pellet mounted on the base of the bullet. Noted for poor breech sealing and unremarkable accuracy, it was the principal infantry weapon of the Prussian army until the Mauser M1871 was adopted, after the Franco-Prussian War.
Metallic cartridges were still quasi-experimental in 1870-71 and played no role in the conflict.
The Germans did not adopt a repeating rifle until 1884; when they did, they chose a modified version of the M1871 Mauser.
The French made the biggest leap of the century just two years after, adopting the Lebel Modele 1886 repeater, firing an 8mm bottleneck cartridge charged with smokeless powder. It proved so strong, durable, and accurate that it soldiered on in French service to WW2, though as a reserve substitute standard arm after 1893.
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