FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR

Otto von Bismarck was the Prime Minister of Prussia since 1862, and he was miserable in his way of ruling. He didn’t take care about constitution, the parliament or any other thing that stayed on his way. He was really ambitious and smart, and that made him go for the expansion of Germany with allies that were later betrayed by Bismarck himself. By the end of 1867, Prussia controlled the North German Confederation but not the south. The South German States remained independent mainly because of their religion, which was Catholic.

France was having a tough time, new technological devices and engines were coming really fast and it was the perfect opportunity for Otto von Bismarck to fight the French. He tricked the Prussians to unify both German sides and fight against France. Prussians had breach-loading rifles which gave them a great advantage against the French, but then the Chassepot riffle turned the things against the Prussians when France started using them. At the front line France had powerful guns that would kill anyone who stepped forward, but war is not only about guns, it’s logistic the ability that will give you the victory and that’s why France lost. After this war Germany became unified.

After all that had happened France suffered from a terrible economic disaster. Big factories turned into little workshops and people suffered from hunger and poverty. The consequences of the war left France with an uprising discontent from the working class and the French Commune was established as government, it wasn’t well defined and it wasn’t socialist or communist or anarchist or republic but a great chaos. There was a lot of violence in France, all kinds of work protests happened. Finally the commune was disabled by the remains of the previous regime and they restored the past government.

Who was Otto von Bismarck?

The Prime Minister of Prussia

Why was he important?

He was a very important diplomat because he unified Germany. 

What did he want?

He wanted to expand Germany by unifying it and by fighting France.

How did he trick France?

He made a false telegram in which he pretended to be the King of Prussia and supposedly declared that they will not accept the future successor for the Spanish throne.

What was the result of the Franco-Prussian War for France and Germany?

It took the power that France had in Europe from them and gave it to Germany, of course under Prussia

What was the role of the various guns used – the Dreyse needle gun, the Chassepot rifle, and the mitrailleuse?

It affected drastically the advantage between countries, for example the Dreyse was heavy and had gas problems which affect for bad the aiming. Also the rifles gave advantage because they were faster and produced greater damage, and mitrailleuse lasted more in combat so they had more advantage.

Why are breech-loading weapons superior to muzzle-loading weapons?

The time of reloading is faster because it has a special reload space, unlike the muzzle-loading because you reload from the muzzle by inserting the bullet with a tube.

What was the Paris Commune?

A brief government that ruled Paris 

Why was the period of the Commune a time of great suffering?

Social and economic life was depressing. Living circumstances and there were rumors of a civil war coming

What are some examples of the suffering?

Poverty, hunger, misery; they were in very bad circumstances

What finally happened with the Commune?

It didn’t work out and it fell on May 28, 1871.