The Causes Of The Franco-Prussian War

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Three wars determined the fate of Germany, the first one early in 1864 with Denmark, then in 1866 Austria, the final one, France. The last one, Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71 directly led to the founding of Germany after French defeat. The Prussian victory was due much to the isolation of France. A.J.P Taylor commented that "France was isolated in 1870 as Austria had been in 1866", and actually, these two isolations was the art of Bismarck's foreign policies. There is no doubt that the favourable international circumstances benefited Bismarck's foreign policies, but like what Taylor had commented that it is "inadequate to explain Bismarck's success solely by the mistakes of his opponents", acknowledging his contribution to the isolation of France in the …show more content…

This essay thus includes the architects of the Iron Chancellor to isolate France before this war, his strategy to bring southern German states into war through French provocation, his superior planning during the invasion of French territory and his army’s advanced use of modern technology. The causes of the Franco-Prussian War are deeply rooted in the events surrounding the unification of Germany. A consequence of the Austro–Prussian War of 1866, Prussia annexed numerous territories and created the North German Confederation. This new power of the North German Confederation destabilized the balance of power established by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon III, the emperor of France, demanded compensations in Belgium and on the left bank of

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