Franco-Prussian War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Franco-Prussian War |
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| Part of the Unification of Germany | |||||||||
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Before 4 September 1870: Second French Empire
After 4 September 1870:  French Third Republic Redshirts |
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Total deployment:
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Peak field army strength:
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Total deployment:
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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756,285
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144,642
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~250,000 civilians dead, including 162,000 Germans in a smallpox epidemic spread by French POWs 450,000 French civilians dead from war-related famine and disease |
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The Franco-Prussian War, also known as the Franco-German War, was a big conflict in Europe. It took place between the Second French Empire (France) and the North German Confederation, which was led by the Kingdom of Prussia. This war lasted from July 19, 1870, to January 28, 1871. France wanted to be the most powerful country in Europe. However, Prussia had recently won a major war against Austria in 1866, which made France feel its power was being challenged.
The war started because of a disagreement over who should rule Spain. A German prince was offered the Spanish throne. France worried about being surrounded by German influence. Even though the prince withdrew his offer, the Prussian leader, Otto von Bismarck, changed a message (the Ems dispatch) to make it sound like the Prussian King had insulted the French ambassador. This made the French people very angry. France then declared war on Prussia.
Many historians believe Bismarck wanted to provoke France. He hoped this would encourage the independent southern German states to join the North German Confederation. This would help create a united Germany. The war led to a German victory, the end of the French Empire, and the creation of the German Empire. Germany also gained Alsace–Lorraine from France. This war changed the balance of power in Europe for many years.
Contents
Why the War Started
The main reasons for the Franco-Prussian War were linked to the uniting of German states under Otto von Bismarck. France had been the strongest power in Europe. But after Prussia won the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, France worried that Prussia was becoming too powerful.
France wanted to keep its strong position. French leaders asked for some German territories, like Luxembourg and parts of Saarland. Bismarck, the Prussian Chancellor, refused these demands. Instead, he used France's demands to convince southern German states to form alliances with Prussia. This made a war between France and Prussia seem very likely.
Some Prussian officials believed a war with France was needed to unite all German states into a great empire. Bismarck wanted France to declare war first. This would make the southern German states join Prussia. He believed France would not find allies because other countries saw France as a troublemaker.
The immediate spark for the war was a dispute over the Spanish throne. A German prince, Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, was offered the crown. France feared being surrounded by German influence. The prince withdrew his offer due to French pressure. However, Bismarck changed a telegram, called the Ems Dispatch. He made it sound like the Prussian King had insulted the French ambassador. This made the French public very angry and eager for war.
French Emperor Napoleon III also felt pressure from his people and the media. He believed France could win a war against Prussia. Many in his government hoped a victory would solve internal problems and restore France's leading role in Europe. On July 19, 1870, France officially declared war on Prussia. The southern German states immediately joined Prussia. France entered the war without any strong allies.
Armies Ready for Battle
French Army
Before the war, the French army had about 426,000 soldiers. Many were experienced from past wars. However, France realized it needed more soldiers to face Prussia. Reforms were started to create a larger army with more reservists. But the war began before these changes were finished. This meant that calling up reserve soldiers was disorganized. Many new soldiers were not well-trained.
French infantry used the Chassepot rifle. This was a very modern rifle for its time. It could shoot accurately up to 1,500 meters. French soldiers also had a type of early machine gun called the mitrailleuse. It fired many shots quickly but was not very mobile. The French army was led by Emperor Napoleon III and Marshals François Achille Bazaine and Patrice de MacMahon. However, they did not have a clear plan for the war.
German Army
The German army included soldiers from the North German Confederation and southern German states. Their system involved training many men each year. This created a large force of regular soldiers and reservists. In wartime, they could gather about 1,189,000 soldiers.
German tactics focused on surrounding enemy armies. They also used artillery to attack whenever possible. German infantry moved in small groups, which made them harder targets. The large number of German soldiers made it easier to surround and defeat French forces.
German soldiers used the Dreyse needle gun. This rifle was older than the French Chassepot. However, the Germans had excellent Krupp steel cannons. These cannons could shoot farther and faster than French cannons. The German army was led by the German General Staff under General Helmuth von Moltke. Moltke was very good at planning and used new technologies like railroads and telegraphs to move his armies quickly.
Early French Moves
Planning the Attack
On July 28, 1870, Emperor Napoleon III went to Metz to lead the French Army of the Rhine. This army had about 202,448 soldiers. A plan was made for the army to stay on defense near the German border. They hoped to stop any Prussian attacks. They also expected Austria and the southern German states to join France against Prussia. This would allow a French invasion into German territory.
However, the Prussian army gathered much faster than expected. Austria did not join France. Instead, the southern German states sided with Prussia. This meant France's plan for allies did not work out.
Taking Saarbrücken
Napoleon III felt pressure to attack before all German forces were ready. French scouts found only a small Prussian force guarding Saarbrücken. So, on July 31, the French army marched to capture Saarbrücken.
On August 2, French forces crossed the German border. They pushed the Prussian soldiers out of Saarbrücken. The French Chassepot rifles worked very well in this fight. Both sides had similar numbers of casualties. However, Saarbrücken was not a good place for supplies. There was only one railway line, which was easy to defend. French leaders soon received news that large Prussian and Bavarian armies were gathering nearby.
General Moltke had indeed gathered three large German armies. The First Army had 50,000 men, the Second Army had 134,000 men, and the Third Army had 120,000 men. They were ready to cross the border.
German Armies Push Forward
Battle of Wissembourg
French leaders learned that the German Third Army was close to Wissembourg. So, they decided to pull back to stronger defensive spots. General Frossard quickly moved his troops from Saarbrücken.
On August 4, 1870, the first major battle of the war happened at Wissembourg. A single French division, led by General Douay, faced a much larger German Third Army. The French had a strong position and their Chassepot rifles were effective. However, they were too spread out. General Douay was killed during the battle. The Germans surrounded the town, forcing the French to retreat.
The fighting was very intense, even door-to-door. The French troops fought bravely but were overwhelmed. They lost about 1,000 dead or wounded and another 1,000 prisoners. The Germans also had about 1,000 casualties. The German cavalry did not chase the retreating French soldiers.
Battle of Spicheren
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The Battle of Spicheren took place on August 5. This was another big defeat for France. General Steinmetz, leading the German First Army, attacked without waiting for orders. He moved towards Spicheren.
The French army, under General Frossard, took up defensive positions. They were unaware of how many German soldiers were attacking. Frossard thought they were just small skirmishes. He did not ask for help from other French units. By the time he realized the size of the German force, it was too late.
German soldiers from the First and Second Armies charged the French positions. Frossard mistakenly believed his army was about to be surrounded. He decided to retreat south after dark. The Germans were surprised the next morning to find the French had left their strong positions. German casualties were high due to the strong French rifle fire.
Battle of Wörth
The armies clashed again on August 6 near Wörth. The German Third Army had grown to 140,000 troops. The French had only 35,000 soldiers. Despite being greatly outnumbered, the French fought hard. By the afternoon, both sides had suffered heavy losses. The Germans captured the hilltop town of Fröschwiller.
The French army had lost hope of winning. They retreated west towards the Vosges mountains. The German Third Army did not chase them. Instead, they moved south, attacking French garrisons in the area.
Battle of Mars-La-Tour
About 160,000 French soldiers were trapped in the fortress of Metz. On August 15, they tried to retreat from Metz to join other French forces. A Prussian cavalry patrol spotted them. The next day, a much smaller Prussian force of 30,000 men found the French army near Mars-la-Tour.
Even though they were outnumbered four to one, the Prussians attacked. They captured Vionville, blocking the French escape route. This led to a large cavalry battle, one of the last in Western Europe. The Prussian forces suffered heavy losses, losing more than half their soldiers. The Germans had 15,780 casualties, and the French had 13,761.
The French missed a chance to escape and win a big victory that day. The Prussians, despite being outnumbered, fought with great determination.
Battle of Gravelotte
The Battle of Gravelotte on August 18 was the largest battle of the war. It happened west of Metz. The Germans wanted to completely defeat the French forces. The combined German armies had about 188,332 soldiers. The French Army of the Rhine, with 112,800 soldiers, had dug in on high ground.
The battle began with German attacks on French positions. The French had trenches and hidden artillery. French rifle and machine-gun fire stopped many German attacks. The Germans used their artillery to heavily bombard the French. The fighting lasted until 10:00 PM.
The next morning, the French Army of the Rhine retreated back into Metz. They were then surrounded by the Germans. The Germans suffered 20,163 casualties. The French had 12,275 casualties, including prisoners.
Siege of Metz
After the Battle of Gravelotte, Marshal Bazaine's French army was trapped in Metz. Over 150,000 Prussian troops surrounded the city. Bazaine's army remained inactive during the siege. This gave the Germans time to strengthen their positions.
Meanwhile, Emperor Napoleon III and Marshal MacMahon formed a new French army. This "Army of Châlons" marched to try and rescue Bazaine at Metz. They moved northeast towards the Belgian border to avoid the Prussians. However, the Prussians caught up with them at Beaumont on August 30. After a tough fight, the French retreated to Sedan.
Battle of Sedan
On September 1, 1870, the Battle of Sedan began. The French Army of Châlons, with about 202 infantry battalions, faced larger German forces. The French were surrounded. Prussian artillery fired from three sides. French cavalry launched desperate attacks but suffered heavy losses.
By the end of the day, there was no hope of breaking out. Napoleon III stopped the attacks. The French lost over 17,000 men killed or wounded, and 21,000 were captured. The Prussians had fewer losses. On September 2, Napoleon III surrendered and was taken prisoner with 104,000 of his soldiers. This was a huge victory for the Prussians. It meant one French army was trapped in Metz, and the other was defeated. This paved the way for the Siege of Paris.
Surrender of Metz
Marshal Bazaine's army in Metz surrendered on October 26. About 173,000 French soldiers became prisoners. The Prussians also captured a large amount of military equipment. After the war, Marshal Bazaine was held responsible for the army's surrender.
The War Continues
New French Government
When news of Napoleon III's surrender reached Paris, the French Empire ended. On September 4, a new provisional government was formed, called the Government of National Defence. This began the Third Republic. Most of the French army was now captured or surrounded. The Germans hoped for a quick peace.
However, the new French government refused to give up any French land. They declared they would fight to the end. They called for new recruits across the country. Bismarck wanted to weaken France's political standing. He suggested Napoleon III was still the rightful ruler. This made other European countries question the new French government.
Only the United States and Spain quickly recognized the new French government. Other countries waited. Despite this, the French government worked hard to create new armies. In just four months, they formed eleven new army corps. They also managed to get new weapons and supplies.
Siege of Paris
Prussian forces began to surround Paris on September 19, 1870. The new French government asked for large armies to be formed in the provinces. These armies were meant to march to Paris and attack the Germans. French civilians also formed groups called Francs-tireurs to attack German supply lines.
Bismarck wanted to end the war quickly. He pushed for the bombardment of Paris. He worried that other countries might get involved. Despite some military leaders disagreeing, the Germans fired many shells into the city in January. The siege caused great hardship for the people of Paris, especially from cold and hunger.
Fighting in the Provinces
Loire Campaign
Léon Gambetta, a leader from the new government, flew out of Paris in a balloon. He organized the Armée de la Loire (Army of the Loire). Rumors of German plans to destroy France made the French people even more determined. Within weeks, five new armies with over 500,000 soldiers were recruited.
The Germans sent troops to the French provinces to find and defeat these new armies. On October 10, fighting began near Orléans. The Germans won at first, but the French got more soldiers and won the Battle of Coulmiers on November 9. After Metz surrendered, over 100,000 experienced German soldiers joined the fight in the provinces. The French were forced to leave Orléans on December 4. They were finally defeated at the Battle of Le Mans in January.
Northern Campaign
Gambetta then turned to General Louis Faidherbe's Army of the North. This army had some small victories. It was protected by fortresses, allowing quick attacks and retreats. However, the Army of the North had trouble with supplies and low morale. In January 1871, Gambetta ordered Faidherbe to fight the Prussians in open battle. The army was weak from low morale, supply issues, and bad winter weather. General Faidherbe was also unwell. At the Battle of St. Quentin, the Army of the North suffered a big defeat.
Eastern Campaign
After the Army of the Loire was defeated, some soldiers formed the Army of the East. This army, led by General Charles-Denis Bourbaki, tried to cut German supply lines. They marched north to attack the German siege of Belfort.
The French had more soldiers (110,000 against 40,000). Their attack surprised the Germans. By mid-January 1871, the French were close to Belfort. However, in the Battle of the Lisaine, Bourbaki's men could not break through German lines. General von Manteuffel then pushed Bourbaki's army into the mountains near the Swiss border. Bourbaki attempted to take his own life but survived. The last intact French army, with 87,000 men, crossed into neutral Switzerland and was disarmed.
The fortress of Belfort continued to fight until the armistice was signed.
Armistice
On January 26, 1871, the French Government of National Defence in Paris negotiated a ceasefire with the Prussians. Paris was starving. French foreign minister Jules Favre met with Bismarck to discuss peace. Bismarck agreed to end the siege and allow food into Paris. In return, France had to surrender several key forts outside Paris. Without these forts, Paris could not be defended.
Public opinion in Paris was against surrendering. But the government knew they could not hold out much longer. President Louis-Jules Trochu resigned. Favre signed the surrender two days later. The ceasefire began at midnight on January 28.
Gambetta, in Bordeaux, was furious when he heard the news. He refused to surrender at first. But after other government members arrived, Gambetta stepped down. He gave control of the provincial armies to the Government of National Defence. They then ordered a ceasefire across all of France.
War at Sea
When the war started, France tried to block German coasts. The small North German Federal Navy could not do much to stop them. However, the French blockade was only partly successful. French ships quickly ran low on coal. Also, the French navy was afraid of causing problems with Great Britain. This stopped them from fully interrupting German trade.
France had also planned a sea invasion of northern Germany. They hoped this would distract German troops and encourage Denmark to join the war. But Prussia had strong defenses around its ports. These defenses had powerful cannons that outranged French naval guns. The French navy did not have the heavy guns needed to attack these defenses. The geography of the Prussian coast also made a sea invasion impossible.
The French Marines meant for the invasion were sent to help the army on land. They were captured at Sedan. As autumn storms arrived, more French ships returned to port. By September 1870, the French navy stopped its blockade for the winter. The rest of the navy stayed in ports for the rest of the war.
Battles in Distant Waters
Outside Europe, there were a few naval actions. The French ship Dupleix blocked the German ship SMS Hertha in Nagasaki. A battle also happened off Havana, Cuba, in November 1870. This was between the Prussian gunboat SMS Meteor and the French ship Bouvet.
Aftermath of the War
Military Lessons Learned
The Franco-Prussian War greatly influenced military thinking for the next 40 years. Armies learned about the importance of a general staff, the size of future wars, and how to use artillery and cavalry. Prussian artillery tactics, which involved silencing enemy guns and supporting infantry, proved very effective. The war also showed that breech-loading cannons were better than muzzle-loaded ones.
However, some lessons were misunderstood. A Prussian cavalry charge at the Battle of Mars-la-Tour was seen as proof that cavalry could still win battles. But this attack succeeded due to special circumstances. Later, in 1914, traditional cavalry charges proved disastrous against modern rifles and machine guns. The war also led some to believe that trenches were not very useful. This idea caused many unnecessary deaths in future wars.
Casualties
The Germans sent over 1.1 million soldiers to France. They lost about 28,306 soldiers killed in battle or from wounds. Another 11,940 died from diseases like typhoid.
The French lost about 77,000 soldiers killed in battle or from wounds. More than 45,000 died from sickness. In total, about 138,871 French soldiers died. Many more were wounded or captured. Over 90,000 French soldiers were also held in Switzerland and Belgium.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helped track prisoners of war during this conflict.
Later Events
German Unification and Power
The creation of a united German Empire changed the balance of power in Europe. Germany became a major power with a very strong army. While the UK remained a global power, Germany gained great influence on the European continent. Bismarck's clever political strategies helped Germany become a respected global player.
French Reaction and Desire for Revenge
The defeat in the Franco-Prussian War caused strong feelings of bitterness in France. Many French people wanted revenge against Germany. They especially wanted to reclaim Alsace–Lorraine. This feeling was called Revanchism. It led to nationalist ideas that focused on France being a strong, self-reliant nation ready for war.
However, these feelings of revenge mostly faded after 1880. French leaders and the public became less interested in another war with Germany. The issue of Alsace-Lorraine became less important. It only became a main goal for France again after World War I began.
See also
In Spanish: Guerra franco-prusiana para niños
