Franco-Prussian War

[GeneralTacticus]

What would have happened if the Prussians had lost (assuming that the French had been organized enough to do it, of course - they were absoolute idiots, declared war when they hadn't even got a plan for mobilization)? Or if it had never happened? Or for that matter, if the Prussians had been less (or more) harsh at the Treaty of Frankfurt?

My own opinion is:

1)If the French had won, they would probably have annexed the Rhineland (they had wanted to do so before, in fact one of the reasons for the war was that the Prussians had suggested letting the French do so and then gone back on it), and the potential for German unification would have been set back a lot. The Austrians had been pretty much removed from the equation, and the Prussians losing to the French would have shattered their prestige.

2)If the war had never occured, the Third Republic would not have come about in the form it did, and German unification would have been delayed somehwat, but would have still probably come about.

3)If the Prussians had been more lenient w/ the Treaty of Frankfurt, they would probably not have needed to go to such lengths that they did to keep France isolated. It might have also averted WWI or at least kept it more localised - the Russians would not have gotten support from the French, so no two-front for the Germans. This, in turn, would probably have meant a German victory, which would have either meant that the Tsar could defeat the revolution or it would have speeded it up.

4)Finally, if the Prussians had been even more harsh, they might have taken over the French colonies and limited the French army, which would probably have left France with much less influence.

What does everyone else think? There are certainly people here who would know a lot more about it than me...

 

[Richard III]

After August-September 1914, my favorite period of military history.

And the trouble I'm having answering your question is that I have a hard time imagining the French winning. People say Von Moltke was a genius because he WAS a genuis, and 80% of the problems the Prussians could have had had already been solved by the genius before a shot was fired.

So the most I can say is that if they'd won, I think France:

...would have had a fellow named Napoleon walking around preening himself for a long time, and

...that France would have had its ass kicked in a war with England, Prussia and one or two more distant powers ganging up on France at some point no later than fifteen years into the future.

R.III

 

[Pellaken]

in the endless story I'm writing tehres a part about the franco-prussian war. basacally, its the last thing in the story that happens that is similar to real history. in it, our hero, saves france from the brink of defeat, and brings his ally, Italy into the war. Prussia, in exchange, offeres Austria land in exchange for it attacking Italy, so it does. our Hero uses his power to give the vacant throne of spain (a cause of the franco-prussian war) to the king of italy. they fight these 2 enemies, but are loosing. at this point our hero takes an army... etc... captures budapest... london... killed in war with the ottomans... those deatails are not important. what is, is that I think the war would have simpally ended without eahtier side loosing-gaining land.

PS-if this story sounds interesting, e-mail me, and I'll send you a summary

 

[napoleon526]

I don't think that there is any way, short of divine intervention, that France could have won the war. The army under Napoleon III performed adequately enough against the Austrians, but Otto von Bismark and Helmuth Moltke had crafted an entirely new way of making war. A system of national concription was intituted throughout Prussia, allowing large numbers of troops to be brought to bear against the French. Railroads allowed troops to be moved quickly where they were needed most, and Krupp breechloading cannon were devastating. But the best advantage that the Prussians had was their amazingly efficient General Staff. All parts of the army could now coordinate with each other and achieve objectives with as little cost as possible. The French Army's main problem was it's lack of a similar organization. French troops and commanders were of good quality for the most part, but they had no idea what they or anyone else in their army was doing, and everyone was hindered by the hopelessly ineffective Napoleon III. More importantly, the French forces had no idea where the Prussians were, which eventually led to the surrender of most of the army at Sedan.

 

[aska26]

Pellaken
pls email me ur good story at aska26ph2001@yahoo.com