Bismarck's Wars - Blood and Iron

In March 1871, there was a left wing revolt in Paris. Otto von Bismarck demanded that the French Government crush the Paris Commune. Bismarck released French prisiomers of war, to tkae part in the brutal capture of the City by the French Army. Thousands of the left wing supporters of the Paris Commune and the National Guardsmen who fought to defend the Paris Commune, were murdered in cold blood.

With the new French Armies being defeated by the Germen Army in the early weeks of 1871. The majority of French public opinion wanted an end to the war. A cease fire deal was agreed with Bismarck. There was elections to a new French National Assembly held in occuiped and unoccuiped France, two thirds of those elected were conservative who wanted peace, Bismarck's price was high, France would pay Five Billlions Francs to Germany and hand over Alsace and Northern Lorraine but the price had to be paid

This episode deals with the final weeks of the Franco - Prussian War, a period which saw further French defeats. The worst of which was the defeat and destruction of the French Army of the East, which was forced to escape into Switzerland, where it was disarmed by the Swiss Army. Most Frenchmen now realised that victory was now impossible, their had to be peace.

The French Army Paris garrison would try to break out of the City and raise the siege by the Prussian Army. However none of these costly attacks were successfully. The people of Paris were cold and hungry would put pressure upon the French Government to launch yet another attack to break the siege but that it ended in failure. The episode also deals with the French Army of the North which managed to defend the region of the modern day Nord - de par Calais region.

The new French people's armies formed by Leon Gambetta took to the field in the winter of late 1870 to break the Prussian siege of Paris and come to the aid of the hungry city. The attack would come from the south largely around the city of Orleans which had been captured by the Germans. The French Army did defeat a Bavarian Corp and retake Orleans but then the tide turned against the French.

This Episode deals with the siege of Strassbourg, which was bombarded by Prussian Artillery. Then the siege of Metz, where the French Army of the Rhine was straved into surrending, having failed to do much to attack the Prussian Army which was besieging the French Army. Now most of the pre war regular French Army were now prisoners of war in the hands of the Prussians. Also I discuss the success of the French Navy in maintaining to kept control of the sea routes to France, so that the French Government could bring in weapons from the United States and Britain

Following the capture by the Prussians of French Emperor Napoleon the Third at the battle of Sedan. A new French Third Republic was declared in Paris, with new left wing government minister. The Prussian Army marches on Paris and besieges it. However there is a large French Army Garrison and good defensive posiitons protecting the French capital. So the Prussian Army do not attack into Paris but instead to make Paris suffer from hunger. French Army attempts to break the siege are unsuccessful.

As a result of the battle of Gravelotte, the French Army of the Rhine is forced to retreat back to the fortress of Metz, where it is besieged by the Prussians. A new French Army, the Army of Chalons is formed to rescue the French of the Rhine but it is not just defeated but destroyed at the Battle of Sedan. The French Emperor Napoleon the Third becomes a prisioner of the Prussians.

The Prussian Third Army defeats the French First Corp in a battle around the town of Worth. The French Army of the Rhine is in danger of being outflanked at Metz, so its commander General Bazaine orders a retreat to Verdun but it is blocked by the Prussian Army at the Battle of Mars la Tour.

The French Army mobilization turned into such a confused muddle that the French Army could only mount a limited and pointless advance of a few kilometers into the Saarland. It was the Prussian Army which attacked into France winning a costly victory over the French at the Battle of Spiceren.

The Spanish Government need to find a foreign noble to be the Spanish King. They chose a Germen, Leopold of Hohenzolen a relative of the Prussian King but Leopold is not keen but Bismarck is and grinds down the opposition of Leopold and the Prussian King. However such was hostile international opposition, Leopold has to withdraw. The French Government humilate Prussia further but Bismarck sends an insulting telegram which makes the French Government to make the foolish decision to declare war on Prussia.

In this episode I look at the North Germen Confederation, which Otto von Bismarck dominated, well in did write the constitution of the new state. In this episode, I will deal how a military mutiny to overthrow the Queen of Spain, would led to the Franco-Prussian but it is such a complex issue and I will need not just this episode and the next episode to do so.

In this episode I will deal with the outcome of the Seven Weeks. In the first part, I will deal with the decline in relations between France and Prussia and attempts to reform the French Army. Later I dealt with the creation of the Austro - Hungarian Empire, which gave the Hungarians a much greater role in running their half of this empire.

Following the crushing Prussian Army victory over Austria, the Prussian King wanted a peace settlement which allowed Prussia to seize land from the Austrian Empire and a victory march in Vienna Otto von Bismarck totally disagreed and demanded a milder peace settlement which did not include any loss of Austrian land to Prussia. As usual Bismarck won out and got his milder peace deal.

The Prussian Army of the Main defeats Austria's allies in Southern Germany. first the Bavarian Army and then the armies of the other South Germen states. The main Prussian Armies capture Prague and march to the very gates of Vienna. The Austrian Emperor realises that the war is lost and asks for peace terms. However the Prussian Army loses over 6,000 killed due to an outbreak of disease within their camps.

In this episode, I will deal with the fighting between the Italian and Austrian armies in North East Italy. The simple involvement of the Italian Army in the Seven Weeks War, would divert Austrian troops from being committed to fight against the Prussian Army in Bohemia. While the Austrian Army would beat the Italian Army in the first major of the war, in the end Italian troops would occupy North East Italy.

The Battle is seen as the decisive battle of the Seven Weeks War, it was indeed a major Prussian victory over the Austrian and Saxony Armies. However the Austrian Army had already been weaken by losses in the earlier battle and the Austrian Army commander now believed even before the battle that his army would be defeated and had asked the Austrian Emperor to make peace.

The Prussian Second Army commanded by the Crown Prince, advances into Bohemia, in a series of battles they defeat three Austrian Corps. The Austrian North Army falls back and its commander fears that he faces defeat unless peace can be reached but the Austrian Emperor disagrees and insists that it faces another battle but four of its eight Corps have already suffered heavy losses.

In this episode, I well tell of the advance of the Prussian First Army and the Army of the Elbe into Bohemia, they would fight and defeat the Austrian First Corp and the Saxon Corp. The fighting would prove the power of the Prussian Needle Rifles over the Austrian Smoothbore muskets as the two Prussian Armies advanced into Bohemia.

At the start of the seven weeks war, the Prussian Army invades Hanover. The Hanoverian Army marched south to join up with Austria's South Germen allies but the Hanoverian Army is trapped by Prussian but not before it inflicts a defeat upon a Prussian Landwehr Brigade. The Prussian Army also invades the Kingdom of Saxony, the Saxon Army march south to join up with the Austrian North Army.

Bismarck achieved his aim of starting war between Prussian and Austria but the war would involve more those two states indeed it would include nearly all the Germen states. In many ways it was a Germen Civil War, indeed at the time in Germany, it was known as the Brother's War. In this episode I will look at those other Germen states and the size of their army and while they choose to side with Prussia or Austria.

In 1866, Otto von Bismarck was determined to start a war between Prussia and Austria. In reached an agreement with the Italian Government to join in a war against Austria. Yet Bismarck would not find it ease to get the Prussian King's agreement to that war. Bismarck faced the opposition of the the Kings' son the Crown Prince, his biography is given.

In this episode, I discuss the next target for Otto von Bismarck war like intensions, the Austria Empire. While it might seem like a giant in central Europe, this multi ethnic empire had many problems including Nationalism and lack of money. I give a detailed biograph of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph. I also outline the developing plans of the Prussian General Staff to attack Austria.

Bismarck could have had his long planned for war with Austria in 1865 but he played the peacemaker, for a short while he worked to improve relations with Austria. In this episode I discuss why he did that when of course in 1866, he would indeed start a war with Austria but he wanted it at his time of choice.

In this episode I look at the weapons that helped make the Prussian Army the powerful forces it was. The Needle Gun, a breach loaded rifle which gave the Prussian Infantry such a heavy rate of fire compared to the muzzle loaded smoothbore muskets of the Danish and Austrian Army. The Prussian artillery also the new breach loaded steel cannons.

Following the Prussian victory at Dybbol, the Prussian and Austrian troops occupy Jutland as well as Schleswig. The Prussian Army crosses the narrow channel and captures the Danish island of Als. At first the Danish Government refuses to accept any comprise but the Danish King replaces that Government with one that realise the war is lost.

The Prussian Army launches an attack on the Danish fortress of Dybbol in April 1864. It is a bloody battle but the Prussian capture the fortress and the Danish Army flees across a narrow channel in retreat. There were celebrations in Prussia at the victory, Bismarck and his forcing through the taxes to pay for an increased Prussian Army become more popular. A biography of Prussian War Minister General von Roon.

The Prussian Army besiege the Danish fortress of Dybbol, after much effort and some time they bring up their artillery and bombard the Danish fortress, causing a great deal of damage to the Danish Gun positions. A biography of the Prussian Army commander in this battle, Prince Frederick Carl, he takes his time to prepare an attack and this episode takes the battle up to eve of that attack.

The Danish Army defends a defensive line in Southern Schleswig, known as the Dannevirke. A Prussian Army attack upon it is repulsed but the Austrian Army does manage a break though forcing the Danish Army to withdraw in a very cold retreat, where they lose much of their artillery. A biography of the Danish Army commander General De Maza.

In 1863, the previous Danish King died, the new King was Christian the Ninth. Under pressure from his Liberal Government he agreed to unite Schleswig into the Kingdom of Denmark. This was against a international treaty signed by Denmark and would led to war between Denmark and Prussia and Austria, the Second Schleswig War.

The death of Prussian King Frederick William the Fourth, he is replaced by his brother William as King. The Liberals in the Prussian Parliament keep voting down the taxes needed for the Army reforms. Otto von Bismarck is summoned by the King to ne Prime Minister. Otto von Bismarck ignores the Prussian Parliament and bring in the new taxes. In a speech to the Prussian Parliament in his 'Blood and Iron' speech he speaks of the need for strong army.

The poor performance of the Prussian Army during the mobilisation of 1850, led to the need for reforms to the Army. The reservist Landwehr would be reduced in importance. The size of the Prussian army would be increased and a new Army reserve created, all this would cost money. A biography of Prussian Army Chief of Staff General Helmut von Moltke.

Prussia re-joins the Germen Confederation, Otto von Bismarck becomes Prussia's chief delegate. He is often in conflict with the Austrian delegation. Back in Berlin, Otto von Bismarck fights a duel. The biography of French Emperors Napoleon the Third, he will play an important role in the history of Germany. His aggressive foreign policy alarms the Germen states.

The Prince of Hesse Kassel tries to restore his full right to control his state, the people force him out into exile and the Prince asks Austria for help. This crises led to a confrontation between Prussia and Austria which seems likely to end in war. The Prussian Army is mobilised but then the Prussian King backs down, agrees to end the Erfurt Union and re-join the Germen Confederation.

The Prussian Government wanted to expand its influence in Germany, so it sets up the Erfurt Union but not all Germen states join. Worse still Austria now have defeated the Hungarian revolt, now wishes to regain its influence with the Germen Confederation. Otto von Bismarck is elected to Erfurt Parliament but he is opposed to the Prussian King's wish for greater Germen unity.

Prussian troops are used to help other Germen rulers to crush the Liberals such as in Baden, where the Grand Duke flee and asked for Prussian help. The Prussian Government demand the end of the Liberal Frankfurt Parliament. The First Schleswig War restarts between the Danish Army and its Germen citizens who call upon Prussian help but once the European powers demand an end to the war at least for now.

In Prussia, the fight back against the Liberals is organised by Otto von Bismarck, with the creation of Conservative Political Clubs and Newspapers. The Prussian King tried of having to work with the Liberals in the Parliament, uses the Army to supress it. The King imposed his own written constitution on Prussia. The Prussian King also refuse an offer by the Liberal Frankfurt parliament to make him the Germen Emperor.

The leaders of the Revolutions through much of Europe had seized power from the old order but they quickly fell out among themselves, there were the Liberals who wanted political reform and the radicals who wanted both political and social reforms. Then there were the Nationalist divisions, it was not long before Germen Nationalists were conflict with Czech, Polish and Danish Nationalist. It was the latter that would led to the First Schleswig War.

1848 was the year of revolutions in Europe and it would effect Prussia too. However the fighting in Berlin would some of the bloodiest of the revolutions, with Prussian troops firing on the city's citizens who then took to the barricades. The Prussian King Frederick William the Fourth withdrew the army from the City and accept the demands for political reforms from the Liberals at least for now.

A brief history of Prussia between 1806 and 1847. A biography of the King of Prussia in 1847, King Frederick William the Fourth. His attempts at some limited reforms but his also his belief that he had a divine right to rule. Also there is a brief biography of the early years of Otto von Bismarck, who by 1847, he was still a minor figure in Prussian politics but held firmly Conservative views.