Part II - PostWar Europe - Chapter 8

September 24, 1871

Prussia and Sweden conclude a deal over the sale of Rostock and a good deal of surrounding land to the Swedish Kingdom for about 100 Million Marks. The extraordinary price can be explained by the modern port facilities that Rostock boasts, as well as the Fort on Rügen Island. The land, formerly known as Swedish Pomerania, was owned by Sweden from the end of the Thirty-Years War until Napoleon took it from the Swedes. The Bernadottes have long wanted to re-acquire this vital piece of land on the Baltic coast, and now they have achieved this goal. The transaction is scheduled to begin on January 1 of 1872. Until then it is kept under wraps.

No matter what the cost to pride, the Prussian government thought this move was imperative to their country’s survival.

The City of Rostock is both an important sea port and beautiful city.

October 2, 1871

A Referendum in Rome proposing a joining with Italy is passed by a very large margin. All of Italy is now unified, and Rome is its national capital.

October 10, 1871

Playing off the good feelings from the Rome annexation, Italy begins an industrialization initiative in order to make the nation more like other modern European nations. As it is, most of the common people are close to Poverty, and the military is very outdated. Umberto hopes that Industry will “Put bread on the table and keep invaders out”.

November 5, 1871

Austria-Hungary begins a process of “Austrinization” in her new territory of Silesia. Emperor Franz Josef begins sending in Austrian teachers, and putting Austrian politicians in charge of government functions. Posters and fliers are dispersed throughout the territory boasting that everyone is equal and that Austria will treat the Silesians better than the Prussians ever did.

Not yet trusting the Poles and Germans there, the Emperor is keeping a moderately large garrison of about 75,000 soldiers stationed there.

November 29, 1871

Great Britain sends in an expedition to the Gold coast of Africa. Consisting of almost 250 explorers, their main purpose is to establish if a colony can be started or not. The French also have a similar expedition planned.

December 15, 1871

Napoleon III sends a telegram to Umberto I of Italy, asking for a formal Military Alliance. Napoleon wants the Mediterranean to become completely dominated by France. “England can have the Atlantic,” he boasts, “But I will have the Mediterranean!” France has given much aid to the unified Italian kingdom, and hopes this will be enough for an alliance to be reached.

Umberto I, the first King of a unified Italy.

December 20, 1871

The proposal for a military alliance between Italy and France is passed through Italian parliament almost unanimously. Italy has long been looking for some way to burst onto the greater European political scene, and now she has it.

January 1, 1871

At exactly 12:01 AM, the sale of Rostock and the surrounding area is completed between Sweden and Prussia. Sweden once again has land on what is considered Continental Europe for the first time in almost 70 years.

Denmark however, is not pleased at all with this transaction…

To Be Continued….

Part II : Post-War Europe - Chapter 7

London, England - December 1870

House of Commons member William M. Smith stared out of the fogged up window of his carriage. Using his glove, he wiped away the fog to gaze at the damp streets of London outside. Rain poured off of the painted-black wood that made up the roof of his favorite carriage. There was scarcely a soul on the streets. This was the fourth strait day of rain.

“Just a typical week in England.” He said to himself.

His driver had heard him. “Aye. Rain, rain and bloody more rain.” He said. Smith chuckled at this. Lord knows he needed a laugh. The past few weeks had been very tense in Parliament. France’s victory over Prussia had put everyone on edge. Everyone, William included, knew what the French were like after a victory; arrogant and aggressive. Many a military expansion proposal had been made. Some of them, he supposed, made a great deal of sense. The Fleet was getting rather obsolete; some of the ships needed replaced. But conscription? Out of the question. That bill had been sunk before it even got in the water. He supposed his arguments against that bill had been what had forced Gladstone to invite him to his house. Smith was a force, of sorts in the House of Commons. Most of the other members respect him.

“Here ye ar’, Mr. Smith.” The buggy driver said.

“Oh, thank you, Austin.” William said, flipping a ten pence piece to his driver.

“Thank ye, sir.” Austin said as he pulled away from the steps of Prime Minister Gladstone’s house. A servant stood waiting with an umbrella for William.

“Here you are sir, wouldn’t want you to catch a cold, now?” The servant said, holding the umbrella over William’s head.

“No, no, not at all…” William replied.

Gladstone owned a charming East London home that reflected his Liberal views. It was simple, yet sophisticated. It was made out of red brick, and couldn’t have been more than 5 years old. William wasn’t 5 steps within the house when the Prime Minister was shaking his hand eagerly.

“Hello William!” He said with a smile. “Care for a cup of tea?”

“Hello, Mr. Gladstone,” Smith replied. “That would be delightful.” Gladstone signaled his butler to fetch them some tea. He then proceeded to lead Smith into his massive library.

“Dear god, Mr. Gladstone!” Smith shouted, “There must be over a thousand books here!”

“I suppose,” Gladstone replied. “Ah, here’s our tea.”

As soon as the butler left, Gladstone hurriedly shut the large chamber doors of the Library.

“Privacy is very important in politics.” He said.

“Now Mr. Prime Minister,” William started, “What brought you to ask for my presence?”

“The French Empire.” The Prime Minister answered, with a serious expression across his face. William waited for an explanation. “Ever since they humiliated Iron Otto they’ve been strutting around like all of Europe is theirs. Expeditions are being sent to Africa and the Pacific. They’re feeling very Imperialistic, and I for one don’t like it.”

“How do I fit into all of this?” Smith asked.

“You are pretty much the leader of the Liberals in the House of Commons. If you go a certain way, the rest will follow.”

“Go on…”

“I will soon be pushing a bill through Parliament. I intend to expand the Royal Navy and increase the number of men in the Army. To get this past the conservatives, I will use to cover of ‘Colonial Protection’. In a sense, this is true. We are exploring and colonizing more of Southern Africa, and India is an explosion if the natives aren’t held down.

“And you want me to support your bill.”

“Precisely. The Empire’s security is at stake.”

“Mr. Gladstone, I do not believe that France is a threat to England.”

“Yet. My sources in Brest tell me that the government has undergone a naval expansion program. And over half the wartime French Army has yet to be demobilized. This is very serious.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”


January 1, 1871

Napoleon III, in his annual speech to the French government, announces that he plans to increase the Military’s budget by almost 25%. The government is skeptical at first, but eventually gives in to the budget proposal.

Napoleon III, after his almost perfect victory over, is enjoying his almost god-like treatment within his government and country. He has aspirations of turning his France into one that could rival Napoleon I’s France. His victory over Prussia could make this happen.
January 15, 1871

France begins work on a new Battleship. Colbert will be the first of the new Colbert-class of battleship. Construction begins in Brest. It is scheduled to be finished by late 1872 early 1873. Another of the Colbert-Class, Trident, is also planned.

The Colbert

Febuary 21, 1871

Minister William Smith begins pushing a bill for a considerably increased military budget. His arguments in the House of Commons carry much weight, and it is expected that the Prime Minister Gladstone-backed bill will get through both the House of Lords and Commons.

March 1, 1871

The Militarization Act of 1871, as the new Military Budget is called, is passed by a large margin. England moves towards modernizing her navy and increasing the number of bodies she has in the Army.

March 8, 1871

Riots break out in Hamburg, Berlin, Konigsberg, and Cologne, Prussia over food shortages. Most of the rioters are members of a Marxist Group intent on overthrowing the current government of Prussia. The military is called opon to break up the riots after the local police’s efforts prove futile.

Marxist Revolutionaries in the streets of Hamburg

March 11, 1871

After 3 days of rioting, the Prussian food riots finally end. The Marxists proved to be fanatical, opting to rather shoot it out with soldiers than to simply return to their homes. Over 250 Prussians, Marxist, Military and Civilian alike, are killed with hundreds more wounded and many buildings trashed.

In Berlin, a frantic Prussian monarchy tries to smoothe out a deal with another nation.

To Be Continued….

Part II - Post-War Europe - Chapter 6

Of all the continents, Europe was, of course, going to feel the largest impact from the Treaty of Vaduz. But don’t think that its effects were felt just here, no, while maybe not as sudden, the rest of the world would be reeling from the Treaty for years to come.

Prussia

Prussia was hit especially hard. It had long been a dream of Otto von Bismarck to unite all the German states into one, united, Germany. Now that the visionary was dead, so was the vision. Prussia had lost an insurmountable amount of prestige following their humiliating defeat.

For years after the treaty signing, it seemed immanent that a revolution was to sweep once-mighty Prussia into chaos. The incredibly large sum that the Allies forced Prussia to pay was just too much. The Kingdom plunged into an Economic Depression. Gangs roamed the streets of Berlin and other major cities, doing whatever it took to find food.

Prussia needed money to feed its people and pay the Allies.

France

France however, was the near opposite of Prussia. Its victory had raised its prestige to levels not known since Napoleon I’s time. Ironically, a man of Bonaparte blood was responsible for this. Napoleon III became even more popular than he ever was with the end of the Franco-German War. With one strike France had become the dominant power in Western Continental Europe.

With victory came an economical boom. France is thriving. With all internal measures taken care of, France has begun sending expeditions to Africa with the intent to colonize large portions of the Dark Continent.

Napoleon III of France is immensly powerful and popular.

Great Britain

Britain as of 1871 is not yet affected by the Treaty of Vaduz. She continues her policy of “Splendid Isolation” but the war has forced Britain to look more in the direction of Continental Europe. France and Britain, as it seems, have been and always will be rivals.

England also looks to the Continent of Africa to increase her power.

To Be Continued...

Part I - Chapter 5

November 12, 1870

Otto von Bismarck agrees to a cease-fire with the Allies. At exactly Noon, the guns fall silent for the first time in almost half a year. In Berlin, people mourn at this news. Veterans of the Napoleonic Wars are heard muttering things such as "...It's happening again..."

Meanwhile, in Paris and Vienna, there is much rejoicing. People crowd the streets shouting and firing guns into the air.

November 15, 1870

Otto von Bismarck and a host of other delegates arrive in Liechtenstein to discuss peace terms. The "Iron Chancellor" is in a horrible state. His clothes are unwashed, he is unshaven, and it looks like he hasn't eaten in days.

Napoleon III on the other hand, looks quite the opposite. He has slept better than he ever has through the course of the past few days.

The Peace negotiations begin at once.

November 30, 1870

After two weeks of deliberations, a rough draft of a treaty is ready to be wired to Berlin. If King William I approves of it, the treaty will be fleshed out and signed.

Bismarck and Napoleon Discuss Peace Outside of Vaduz.

December 1, 1870

King William I approves of the treaty. Chancellor Bismarck sees his last chance of a reasonable peace fly out the window.

December 10, 1870

The final draft of the Treaty of Liechtenstein is signed. It entails three main parts:

1) Prussian Wrongs

This part describes the wrongs that Prussia has bestowed upon the rest of Germany, Austria, and France. These include, unjust treatment of German states at the conclusion of the Six Week War in 1866, Blocking of French purchase of Luxembourg, and annexation of the rightfuly independant state of Hanover.

2) Prussian Cessions

The second part of the treaty describes what Prussia, as the losing party, has to give the winning powers. This includes the Saarland to France, Silesia to Austria, and land taken in 1866 back to Saxony. Prussia's allies, Baden and Wurtemberg are formaly annexed into Bavaria. Also, Prussia has to pay a sum of 1 Billions of Francs to both France and Austria.

3) Limits

This part describes the limits to be placed onto Prussia until both France and Austria see it right. This includes an army of more than 150,000 men, no artillery larger than 90mm, and no navy. The Rhineland and an area stretching from the new Austrian border that is 250 miles deep are to be de-militarized.

A depressed Chancellor Bismarck signed the treaty; he had no other choice.

Shortly afterwards, at around midnight, the great "Iron Chancellor" committed suicide.

December 11, 1870

King of Ludwig of Bavaria proposes a merging of his kingdom and that of Saxony. After some deliberations, the King of Saxony agrees. The Kingdom of Saxe-Bavaria is created.

The Flag of Saxe-Bavaria

And with that, the Franco-German War, ended.


To Be Continued...

Part I - Chapter 4

October 18, 1870

Faced with a severe deficit of troops on the Western Front, Field Marshall Von Moltke orders about 1/3 of the forces garrisioning the Bismarck Line to transfer west in order to contain the French breakthrough. Archduke Albert's Austrians there now enjoy a 2:1 numerical advantage over the remaining Bismarck Line garrisioning soldiers. Albert is in the process of readying a late-autumn offensive set to begin November 1.

October 27, 1870

Surrounded on all sides by enemies, and with no sizeable force to protect them, the German states of Baden and Wurtemberg agree to unconditional surrender to the Allied powers. Bavaria takes over most of the administrative dutites of both states.

November 1, 1870

Archduke Albert's Army of Bavaria launches his offensive on the Bismarck Line. Engineers plant huge amounts of dynamite at several points in the easternmost portion of the line. The following titanic explosions are followed by a three hour heavy artillery bombardment.

Explosions Rock the Bismarck Line

At around 6 AM in the morning, assault troops attack the points taken out by the dynamite, followed by regular infantry. The Austrians sustain heavy casualties, but breach the line, and soon the way to Silesia is open.

November 10, 1870

Emperor Napoleon III and Kaiser Franz Josef send a joint peace comittee to Berlin.

With the delegates is a letter written by Franz Josef, considered the better writer of the two emperors, detailing why Prussia and the North German Confederation are better off accepting defeat and not fighting on. Only the future will tell if Bismarck will surrender.

To Be Continued...

Part I - Chapter 3

September 25, 1870

The Army of the Rhine, until recently stationed at Metz, begins marching into Prussian lands. The army, totaling 230,000 men, is commanded overall by Napoleon III, but in reality it is Marshals Bazaine and Trochu who run the show.

Opposing the Army of the Rhine is the 185,000-strong First and Second Armies, the Third being preoccoupied with holding back the Allied incursion from the south. However, the Prussians do have one advantage named Helmuth von Moltke.

Helmuth von Moltke. Prussian. Field Marshal. Genius.

Progress by nightfall on the first day is very good. The Prussian high command is in complete dissary after the recent Allied victory at Wiesbaden, and is not able to react quickly.

October 1, 1870

The French Army of the Rhine, after having advanced some 80 kilometers, reaches the Rhine, cutting off almost 200,000 Prussian soldiers from help. Unfortunatly, Von Moltke manages to escape with his entire staff.

Encircled!

October 3, 1870

The Prussian forces inside the "Saar Pocket" attempt a breakout. Leading elements of the First Army, the creme of the Prussian Army, assault a thin area of the French line, breaking through in a few pieces. The brave men of these regiments manage to hold back the Allies long enough to allow almost 15,000 of the best soldiers in Europe to escape. However, the hole collapses by noon on the 4th.

October 14, 1870

Napoleon III sends an ultimanium to the commander of the forces inside the Saar Pocket: Surrender within 48 hours, or you will be assaulted and anniliated. The Soldiers in the pocket are rapidly running out of food, water, ammunition, and most importantly, medical supplies. It will be very hard to keep on fighting.

October 16, 1870

Marshal Trochu is on the verge of ordering the attack when a Prussian under the flag of truce appeared at his command tent. He has brought word that the Prussians inside the pocket will surrender unconditionally. Napoleon actually jumps with joy after recieving the news. Now the only force inbetween the Allied armies and Berlin is a rag-tag group of defeated Germans under the Crown Prince...

To Be Continued....

Part I - Chapter 2

August 9, 1870
The First major battle in the south begins. In the plains about 50 miles south of Frankfurt, the Prussian IV Corps comes into contact with elements of the 1st Bavarian Army. The Bavarians decided to make a retreat so that their French and Austrian comrades can come and help. The two armies meet each other at about 3 PM. The Prussians, with about 20,000 men against the 75,000 Allies, put up stoic resistance, holding out until night comes and the firing stops, for the most part.

Bavarian Infantry charging out of the woods.

August 10, 1870

Battle resumes on the fields of Frankfurt at around 5 AM. Prussian Jägers make a name for themselves by picking off infantry officers as they lead their troops into battle. However, no amount of sharpshooters can turn the tide of the Allies, and the IV Corps retreats after about four hours of fighting and 9,000 dead. The Allies on the other hand, suffer a moderate 5,000 dead. The French bear the brunt of the casualties, so the French 3rd Division of IV Corps is brought in to replenish losses.

Von Moltke sees what the Allies are trying to do. By holding the French border and allowing the south to be the main line of offense, the French can cut off the Prussian Army’s supplies. He desperately drafts orders for more men to join IV Corps in halting the Allied advance.

August 12, 1870

In Dresden, King John I of Saxony declares War on Prussia and the North German Confederation. In Berlin Otto von Bismarck flies into a rage. “Only with the full weight of Germany behind us,” he says, “Can we triumph!”

On this same day, Archduke Albert finally begins his attack into Prussian Silesia. The Army of Bohemia consists of more than 115,000 men and was still growing when it began marching. The Prussians have been expecting this for some time and Albert will be met with strong defensive positions.

August 14, 1870

Elements of the Army of Tyrol reach the outskirts of Wiesbaden on the Rhine.

August 16, 1870

Prussia launches a counterattack against the Allied Army in Wiesbaden. The Prussian Third Army, consisting of roughly 90,000 men face off against the combined Prussian, Austrian, and Bavarian armies, totaling 95,000 men.

From the start the battle is a disaster for the Allies. Marshal MacMahon is away in Metz conferring with Emperor Napoleon III and therefore the command is passed to the inexperienced Marshal François Canrobert. Also, the Prussians intentionally attack only the Bavarians, who are generally soldiers of a poorer-quality than the French or even Austrians.

The Prussians, on the other hand, are led by the extremely bright Crown Prince Friedrich, they enjoy a standard of training better than any in Europe, and, for the most part, superior technology.

The Battle is the largest of the war, to date. The blistering hot August sun makes fighting no less difficult. Within two hours of fighting the Bavarians break, leaving the entire right flank of the Allied position vulnerable. Friedrich immediately sends in the brilliant-looking Prussian Cruassiers to wreak havoc in the Allied rear. Needless to say, the cavalry are very much successful in this endeavor, and the entire Allied army is forced to retreat with as much haste as possible.

It is a complete and utter defeat for the Allies, as they are pushed from the Rhine.

Cruassiers charging the Guns at Wiesbaden

August 30, 1870

In the face of very strong Prussian defenses, the Austrian offensive is halted after only gaining a few miles inside of Prussia. Franz Josef is furious, but soon calms down after Albert sends word of his new battle plan.

The Prussians, meanwhile, use this lapse in action as precious time to strengthen their fortifications. This formidable line of forts and bunkers is being called the "Bismarck Line" by the press.

One of the strongpoints in the Bismarck Line

September 5, 1870

The Allied army in the south, having a good three weeks of rest, once again is on the march. The force has been reinforced with two Austrian corps, and a division of Saxons. The Saxon force is especially needed, for most of the men in it fought against von Moltke and the Prussians in 1866, and are very good soldiers.

The Allies are making very good progress on the first day, gaining almost 10 miles before nightfall.

September 8, 1870

The Allies reach Wiesbaden for the second time. Greeting them are Prussian soldiers of the Third Army. It seems that the Second battle for Wiesbaden is about to be fought.

September 9, 1870

125,000 Allies meet 100,000 Prussians on the plains near Wiesbaden. Crown Prince Friedrich makes the first move, sending in his Cavalry to force the Allied infantry to form squares. This time, Marshal MacMahon is present and sends in his own cavalry to chase the Prussian horse from the field.

The Marshal is not finished quite yet. He orders french infantry to strike at the Prussian flanks, drawing attention from the center. Crown Prince Friedrich does exactly what MacMahon wants him to do, and sends some of his precious men to the flanks to beat back the french. MacMahon then sends in his Austrian and German infantry to take the center, and wrap the Prussians up.

Friedrich senses a trap, all too late. He throws the last of his reserves into the center, but even this is not enough. The Austro-German force sweeps the Germans from the field with steel, courage and sheer weight of numbers. The Prussians fight valiantly, but this is simply not enough. The Prussian retreat from Wiesbaden quickly turns into a rout, as the French and Austrian cavalry runs down a good many retreating Germans.

As many as 45,000 Prussians surrendered, and the way to the Rhine was open.

The Battle of Wiesbaden

To Be Continued….

Part I - Chapter 1

In the end history is simply a explosive chair reaction. One single event, not matter how small and insignificant it may seem at the time, may or may not turn out to be just the right trigger to start an event that can radically change the world for years, decades, even centuries to come. These "gunpowder" events, are the cornerstones of history. They can also lead people to wonder "What if...?" Well, friends, I have often sat and wondered "What if..?" about a great many things, and this is probably the most explosive of all the "gunpowder" events I have podered.

What If...? France's pleas to Austria and Bavaria in 1870 had gotten through, and Prussia had lost the Franco-German War, therfore not allowing a unified Germany to form?

---------------------------------------------------------------

Our little endeavor into the What If? begins on the flat plains of Northern Europe. For months, conflict had been brewing in Europe. In Paris, an extremely ambitious Napoleon III had been looking warily at King Wilhelm of Prussia, or more importantly, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Tensions between these two military powerhouses had been brewing since 1867, when Prussia and the North German Confederation blocked France's purchase of Luxembourg from The Neatherlands. In early 1870 the Spanish Throne had no apparant heir. Otto von Bismarck eagerly offered Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a distant cousin of King Wilhelm of Prussia to the Spanish throne. A Furious Napoleon III immediatly sent a Telegram to Berlin instructing that either Prussia will cease it's current course or war will be declared.

Prussia kept it's current course.

July 19, 1870

Napoleon III of the Second French Empire declares war on The Kingdom of Prussia under King Wilhelm and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Almost immediatly, the North German Confederation backs Prussia by declaring war on France. The Southern German states of Bavaria, Baden, and Württemberg, and Saxony, always in competition with the North German States, are more reluctant to join any cause. It seems that it will take some persuasion to sway these small Kingdoms.

July 21, 1870

The first of Napoleon's diplomats begin discussions of alliance in Vienna. Kaiser Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, still furious over Austria's humiliating defeat in 1866 listens intently to the alliance proposal.In Munich and Dresden, similiar discussions are also underway. In both cities, the French beat their Prussian counterparts by scarce hours. This will prove to be extremely fortunate for the French as the war continues.

July 28, 1870

Napoleon III joins up with the 100,000 strong Army of the Rhine in Metz. The French army is full of well-trained Regulars, some of which have fought in the Crimea, Italy, Algeria, and Mexico. The Army of the Rhine is expected to grow dramatically as French Mobilisation continues. However, unknown to Napoleon, the Germans are mobilizing much faster, as the entire Prussian Army is made up of conscripts.

July 30, 1870

Austria-Hungary declares war on Prussia. The first reserves were called up as soon as hostilities began and have been concentrating in Bohemia for a few weeks now, and by now about 150,000 men are ready for action. Franz Josef chooses Archduke Albert to lead the force. The Archduke has an impressive record, defeating an Italian army more than twice the size of his own in the 1866 war.The Kingdom of Bavaria, it seems, had been waiting for this exact event, for scarce hours later, it also declares war on Prussia and her allies.

August 2, 1870

French General Frossard's II Corps and Marshal Bazaine's III Corps cross into Germany, evicting the Germans from the vital city of Saarbrücken. In the short skirmish that ensued as the French entered the city, the French Chassepot rifle proved superior to the decade old Prussian Needle Gun.

French Zouaves outside of Saarbrucken.

Meanwhile, Marshals MacMahon and Canrobert are in planning with Bavarian and Austrian commanders on the strategy for the war in the south. I Corps under MacMahon in concert with the Bavarian army and the small Austrian Army of Tyrol would invade Palatinate and proceed to "liberate" southern germany, completely bypassing the 350,000 some men that von Moltke has arrayed on the French Border.

August 4, 1870

The first real battle of the war touches off at the small city of Wissembourg. The short, bloody battle occured when a single divison of the Army of the Rhine was attacked by two Prussian Corps. The Prussia attack was wild, uncoordinated, and undercommanded by the upper echelons of Prussian Command. This confusion, combined with a good defensive positon, allowed General Douay to successfully repluse three strong attacks by forces more than double the size of his. By the end of the day the French send in reinforcements and the field is taken by the French.

(Author's Note: In our time, the Prussians came to Wissembourg with two Prussian Corps, and one Bavarian Corps, the absence of the Bavarians, I believe, would allow the French to gain the upper hand, and eventully win this crucial battle.)

August 7, 1870

The war in the south begins. A Franco-Austrian force of about 60,000 coupled with the Bavarian Army invades Palatinate, finding little organized resistance. The Napoleonic allies are making very good progress before the day is out. Von Moltke immediatly dispatches a Corps to deal with the invasion.

To Be Continued....