History UsefulNotes / FrancoPrussianWar

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine - which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle''' [[note]]Three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still. The territory of Belfort was also part of Alsace, but remained French, in part because Germans besieged but didn't manage to take the Belfort citadel before the war ended[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realized that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTWddzIuhwU Bombardement d'une maison]]'' (''Bombing of a house'', 1897), most probably the very first film to depict it (and probably the very first war film). It was directed by Georges Méliès (yes, [[Film/ATripToTheMoon that one]])

The defeat of Napoleon III led to his fall and the proclamation of the Third French Republic, which continued the war longer than the Germans expected by continually raising new armies even as Paris was besieged. In a bloody epilogue after the signing of the definitive peace treaty French fought French as the forces of the conservative central government put down the Paris Commune, a short-lived revolutionary government which was in control by revolutionary members of the French working class. While short-lived and petty by that time, it would inspire a book by Karl Marx (''The Civil War in France'') and later UsefulNotes/VladimirLenin to start the [[UsefulNotes/RedOctober October Revolution]] and create the [[UsefulNotes/SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]], thus being responsible for communism's first steps as a major power through the 20th century.

This in turn started a chain of events that led to UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. France, desperate and humiliated, formed a series of alliances in case they ever went to war with Germany again, and Germany did the same. With one exception, all of these alliances became the Allied Powers (France, Great Britain, and Russia, as well as the other countries they gathered after the war began) and the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary, and the countries they gathered). The newly-united Italy was the exception - Italy was in an alliance with Germany, but didn't enter World War I until the Allied Powers offered them parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The conflict is a major victim of TheGreatestHistoryNeverTold in the media, having been superseded by the two World Wars in collective European memory.

Another consequence of the end of the war is that [[UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration Meiji Japan]], which was looking to modernize its armies by taking example on France, felt unimpressed by their defeat and decided to emulate the Germans instead. The shift was not total, and French military advisors were still sought after, and had an especially profound impact on the Japanese Navy. Despite the humiliating defeat, the Japanese foreign minister in a visit in France in 1873 said that he had profound respect for their courage in the fact of overwhelming odds.

The defeat of Napoleon III led to his fall and the proclamation of the Third French Republic, which continued the war longer than the Germans expected by continually raising new armies even as Paris was besieged. In a bloody epilogue after the signing of the definitive peace treaty French fought French as the forces of the conservative central government put down the Paris Commune, a short-lived revolutionary government which was in control by revolutionary members of the French working class. While short-lived and petty by that time, it would inspire a book by Karl Marx (''The Civil War in France'') and later UsefulNotes/VladimirLenin to start the [[UsefulNotes/RedOctober October Revolution]] and create [[UsefulNotes/SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]], thus being responsible of communism's first steps as a major power through the 20th century.

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine - which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle'''[[/note]][[note]]Three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still. The territory of Belfort was also part of Alsace, but remained French, in part because Germans besieged but didn't manage to take the Belfort citadel before the war ended[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realized that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

-> ''We are in the chamber pot, and are about to be shat upon.''

[[caption-width-right:265: ''Fest steht und treue die Wacht, die Wacht am Rhein!'' [[note]]Stand firm and loyal to the watch, the watch on the Rhine![[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:265: ''Fest steht und treue die Wacht, die Wacht am Rhein!'' [[note]]Stand firm and loyal to the watch, the watch on the Rhine! [[note]]

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine - which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle'''[[note]]Three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still. The territory of Belfort was also part of Alsace, but remained French, in part because Germans besieged but didn't manage to take the Belfort citadel before the war ended[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realized that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine[[note]]which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle'''. Three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still. The territory of Belfort was also part of Alsace, but remained French, in part because Germans besieged but didn't manage to take the Belfort citadel before the war ended[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realized that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine[[note]]Which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle''', three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still. The territory of Belfort was also part of Alsace, but remained French, in part because Germans besieged but didn't manage to take the Belfort citadel before the war ended[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realized that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

[[caption-width-right:265: ''Fest steht und treue die Wacht, die Wacht am Rhein!'' [[note]]Stand firm and loyal to the watch, the watch on the Rhine![[note]]

[[caption-width-right:265: ''Fest steht und treue die Wacht, die Wacht am Rhein!'' [[note]]Stand firm and loyal to the watch, the watch on the Rhine![[note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:265: ''Fest steht und treue die Wacht, die Wacht am Rhein!'']]

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine[[note]]Which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle''', three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still. The territory of Belfort was also part of Alsace, but remained French, in part because Germans besieged but didn't manage to take the Belfort citadel before the war ended[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realised that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

The Franco-Prussian War - known in Germany as the German-French War (''Deutsch-Französischer Krieg'') or War of 1870/71, and in UsefulNotes/{{France}} as the Franco-German War (''Guerre franco-allemande'') or "Guerre franco-prussienne" - was the last of three wars that led to the unification of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies a plethora of Germanic states]] into [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany one single empire]] (the first since the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire had any political power). While the territorial shape of UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} changed dramatically over the following 75 years, it has remained a unified state ever since.

The Franco-Prussian War - known in Germany as the German-French War (''Deutsch-Französischer Krieg'') or War of 1870/71, and in France as the Franco-German War (''Guerre franco-allemande'') or "Guerre franco-prussienne" - was the last of three wars that led to the unification of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies a plethora of Germanic states]] into [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany one single empire]] (the first since the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire had any political power). While the territorial shape of UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} changed dramatically over the following 75 years, it has remained a unified state ever since.

The Franco-Prussian War - known in Germany as the German-French War (''Deutsch-Französischer Krieg'') or War of 1870/71, and in France as the Franco-German War (''Guerre franco-allemande'') or "Guerre franco-prussienne" - was the last of three wars that led to the unification of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies a plethora of Germanic states]] into [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany one single empire]] (the first since the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire had any political power).

The Franco-Prussian War - known in Germany as the German-French War (''Deutsch-Französischer Krieg'') or War of 1870/71, and in France as the Franco-German War (''Guerre franco-allemande'') or "Guerre franco-prussienne" - was the last of three wars that led to the unification of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies a plethora of Germanic states]] into [[UsefulNotes/ImperialGermany one empire]] (the first since the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire had any political power).

The Franco-Prussian War - known in Germany as the German-French War (''Deutsch-Französischer Krieg'') or War of 1870/71, and in France as the Franco-German War (''Guerre franco-allemande'') or "Guerre franco-prussienne" - was the last of three wars that led to the unification of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies Germany]] (the first since the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire had any political power).

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine[[note]]Which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle''', three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed, but German liked calling it "Lothrigen" still[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realised that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine[[note]]Which actually amounted to Alsace-'''Moselle''', three out of four departments of Lorraine remained French, only the Moselle was annexed[[/note]]), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a major problem, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realised that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem, though the territory would start gaining substantial autonomy in the 1910s just before the Great War broke out. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify. Note that the way France annexed Alsace from the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire in the 17th century during the UsefulNotes/ThirtyYearsWar was ''way'' more violent, so violent that the area had to be repopulated with people coming from UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave UsefulNotes/{{Rome}}, indirectly finishing the Unification of UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}.

Another result of the war was Germany's annexation of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine), which they held until UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. This would prove a pretty major mistake, as Alsace-Lorraine made France implacably hostile to Germany, as well as changing the international perception of Germany from victim to aggressor[[note]]The main reason for the annexation was quite interestingly dull. The Prussian leadership realised that the direct border between Germany and France would need fortification, but it was outside the crown lands of Prussia. The rulers of the other German states retained substantial autonomy under the empire and did not want Imperial forts on their land. Alsace-Lorraine was annexed as Imperial territory, ruled directly by the Kaiser, which got around the problem. In other words, they had to move the border in order to have one they could fortify.[[/note]]. Moreover, the French had to leave Rome, indirectly finishing the Unification of Italy.

The '''Franco-Prussian War''' - known in Germany as the German-French War (''Deutsch-Französischer Krieg'') or War of 1870/71, and in France as the Franco-German War (''Guerre franco-allemande'') or "Guerre franco-prussienne" - was the last of three wars that led to the unification of [[UsefulNotes/AllTheLittleGermanies Germany]] (the first since the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire had any political power).

-> ''[[ThisIsGonnaSuck We are in the chamber pot, and are about to be shat upon.]]''

-> ''We are in the chamber pot, and are about to be shat upon.''

-> ''[[ThisIsGonnaSuck We are in the chamber pot, and are about to be shat upon.]]''

-> ''We are in the chamber pot, and are about to be shat upon.''