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The Causes Of The Franco-German War

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The Franco-Prussian or Franco-German war was a series of battles fought during the years 1870-1871. It was a war that was mostly spurred on by the political unrest between Emperor Napoleon the Third of France and King Wilhelm the First of Prussia and Germany. Though the war between these two countries was relatively short the repercussions would ring out for years to follow. What were the events of the Franco-Prussian war.

It widely believed that both countries had their own motives for war. For France it was a matter of not wanting an upset in the balance of power which already waned out of their favor and fear of the growing power of Prussia. The Prussian government motive for stirring unrest in the people and provoking war was to bring about a unified country to face the French threat . "I did not doubt that a Franco-German war must take place before the construction of a United Germany could be realised.”(Chancellor von Bismarck) However the match to start this fire would be the candidacy of Prince Leopold Hohenzollern for the Spanish throne.

As a member of King Wilhelm’s family should Prince Leopold rise to be king of Spain it would mean the France would be surrounded by a Spanish-Prussia alliance. This fact spurred the French government to send an ambassador Count Vincent Benedetti to conference with King Wilhelm. Count Benedetti positioned to have King Wilhelm rescind the prince’s candidacies which was meant but when asked to insure that no member of his

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