WAR REPORT: AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN WAR (SEVEN WEEKS WAR)(textbook pp 66-81, powerpoint Austria and Prussia 1849-66 II, powerpoint Austria and Prussia 1849-66 III, powerpoint German unification maps, primary documents #17 and #18).

War: Austro-Prussian War (Seven Weeks War)

Date: June 15th 1866 August 23rd 1866

Players: Prussia (+ Italy, other German states) vs. Austria (+ other German states)

Key battle(s: Battle of Sadowa (Kniggratz)

Victor: Prussia

CauseCourseConsequence

Factors helping Bismarck:

Prussian military strengthSee German Unification Lesson 4 Notes-German Unification = result of 3 short wars-Prussian Army made Germany a reality-Reforms of Roon made army strong-Moltke = chief of army-Reforms: quick mobilization (railways), better trained, better armed Prussian economic strengthSee German Unification Lesson 4 Notes-Prussia is producing more coal and steel than France/Austria by the mid 1860s (more rail, more steam engines than Austria Krupps iron factories in Rhineland -More $$$ for army-Dominated Zollverein (contained almost every German state enabled economic unity) German nationalism-Lesson of 1848 revolutions needed Prussia in power to achieve stuff-The National Association formed in 1859, inspired by Italy unification to encourage Prussia to lead German unification (25,000 influential men)-Middle classes leading public opinion (reading books + newspapers that support German nationalism) Austrian economic weaknessSee German Unification Lesson 4 Notes-Agricultural-Lack of $$$-Had to stop nationalism in other parts of empire Austrian diplomatic weaknessSee German Unification Lesson 4 Notes-Crimean war (alienated Russia) + 2nd War of Italian Independence (defeated)= weakened AustriaBismarcks diplomaticpreparations, (favourable international situation): Meeting atBiarritz (France)-Bismarck met Napoleon III at Biarritz (secret)-Bismarck knew war vs. Austria = possibility-Bismarck needed to neutralize France-Nothing specific agreed (neither man wanted specific agreement)-Bismarck not prepared to give part of Rhineland to France in return for France = neutral-Napoleon III foresaw war between Austria and Prussia, intended to stay neutral and use as advantage, mediating between combatants, gaining greater reward in the process than anything Bismarck could presently offer-Napoleon = anti-Austrian, easy for Bismarck to get Emperors good wishes Secret alliance (Italy)-April 1866-Italy agreed to follow Prussia if it declared war on Austria within 3 monthsItaly would gain Venetia when war over Provoking war (Austria)-Bismarck + tension with Austria over Holstein and over proposals to reform Confederation (included setting up representative assembly elected by universal manhood suffrage) Bismarck knew would piss off Austria-Austria scared of surprise attack, mobilized in April Prussia (pretending like as a response) mobilized in May-Austria refused to discuss situation in congress of Great Powers-Austria broke off talks with Prussia (breaching previous promises) referred problem of Duchies to the Diet-June 9: Bismarck sent Prussian army into Holstein (Austrian control) surprisingly didnt lead to war ( Bismarck)

Withdrawal of Prussia fromGerman Confederation-Bismarck presented extended version of his proposals for reform of Federal Constitution to Diet (Austria excluded from Confederation, national parliament elected by universal suffrage, all troops in North Germany under Prussian command)-Austria asked Diet to reject Prussias proposals + mobilize for war.-Censured by Diet, Prussians withdrew from Confederation declared it dissolved, invited other German states to ally with Prussia vs. Austria-Most states began mobilizing vs. Prussia-Bismarck sent ultimatum to Hanover, Hesse-Cassel, Saxony to side with Prussia or else!-Ultimatums rejected-Prussia dummied those states!

Advantages of Austria-More soldiers (400,000 vs. 300000)-Most German states on team Austria (to counter-balance their economic subordination to Prussia in Zollvereign.-Central position (had no allies: France, Russia, Britain)-Initially, many Prussians = lukewarm about war

Advantages of Prussia-Advance planning + preparation-Had Italy on their side-Austria had to fight on 2 fronts (vs. Italy + Prussia)-Better railway system easier mobilization-Army reforms-General Helmuth Moltke, gifted military leader-More efficient mobilization-Breech-loading needle gun

Battle of Sadowa-July 3rd 1866-1/2 million men involved, 2 sides balanced-Austrians had artillery, used it effectively initiallysoon caught in Prussian pincer movement-Prussia: breech-loading needle gun (5x rate of fire of Austrian guns, decisive)-Austrian army fled-Casualties: Austria 45,000 Prussia 9000-Prussia won battle + war-Austrian government recognized that further fighting would further defeats, maybe break up of Austrian Empire-Austria priority = end to fighting (at any reasonable cost)-Prussia = winner-Personal win for Bismarck put him in position to dominate entire Germany for next centuryBismarcks reason fornot invading Austria-Austria at mercy of Prussia-William I proposed takeover of Austria-Bismarck said no, scared that France + Russia might intervene-Real politics -- CalculatedTreaty of Prague-August-Prussia got lots of territory (Schleswig, Holstein, Hesse-Cassel, Hanover, Nassau, Frankfurt)-All other German states north of River Main (incl. Saxony) North German Confederation under Prussian leadership-Venetia Part of ItalyBismarcks calculations(why did not annex all n. German states)-Threat of French intervention-If Prussia absorbed too much too soon trouble?-4 Catholic states south of River Main (Bavaria, Wrttemberg, Baden, Hesse-Darmstadt) = independent-Those 4 states signed secret military alliance with Prussia if war would fight alongside Prussia + put their armies under Prussias control-Treaty of Prague = milestone on way to German unity-Germans separated into: North German Confederation, the 4 south German states, Austrian Empire-German states annexed by Prussia = not consulted about uniting with Prussia, simply annexed-King of Hanover driven out, fortune confiscated-North German Confederation states had some independence-Trial run by Bismarck in North Germany for an eventual wider federation taking in all Kleindeutschland? could have easily annexed remaining northern states if he wanted, but didnt to show Germans south of Main how good membership of Prussian-controlled federation is. Economic advantage!-More credible argument: Bismarck saw no + in too speedy takeover of lots of states? would dilution of Prussian culture + traditions, instead of Prussia absorbing Germany, Germany would absorb Prussia-Fears French intervention! United Germany upsets balance of powerNorth German Confederation-King of Prussia head of Confederation-States = mostly independent-July 1867: Bismarcks constitution came into effect in North German Confederation-Confederation lasted 4 years, but its constitution was to continue (mostly the same) as constitutionsof German Empire-Designed to fit requirements of Prussian power + Bismarcks political position-Bismarck opposed to idea of parliamentary government on British model (reduced crown to symbolic status + put power in hands of parliament)-Given his views, his insistence on universal manhood suffrage in election of Reichstag is surprising-Believed that traditional loyalties of peasants would preserve conservative order in Germany-Didnt intend Reichstag to be important in public life-Little more than organ of public opinion-Hoped activities of weak Reichstag discredit parliamentary institutions in German eyes-Democratic manner of election process didnt compensate for great weakness of Reichstag (ministers incl. Chancellor = not members of it and not responsible to it). Not full democracy

Bismarcks (and Prussias) gains-Austria forced to withdraw from German affairs Prussian domination-Bismarck hero!-Patriotic fervor in Prussia-2/3 of Germans (excl. German Austrians) = part of Prussian-dominated Confederation-Most North Germans accepted situation-Many liberal-nationalists: no irreconcilable difference Bismarcks Prussian policy and Kleindeutsch nationalism.-Unification by force-Pressure on Bismarck to completely unite-Bismarck recognized that complete unity would strengthen Prussia in relation to Austria + France-1866 South Germany: people wanted unity -Political parties pro unity established-1867: 4 southern states Zollparlament (to discuss policy of Zollverein) to encourage closer co-operations between North and South-1867: local loyalties re-emerged-Many south Catholics regarded Prussia with suspicion-1868: southern states elected majority of delegates to Zollparlament anti-unity-National liberals (who hoped that Zollparlament motor for unification) disappointed-Bismarck not concerned, believed in good time (war/evolution) southern states would join