1870 1871 franco prussian war wars were over before

1870-1871 Franco Prussian war
 Wars were over before they began
 They had Austrian and French battle plans
 Superior weapons and mobility
 Good leadership
o (2) Crimean War

 More imperial issues that European issues
 Ottoman Empire, British, French against Russians
 Lasted couple of years 1853-1856
o Prussia founded Germany in 1871
 Italy is unified between 1858-1861
 Why general peace?
o Traditional explanations
1. War exhaustion
2. Fear of change
a. European leaders had seen great potential that war had for
revolution and kings getting heads cut off  wanted to avoid
war
3. Moderate peace settlement
a. Prevented revanchism (a policy of regaining lost territory)
b. Very moderate that it would be forgotten in time
4. Return of balance of power diplomacy
a. Heart of it is Britain  GB sought to maintain balance of
power between all states so they would shift their sense of
commitment to a partner and willingness to fight to a foe.
i. Could only do so much to keep balance of power
o Structural explanations
1. Concert of Europe
a. Took time for France to be invited into it
b. Coalition originally fought against French
c. Systematic restraint:
i. Agreement among great powers of
noninterference in each others affairs
ii. If aggressor state were to rise up, the other 4
powers would work together to bring state down
d. Interest in maintaining balance
2. Insulated Europe
a. Insulated from outside and colonial conflicts
b. The British navy imposed a separation between Europe and