THE SIEGE OF PARIS

The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 is viewed as a precursor to the First World War. It completed the work begun in 1864 (against Denmark) and 1866 (against Austria) in a series of short, sharp conflicts known collectively as the German Wars of Unification. Modern weaponry, especially breech-loading rifles, coupled with fast mobilisation via railway systems, gave these wars a distinctly modern feel. At the end of them, the various German states were unified under the leadership of Prussia, and Europe was arguably already on course for the two devastating conflicts of the next century.

In 1864, the Dreyse needle gun, a bolt-action breech-loader, gave the Prussians a clear advantage over their brave but outmatched Danish opponents, while the Austrians failed to capitalise on interior lines of communication in 1866. The Prussians had not become invincible, however, despite their frequent depiction as an unstoppable military machine. When Otto von Bismarck provoked the French into war against the German states in 1870, the outcome was far from certain. In fact, the French were viewed as the greater power at the time, having performed well in a series of small overseas conflicts. The French, moreover, had a breech-loading rifle of their own in the form of the Fusil modèle 1866, more commonly known as the Chassepot.

The Second Empire of Napoleon III was well-respected, but its military system was