How did the lessons of the Franco-Prussian War help to initiate World War I? Sta
ID: 3495270 • Letter: H
Question
How did the lessons of the Franco-Prussian War help to initiate World War I? States built alliances around mutual enemies. Thus, when Serbia attacked Austria, all states in the alliance were obligated to join the fight. States developed offenses that could be mobilized rapidly, which is what happened at the start of World War I. Germany won the Franco-Prussian war with its superior navy. Consequently, other states built strong navies, which attacked each other and started World War I. States refused to appease aggressor states: such a policy of appeasement would have prevented World War I.Explanation / Answer
The French (widely considered the favorites at the start of the war) suffered a humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian. Their armies were surrounded and forced to surrender, Paris was besieged and starved into surrender, France lost Alsace-Lorraine to the new Germany, had to pay a large war indemnity, and suffer a Prussian army victory parade through the streets of Paris.
The French wanted revenge for all this, and in particular wanted to regain Alsace-Lorraine. However, France realized it was not strong enough to fight Germany by itself, so had to find allies. This led to France building up one of the 2 alliance power blocks in Europe from the 1890s,and as a result France was as keen to go to war in 1914 as anyone, both for revenge for the humiliation of the Franco-Prussian War, and to regain Alsace-Lorraine.
3rd option: Germany won the Franco-Prussian war with its superior navy. Cnsequently, other states built strong navies, which attacked each other and started world war 1.
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