The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 January 1871, the conflict was caused primarily by France's determination to reassert its dominant position in continental Europe, which appeared in question following the decisive Prussian victory over Austria in 1866. According to some historians, Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck deliberately provoked the French into declaring war on Prussia in order to induce four independent southern German states—Baden, Württemberg, Bavaria and Hesse-Darmstadt—to join the North German Confederation. Other historians contend that Bismarck exploited the circumstances as they unfolded. All agree that Bismarck recognized the potential for new German alliances, given the situation as a whole.
The Schlieffen Plan is a name given after the First World War to German war plans, due to the influence of Field Marshal Alfred von Schlieffen and his thinking on an invasion of France and Belgium, which began on 4 August 1914. Schlieffen was Chief of the General Staff of the German Army from 1891 to 1906. In 1905 and 1906, Schlieffen devised an army deployment plan for a decisive (war-winning) offensive against the French Third Republic. German forces were to invade France through the Netherlands and Belgium rather than across the common border.
The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt were fought on 14 October 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale in today's Germany, between the forces of Napoleon I of France and Frederick William III of Prussia, at the outset of the War of the Fourth Coalition during the Napoleonic Wars. The defeat suffered by the Prussian Army subjugated the Kingdom of Prussia to the French Empire until the Sixth Coalition was formed in 1813.
The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War from 1 to 2 September 1870. Resulting in the capture of Emperor Napoleon III and over a hundred thousand troops, it effectively decided the war in favour of Prussia and its allies, though fighting continued under a new French government.
Helmuth Johannes Ludwig Graf von Moltke, also known as Moltke the Younger, was a German general and Chief of the Great German General Staff, a member of the House of Moltke. He was also the nephew of GeneralfeldmarschallGraf Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke, who is commonly called "Moltke the Elder" to differentiate the two.
Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck was a German general during World War I.
The siege of Paris took place from 19 September 1870 to 28 January 1871 and ended in the capture of the city by forces of the various states of the North German Confederation, led by the Kingdom of Prussia. The siege was the culmination of the Franco-Prussian War, which saw the Second French Empire attempt to reassert its dominance over continental Europe by declaring war on the North German Confederation. The Prussian-dominated North German Confederation had recently emerged victorious in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which led to the questioning of France's status as the dominant power of continental Europe. With a declaration of war by the French parliament on 16 July 1870, Imperial France soon faced a series of defeats at German hands over the following months, leading to the Battle of Sedan, which, on 2 September 1870, saw a decisive defeat of French forces and the capture of the French emperor, Napoleon III.
The Battle of Wissembourg or Battle of Weissenburg, the first of the Franco-Prussian War, was joined when three German army corps surprised the small French garrison at Wissembourg on 4 August 1870. The defenders, greatly outnumbered, fought stubbornly "especially considering they were surprised and greatly outnumbered, that the French sustained their old renown as fighting men and that the first defeat, although severe, reflected no discredit on the soldiers of the 1st Corps." The fall of Wissembourg allowed the Prussian army to move into France and compelled Marshal Patrice MacMahon to give battle, and suffer defeat, at the Battle of Wörth on 6 August.
The Battle of Le Mans was a German victory during the Franco-Prussian War that ended French resistance in western France.
The First battle of Le Bourget was part of the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, fought between 27 and 30 October 1870.
The Battle of Laon was the victory of Blücher's Prussian army over Napoleon's French army near Laon. During the Battle of Craonne on 7 March, Blücher's army was forced to retreat into Laon after a failed attempt to halt Napoleon's east flank. Along the way to Laon, reinforcements from Russian forces under Ferdinand von Wintzingerode and a Prussian corps led by Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Bülow joined the defensive. Blücher opted to face Napoleon at Laon because it was the site of a strategically important road junction, and because of its highly defensible position.
The Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande on 28 November 1870 took place during the Franco-Prussian War, which was won by Prussia. In an attempt to relieve the Siege of Paris, French General Crouzat's XX Corps launched an attack against three Prussian brigades resting in Beaune-la-Rolande. These brigades were from the Prussian X Corps which was detailed to guard the flanks and rear of the force besieging Paris and provide early warning of any French counter-attacks. The French committed a force of 60,000 men, largely conscripts of the Garde Mobile, and 140 guns against the Prussians' 9,000 men and 70 guns, mostly drawn from regular troops, although military historian Gaston Bodart estimated their strength at 40,000 men and 174 guns. Despite the superiority of numbers the French attack failed to take the village and was ultimately forced to retreat by Prussian reinforcements.
The Battle of Beaugency took place during the Franco-Prussian War between the army group of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg, and the French Armée de la Loire, won by the Prussians. It lasted from 8 to 10 December 1870 and occurred on the left bank of the river Loire to the northwest of the town of Beaugency. Due to the large area over which it was fought, it is also known as the Battle of Beaugency-Cravant or the Battle of Villorceau-Josnes.
Eduard Friedrich Karl von Fransecky was a Prussian general who served in the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War.
The (First) Battle of Buzenval was part of the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. The besieged troops in Paris, under the orders of General Louis Trochu, made a sortie in the direction of Versailles.
The battle of Châtillon, also known as the battle of Châtillon-sous-Bagneux, was a skirmish in the siege of Paris between France and North German Confederation in the Franco-Prussian War, took place on 13 October 1870. This is also considered the first battle in the history of the French Third Republic. In this fierce battle – occurred at Châtillon and Sceaux, Corps V of the Prussian army under the command of Lieutenant General Infantry Hugo von Kirchbach, along with the II Corps of the Kingdom of Bavaria by the Supreme Minister infantry Jakob von Hartmann which were the forces of the army Group 3 of Prussia by Prince Friedrich Wilhelm as General command., won a victory against an attack by the XIV Corps under General Renault - of the French army under General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot. Although some soldiers under Ducrot fought well, the majority of his army became agitated. The French were forced to flee to Paris, losing the Châtillon Plateau - a very favorable defensive position overlooking the fortresses south of Paris - to the Germans. This was a disaster for the "justice" of the French army during the war, although the French reported that they suffered only minor losses.
The Defense of Champigny is a late-19th-century painting by Édouard Detaille. The painting, done in oil on canvas, depicts the Battle of Villiers during the Franco-Prussian War. The painting is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Battle of Artenay' also known as the Battle of Arthenay, took place during the Franco-Prussian War, on 10 October 1870, in Artenay a small town located on the road from Orléans to Paris, France which was about 10 miles north of the city of Orléans. In this fierce battle, with superior strength compared to the opponent, The I Corps of the Kingdom of Bavaria, under the command of Lieutenant General Ludwig von der Tann-Rathsamhausen, in collaboration with the 22nd Division of the XI Corps of the Kingdom of Prussia and the two cavalry divisions of the Prussian army attacked and penetrated the defense system of the army of the Loire of the young French Republic, under the control of general Joseph Edouard de la Motterouge, causing heavy losses for the French military of which many people were taken prisoner. The winning conditions Artenay were favorable enough for Von der Tann to strike Orléans, while the forces of France knocked back on Orléans forest in an agitated state. Despite this, Nièvre's Garde Mobiles and the Pontifical Legion in the French army were noted for their strong resistance, while a monk in Prussian Cavalry under the command of Prince Albrecht demonstrated his prowess in the battle at Artenay.
The Fighting in Fréteval was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War, it occurred in December 14 — 15, 1870, near the village of Fréteval of France. In this fierce engagement, a corps of the Prussian army under the command of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin contested Fréteval with a force of the French army 's Loire Corps under General Antoine Chanzy, but neither side was able to seize the advantage. The battle demonstrated the effective combat capabilities of Chanzy's forces, with a huge numerical superiority over Mecklenburg's forces. From 15 December, however, Mecklenburg's army was reinforced on the left, and in light of that situation Chanzy finally made a retreat to Le Mans.
The Battle of Vendôme took place during the Franco-Prussian War, it lasted from 14 to 17 December 1870 in Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher, France. In this fierce fighting, the X Army of the Kingdom of Prussia under the command of General Konstantin Bernhard von Voigts-Rhetz and the 2nd Army of Prussia which was commanded by Prince Friedrich Karl, attacked the French Army of the Loire by Minister Antoine Chanzy and Admiral Bernard Jaureguiberry who was a former navy officer of France. The Prussians defeated the French in a gun battle on 16 December and finally won the battle. With this victory, the Germans attacked the enemy's right flank and forced the French forces to withdraw from their stronger defensive position at Fréteval, where they engaged another Prussian army indecisively. The victory at Vendôme also brought the Prussian armies some French prisoners and weapons, while the disadvantage of Chanzy's army forced him to hastily withdraw to Le Mans.
Württemberg 
French Empire 
Eduard von Fransecky 
Albert of Saxony 
