1870 – 1871
A short war that overthrew Napoleon III, completed German unification under Prussian leadership, and established a new French republic. Bismarck edited publication of the Ems Dispatch to inflame the crisis, but the French declaration of war and the conflict’s origins cannot be reduced to a single act of engineering. German armies captured Napoleon III at Sedan and besieged Paris; the German Empire was proclaimed at Versailles in January 1871. The Treaty of Frankfurt transferred most of Alsace and part of Lorraine and imposed a large indemnity, leaving a durable grievance without making the First World War inevitable. Defeat and siege also helped produce the Paris Commune, whose suppression during Bloody Week killed thousands; the exact toll remains disputed.
Chapter-by-chapter narrative with maps, primary sources, and key events.
Explore battles on a live map with a timeline slider and territory overlays.
Deep-dive into every major engagement — commanders, casualties, significance.
Biographical flip cards with real portraits, facts, and full biography pages.
Trace each figure's full life journey — birth, education, battles, and death — on a live map.
Scroll-driven visualization of casualties — each dot a thousand lives.
Weapons, war machines, and the military innovations that defined how this conflict was fought.
Cause-and-effect chains tracing the war's long shadow on history.
War crimes, massacres, and the darkest chapters of this conflict — documented for history.
A short war that overthrew Napoleon III, completed German unification under Prussian leadership, and established a new French republic. Bismarck edited publication of the Ems Dispatch to inflame the crisis, but the French declaration of war and the conflict’s origins cannot be reduced to a single act of engineering. German armies captured Napoleon III at Sedan and besieged Paris; the German Empire was proclaimed at Versailles in January 1871. The Treaty of Frankfurt transferred most of Alsace and part of Lorraine and imposed a large indemnity, leaving a durable grievance without making the First World War inevitable. Defeat and siege also helped produce the Paris Commune, whose suppression during Bloody Week killed thousands; the exact toll remains disputed.
The Franco-Prussian War was fought from 1870 to 1871.
The Franco-Prussian War was fought between German States (Prussia & Allies) and France (Second Empire / Third Republic).
An estimated 239,000 people died in The Franco-Prussian War, including roughly 182,000 military and 57,000 civilian deaths. Figures are scholarly estimates and vary by source.
Major engagements included Siege and Surrender of Metz, Siege of Paris, Battle of Sedan, and Battle of Gravelotte–St. Privat.