AHC: Partition/Devolution of France after the Napoleonic Wars

[Basileus_Komnenos]

What would it take for the allied powers in the Coalition against Revolutionary France to partition or at least weaken France in the same manner that Germany was after WW2 to prevent it from threatening the balance of power in Europe? What would be the Geopolitical implications of such an event be? What would borders and the political situation within Europe and whatever rump France is left after the French are crushed? How would the French people themselves react to this?

 

[Dan Handsome]

They'd be threatening the balance of power by dismantling France. The issue is how are they supposed to dismantle it, exactly? Split it into smaller independent states? Grant territory to the victors? By this point in time France had, what we'd consider, national and ethnic borders. No one really had any serious claims on French lands, and so, giving territory away is a blatant land grab of a modern European state. What's to stop Russia from annexing chunks of Prussia or Austria if any European nation is free real estate?

Likewise, where does the territory go? If you split France, then the smaller nations will inevitably look to reunite. Give land to Prussia? That just tips the balance in Prussia's favour. What about Britain. They were too worried about their colonies to dabble on the European continent. France isn't Poland. France is wealthy, populous, and fertile. French lands, given to any nation, could raise them above the other great powers. What about Russia? Why does Prussia and maybe Austria only get territory?

What about the Bourbons? The war wasn't against France, it was against the revolution. What message does taking land from a European monarchy send to the world?

 

[A Piece of History]

Two options come to mind.

Get rid of Metternich. He's the one who insisted France's punishment for the Napoleonic Wars be soft, since he didn't want to give too much ground to Russia or Prussia.

Have the Napoleonic Wars last longer. As the bodies pile up, there will be calls for vengeance against France.

 

[46566]

About the only land that could be given away would be Corsica. That wouldn't weaken France much. I'm assuming Sardinia is given Corsica. I don't see any way to weaken France. Maybe break off Alsace-Lorraine from France and place it in the German Confederation under another Bourbon monarch. Use the French territory to try and counter balance Austria and Prussia influence. Maybe have it merge with some south Western German territory.(Luxembourg maybe given) Other then Corsica everything is a stretch.

 

[pompejus]

About the only land that could be given away would be Corsica. That wouldn't weaken France much. I'm assuming Sardinia is given Corsica. I don't see any way to weaken France. Maybe break off Alsace-Lorraine from France and place it in the German Confederation under another Bourbon monarch. Use the French territory to try and counter balance Austria and Prussia influence. Maybe have it merge with some south Western German territory.(Luxembourg maybe given) Other then Corsica everything is a stretch.

I disagree, there are plenty of other areas in Frqance that used to belong to other countries. For example you could give French Flanders and Hainaut, or even Artois to the Netherlands. Roussillon used to be Spanish. There are some areas, like Mulhouse that used to be connected to Switserland. You could even create an independent Brittany, if you wanted to.

Not saying it would be a good idea or if it was likely. i am just saying that if they reaky wanted to cut France into pieces, there are several possibilities.