France defeats Prussia: How long can unification be delayed

Let's say France defeats Prussia and the Southern German states in the Franco-Prussian War. France proceeds to annex the Saarland, Kehl, and the Rhenish Triangle (between the Rhine and Moselle rivers).

How long can German unification be prevented? I would think the genie is already out of the bottle.
 
Let's say France defeats Prussia and the Southern German states in the Franco-Prussian War. France proceeds to annex the Saarland, Kehl, and the Rhenish Triangle (between the Rhine and Moselle rivers).

How long can German unification be prevented? I would think the genie is already out of the bottle.

I think no matter how crushing the defeat was against the Germans, they are still gonna want to unite. In fact, I think it gives them an even better reason to unite against France, by becoming one. Napoleon III probably stays in power, and now that France got a lot of things, might actually look away from German unification, now knowing if Germany does do anything, they will be ready. And also Russia is gonna do a bit of invading. I'd say maybe they'd unite in the 1880s or 1890s.
 
Possibly stops Prussia from dominanting the United germanG

Or they will see it as they werent strong enough and if all of germany was just more like prussia they could have beaten France and procede to do that to liberate the lost provinces. So maybe an even more militaristic Germany gearing up for round 2? I dont envy france if it looses to a revanchist Germany.
 
Also, this scenary would stop the Italian invasion of Latium. Or the Papal State collapses over itself, or an agreement would be found, or until France will turn republican the Pope will indefinitely rule.
 
Also, this scenary would stop the Italian invasion of Latium. Or the Papal State collapses over itself, or an agreement would be found, or until France will turn republican the Pope will indefinitely rule.
Maybe not, if they take over Latium while France appears to be losing, then France wins later.
 
Or they will see it as they werent strong enough and if all of germany was just more like prussia they could have beaten France and procede to do that to liberate the lost provinces. So maybe an even more militaristic Germany gearing up for round 2? I dont envy france if it looses to a revanchist Germany.
The state of the French military makes it unlikely that France would be able to take very much. Probably a few border cities, like the difference like the 1814 and 1815 borders, but it would look a lot like a white peace territorially. There might not be enough for a "lost provinces" revanchism like France had going for Alsace-Moselle.
 
The state of the French military makes it unlikely that France would be able to take very much. Probably a few border cities, like the difference like the 1814 and 1815 borders, but it would look a lot like a white peace territorially. There might not be enough for a "lost provinces" revanchism like France had going for Alsace-Moselle.

The state of the French military makes it unlikely that France wins. However that was what OP asked for with specified territory of annexation. The specified territories maybe with the addition of Elsaß-Lotharingien should be enough for a bit of revanschism especially if supported by state propaganda.
 
The state of the French military makes it unlikely that France wins. However that was what OP asked for with specified territory of annexation. The specified territories maybe with the addition of Elsaß-Lotharingien should be enough for a bit of revanschism especially if supported by state propaganda.
Yeah, with the Rhenish triangle that'd probably be enough. I don't see the Germans as being revanchist for Alsace though. It's not like they just lost it.
 
Yeah, with the Rhenish triangle that'd probably be enough. I don't see the Germans as being revanchist for Alsace though. It's not like they just lost it.

German nationalists were already asking for it OTL before 1870. Its not necessery but they can include it in the proaganda. And if they beat France in round 2 they will take it for sure.
 
There might not be unification. The South German states might decide that it is not worth accepting Prussian domination. Or they might join with Austria, leaving a North German confederation (led by Prussia) and a South German confederation (led by Austria), roughly equal in power.
 
Austria already abandoned the German game in 1867 when she did the compromise with Hungary, the Magyars are going to oppose any attempt to regermanize Austria.
 
France fought the war mainly to prevent German unification, I doubt they would allow even a scaled down unification in the foreseeable future. France probably gets greedy after a victory (it was a Bonapartist regime after all), and German unification would have to wait for some future French defeat.
 
There might not be unification. The South German states might decide that it is not worth accepting Prussian domination. Or they might join with Austria, leaving a North German confederation (led by Prussia) and a South German confederation (led by Austria), roughly equal in power.


Austria already abandoned the German game in 1867 when she did the compromise with Hungary, the Magyars are going to oppose any attempt to regermanize Austria.

Certainly they'd oppose a JOINING with Austria by the southern German states, but I can't imagine they'd protest too much merely for allowing said states to ally with Austria and have the Habsburg Empire gurantee their continued sovereignty against any potential Prussian aggression. It'd do wonders for keeping France aligned with them, and the Magyar gentry certainly have a vested interest in having THE continental power backing them up in order prevent Russian meddling with 'their" minorities.
 
Probably no political unification, but the economic unification and the alliances would probably survive, the latter maybe not but I can't imagine France being able to force those out permanently.
 
Probably no political unification, but the economic unification and the alliances would probably survive, the latter maybe not but I can't imagine France being able to force those out permanently.
The Second French Empire was trying to, literally, recreate the First. So this implies further foreign adventures once the war with Prussia was won. When she inevitably causes a rift with Britain and Russia, Germany will be a battleground again...no chance of a united German state so long as France is in the accendancy, not political, economic, or otherwise.
 
The Second French Empire was trying to, literally, recreate the First. So this implies further foreign adventures once the war with Prussia was won. When she inevitably causes a rift with Britain and Russia, Germany will be a battleground again...no chance of a united German state so long as France is in the accendancy, not political, economic, or otherwise.
France isn't going to be on the ascendancy if it gets in a conflict against Russia, UK and Prussia.

IMO if France wins in 1870 they are going to get some of the Southern Rhineland, prevent (political)German unification, humiliate Prussia and probably restore some of the Austrian influence but it really depends on the type of victory, I personally can't see a big victory for France, in the sense of crossing the Rhine or sieging Berlin, at least with a POD in 1870. This would mean more mild terms.
 
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