Probably the same way the United States views the potential re-unification of the former Soviet Union today.
So they thought it was a political impossibility?
I mean Napoleon III, a man in favour of the "nationalities" school of supporting the rise of ethnic nation states in Italy and (if he'd had the chance) in a dissolving Austrian Empire, never supported the concept of a unified Germany despite the fact that it would have adhered to his principles.
I read fairly recently, although I can't remember where that Napoleon III had views over Southern Germany and Bavaria. It wasn't precised the extent of the view (Protectorate of sort? Alliance? Annexation seems unlikely but definitely having it in the French sphere of influence) but he was negotiating with Bismarck about some kind of partition of Germany. Bismarck then blew the whistle to get the Southern states to ally with Prussia against France, depriving Napoleon III of any potential ally.Mikestone8 said:Even in 1866 he seems to have been reasonably content for Prussia to annex several North German states, provided the South was left alone. He apparently saw this as creating a tripartite division - North, South and Austria - which he felt France could live with. He was quite slow to realise that German nationalism, like Italian, had run beyond his power to say "ok that's far enough".
I read fairly recently, although I can't remember where that Napoleon III had views over Southern Germany and Bavaria. It wasn't precised the extent of the view (Protectorate of sort? Alliance? Annexation seems unlikely but definitely having it in the French sphere of influence) but he was negotiating with Bismarck about some kind of partition of Germany. Bismarck then blew the whistle to get the Southern states to ally with Prussia against France, depriving Napoleon III of any potential ally.
Rdffigueira said:I wonder how plausible is this scenario you and @Mikestone8 pointed out (I'm sketching something just like this for a post-Napoleonic TL): North Germany, South Germany and A-H Empire. I believe this mess would cause an even earlier WWI
I'd say it's highly plausible. Say the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 goes awry for Prussia, you'd have a Prussia-dominated Northern Germany, A-H and southern states which would probably end up together, potentially under Bavarian hegemony. Those states being catholic, they would come close to France which fancied itself as protector of the catholics abroad under the Second Empire.
I'd say it's highly plausible. Say the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 goes awry for Prussia, you'd have a Prussia-dominated Northern Germany, A-H and southern states which would probably end up together, potentially under Bavarian hegemony. Those states being catholic, they would come close to France which fancied itself as protector of the catholics abroad under the Second Empire.
I'd say it's highly plausible. Say the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 goes awry for Prussia, you'd have a Prussia-dominated Northern Germany, A-H and southern states which would probably end up together, potentially under Bavarian hegemony. Those states being catholic, they would come close to France which fancied itself as protector of the catholics abroad under the Second Empire.
I don't str the French having anything much to say about it in 1848/9, nor did they show any particular interest in the Schleswig-Holstein dispute. But Koniggratz was a wake-up call - albeit one that came too late.
AFAIK, in spring of 1848 they were loose contacts between the French national assembly in Paris and the Paulskirche parliament in Frankfurt. But rapidly, the nationalist idea won out over the common democratic ideals and factions in Paris demanded the Rhine border, which led to stron anti-French declarations in rankfurt. An fascinating possibility wasted by nationalism, alas.
I read fairly recently, although I can't remember where that Napoleon III had views over Southern Germany and Bavaria. It wasn't precised the extent of the view (Protectorate of sort? Alliance? Annexation seems unlikely but definitely having it in the French sphere of influence) but he was negotiating with Bismarck about some kind of partition of Germany. Bismarck then blew the whistle to get the Southern states to ally with Prussia against France, depriving Napoleon III of any potential ally.