Didn't France end up supporting Italy against Austria around that time?Was a Franco-Austrian alliance in 1866 have been plausible?
Also, if so, how would this (specifically French involvement) have affected the Austro-Prussian War?
It did in 1859 but it also had a common interest with Austria in keeping Prussia down; after all, France wanted the Rhineland for itself.Didn't France end up supporting Italy against Austria around that time?
I don't think anyone who's trying to maintain the European balance of power will want France stretching to the Rhineland. If they ally with Austria to try to get it, Britain or Russia might have some cause for alarm. And Italy will obviously feel betrayed that France has abandoned them for Austria just as they were about to go to war for Veneto.It did in 1859 but it also had a common interest with Austria in keeping Prussia down; after all, France wanted the Rhineland for itself.
I don't think anyone who's trying to maintain the European balance of power will want France stretching to the Rhineland. If they ally with Austria to try to get it, Britain or Russia might have some cause for alarm.
And Italy will obviously feel betrayed that France has abandoned them for Austria just as they were about to go to war for Veneto.
I don't think anyone who's trying to maintain the European balance of power will want France stretching to the Rhineland. If they ally with Austria to try to get it, Britain or Russia might have some cause for alarm. And Italy will obviously feel betrayed that France has abandoned them for Austria just as they were about to go to war for Veneto.
Even if that's true, the European Great Powers could hardly have predicted that in 1866, before Germany even existed.Well, with hindsight it is clear that letting France control of Rhineland would have been the only way to check Germany economically and demographically from the middle of the 19th century to nowadays.
Even if that's true, the European Great Powers could hardly have predicted that in 1866, before Germany even existed.