The Great War: France Winter 1910
Inside the Second Empire
France: The Winter of 1910
Imperial Standard of Napoleon IV
The Military Situation
With Britain and America joining the war against the Entente in March of 1909, the conditions in France by the end of 1909 were deteriorating rapidly. Tens of thousands of troops had to be redirected from the front to guard the French coast. The Coalition was making impressive gains in both Germany and Hungary. Austria-Hungary was on the brink of collapse, and rumors abounded that the Ottoman Empire was looking for a way out of the war. On top of that, full blown guerrilla wars had erupted in the South German states and the occupied portions of Italy which were putting an unbearable strain on the dwindling manpower of the Entente nations.
The Economy
By the winter of 1910 the Coalition blockade of Europe had nearly completely cut of France and her allies from the markets and resources of the Americas, Asia, and Sub Saharan Africa. Indeed, the only non-European trade that the French had left was with their North African colonies, and even that trade was coming under increasing attack from Coalition submarines and commerce raiders from bases in Malta, Gibraltar, and Cyprus. In France rationing of food and certain materials was increasing. Shortages of fuel, steel, rubber, and ammunition was beginning to seriously undermine the Imperial war effort.
One of the many breadlines in eastern France
1910
The Disloyal Opposition
As France’s wartime prospects dimmed, a plethora of anti-Bonapartist groups grew in popularity. This included monarchist factions both Orleanist and Legitimist, and a large but fragmented left wing with competing anarchist, socialist, and communist movements. However, the largest and increasingly the most credible opposition group were the Republicans who sought nothing less than the overthrow of the Empire and the establishment of a “Third Republic.” All of these groups encouraged Frenchman to dissert from the Imperial Army and began to stockpile weapons and train men in remote locations. The groups also attempted to organize likeminded military officers with varying degrees of success.
Le Nouvel Empire
As the number of enemies, both internal and external, grew Napoleon IV became increasingly worried about the precarious position his throne occupied. On November 15, 1909 an attempt was made on the Emperor’s life by an anarchist named Jacques Simardduring one of Napoleon’s palace speeches. Although Napoleon IV escaped unscathed he used the assassination attempt as an excuse to launch a massive crackdown on dissidents and to consolidate his power. In what he called Le Nouvel Empire (The New Empire) Napoleon IV abolished the legislature and suspended the constitution. Although his power had been considerable before the New Empire phase, Napoleon now ruled completely by decree and was free to let his gendarmerie to deal with any perceived threat to the Empire without restraint. Although this move was meant to strengthen the Emperor position, in the long run it created far more enemies than it silenced.
French Painting of Napoleon IV
1910
Last edited:
