Vienna conquered ,Austrian Empire dissolves in 1866

Wilhelm I. and Prussian Generals were eager to take Vienna in 1866 and pull a harsh , treaty of Frankfurt´ like peace agreement. Bismarck, who was already planning a future Franco-Prussian war didn´t approve, so it didn´t happen .
What if the confrontation between the "Iron Chancellor" and King Wilhelm I. leads to Bismarck´s dismission ? Could Prussian militaristic megalomania lead to a battle of Vienna? What would Franz Joseph´s fate look like ? Could Prussia pull an Anschluss and annex German speaking Austria while the rest of Austrian Empire collapses ? (Maybe with Hungary gaining independence as a Kingdom de jure (Depends on Russian reaction) , Polish partition Austrian occupied Poland annexed to Prussian occupied Poland) . How would the Great Powers react of a Middle Earopean Power, that emerges into an expansionist militaristic nation ?
 
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The campaign that led to Sadowa and the battle of Sadowa were very close. Prussia needed to self-restrain, otherwise the rest of the continent could have come into the war to maintain a certain balance.
 
Britain, France and Russia team up to destroy Prussia.

There was a reason Bismarck didn't demand any territory in Bohemia.
 
(Imma steal this idea to make a map around, just so you know)

Im suprized Prussia didnt demand, say, Sudetenland, annex Austria, and then give Hungary the rest. Though as said throughout the thread, most of the other European powers would *not* have approved of this.
 
Really, this keeps popping up.

The Prussian leadership, especially Bismarck but in no way limited to him wanted a protestant and Prussian-led Germany.

OTL German Empire had 40% catholics and Zentrum (moderately conservative catholic christian party) quickly became the largest party in the German parliament, despite all the efforts in Kulturkampf to supress them.

If you add Sudet, Austria, Türol, Istria, Lower Styria you will have a majority catholic country - and instead of having to create parties in 1870, there's already an established class of catholic politicians and parties in Austria - Prussia would be unable to be the hegemon of the German Empire.

The Habsburgs will remain, they are still Archdukes of Austria and Kings of Bohemia, if those lands are included in Germany, they will come with it, just like the royal house of Bavaria came with Bavaria when it joined the German Empire.

The Prussian leadership also viewed the Austrian Empire as a potential ally (and it was indeed for 40 years afterwards their only real friend) and a way to control the Balkans. Dissolving a nation and giving revolters in it territory will make Germany a total pariah on the international scene and if the French want to dissolve Germany after a war, they will have brought it upon themselves - they started it.

The Prussian leadership knew this and that was why they did not push for any territory after Königgrätz.
 
Wilhelm I. and Prussian Generals were eager to take Vienna in 1866 and pull a harsh , treaty of Frankfurt´ like peace agreement. Bismarck, who was already planning a future Franco-Prussian war didn´t approve, so it didn´t happen .
What if the confrontation between the "Iron Chancellor" and King Wilhelm I. leads to Bismarck´s dismission ? Could Prussian militaristic megalomania lead to a battle of Vienna? What would Franz Joseph´s fate look like ? Could Prussia pull an Anschluss and annex German speaking Austria while the rest of Austrian Empire collapses ? (Maybe with Hungary gaining independence as a Kingdom de jure (Depends on Russian reaction) , Polish partition Austrian occupied Poland annexed to Prussian occupied Poland) . How would the Great Powers react of a Middle Earopean Power, that emerges into an expansionist militaristic nation ?

Ever play the game Victoria 2?

Jump in as Prussia and literally try to do this.

What happens next diplomatically is exactly what would happen in OTL.

UK, France, and Russia will team up to isolate and eventually crush such an aggressive Prussia.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
The only way it would work is as a joint

Wilhelm I. and Prussian Generals were eager to take Vienna in 1866 and pull a harsh , treaty of Frankfurt´ like peace agreement. Bismarck, who was already planning a future Franco-Prussian war didn´t approve, so it didn´t happen .
What if the confrontation between the "Iron Chancellor" and King Wilhelm I. leads to Bismarck´s dismission ? Could Prussian militaristic megalomania lead to a battle of Vienna? What would Franz Joseph´s fate look like ? Could Prussia pull an Anschluss and annex German speaking Austria while the rest of Austrian Empire collapses ? (Maybe with Hungary gaining independence as a Kingdom de jure (Depends on Russian reaction) , Polish partition Austrian occupied Poland annexed to Prussian occupied Poland) . How would the Great Powers react of a Middle Earopean Power, that emerges into an expansionist militaristic nation ?


The only way it would work is as the result of a joint Russo-Prussian alliance, presumably with the Italians and (potentially) the Greeks and the other Balkan states involved as well.

Four-way divide of the Austrian Empire, with varying levels of annexation and or independence for the consituent elements of the Empire (Austria, Hungary, etc), is a possibility. Remote, but not completely outside of the realm of possibility.

Best,
 
Ever play the game Victoria 2?

Jump in as Prussia and literally try to do this.

What happens next diplomatically is exactly what would happen in OTL.

UK, France, and Russia will team up to isolate and eventually crush such an aggressive Prussia.

Eh i've played as Großdeutschland many times in Vicky 2. Be it by just annexing the Sudetenland and Austria or the entire Austrian Empire you normally can get one of them on your side. Hell I find more often then not Russia ends up allying with you.
 
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