War Between Prussia and France in 1840?

How can war between France and Prussia start after the French Prime Minister Adolphe Thiers claims that the Upper and Eastern Rhine is France's natural border? I figure that a escalation of events is needed to start any war.

Also, what countries would back who? How would Austria react? Would the German states back Prussia out of fear of the French and patriotism?
 
You'd need someone other than Louis Philippe wearing the crown. Thiers also wished to send regular troops to intervene in the First Carlist War in addition to the Foreign Legion that was already there, and wanted to back Muhammad Ali during the Eastern Crisis against the other great powers, but the Citizen King would have none of it.
 
You'd need someone other than Louis Philippe wearing the crown. Thiers also wished to send regular troops to intervene in the First Carlist War in addition to the Foreign Legion that was already there, and wanted to back Muhammad Ali during the Eastern Crisis against the other great powers, but the Citizen King would have none of it.

So Charles X staying on the throne would do it? Or at that point it would be his son Louis XIX.
 
So Charles X staying on the throne would do it? Or at that point it would be his son Louis XIX.

Not particularly. Charles X was also something of an isolationist; the conquest of Algeria took place against the July Revolution you must remember, and was purely a political move by Charles X and his royalist supporters to try and bolster their position. Now, his elder brother, Louis XVIII, was of course an entirely different man, who ordered the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis partially to put down the threat of dreaded liberalism (the horror!) spreading from Spain, and partially to put Ferdinand VII in his pocket. Notably however, the expedition was headed up by the duc d'Angoulême. Now, while Louis Antoine was certainly more militant than the rest of his family - he, unlike most of the rest, actually fought in the Napoleonic Wars - even he wouldn't likely turn against the Prussians, who are, remember, a crowning power in the Quintuple Alliance. Beyond that though, it's very unlikely Thiers would ever become a minister under the Bourbons.

Basically you're going to need something like the June Rebellion to be successful, and that is going to be a very far bridge to cross.
 
With regards to reaction, I'd predict that the rest of Europe would be hostile to renewed French expansionism. Austria under Metternich, I doubt would tolerate the undoing of Metternich's life's work, and France attempting to incorporate such a large part of the German states would cause GB to flip out as well. And in any case, the French would find that the people of the Rhineland don't remember the French occupation all that fondly either.
 
Not particularly. Charles X was also something of an isolationist; the conquest of Algeria took place against the July Revolution you must remember, and was purely a political move by Charles X and his royalist supporters to try and bolster their position. Now, his elder brother, Louis XVIII, was of course an entirely different man, who ordered the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis partially to put down the threat of dreaded liberalism (the horror!) spreading from Spain, and partially to put Ferdinand VII in his pocket. Notably however, the expedition was headed up by the duc d'Angoulême. Now, while Louis Antoine was certainly more militant than the rest of his family - he, unlike most of the rest, actually fought in the Napoleonic Wars - even he wouldn't likely turn against the Prussians, who are, remember, a crowning power in the Quintuple Alliance. Beyond that though, it's very unlikely Thiers would ever become a minister under the Bourbons.

Basically you're going to need something like the June Rebellion to be successful, and that is going to be a very far bridge to cross.

So not to self advertise but something like my own TL then:D.
 

Razgriz 2K9

Banned
Yes except that even with Henri V being a minor in the new Bourbon Government (which is the case in your TL) I doubt anyone in the regency council is crazy enough to challenge Prussia over fixing the borders to the left bank of the Rhine River.
 
Yes except that even with Henri V being a minor in the new Bourbon Government (which is the case in your TL) I doubt anyone in the regency council is crazy enough to challenge Prussia over fixing the borders to the left bank of the Rhine River.

But in 1840 Henri V would be 20. I can see a young king trying to use military conquest to shore up support at home. After all, wars have been used to distract people from problems at home.
 

Razgriz 2K9

Banned
Ah, point taken, but would he really be bold enough to go picking a fight with Prussia (and possibly Austria and all of the German states as well?)

(And on a side note, wars are still technically used to distract people from problems at home, just not as much, and not as long lasting as they used to now.)
 
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