WI the main objective of Napoleon III's foreign policy had been to seek to stop the unification of Germany and Italy as nations-states with every means available?
WI he had assume this objective in the belief that, althought the unification of those countries was a highly popular cause in his days in the areas that now constitute "Germany" and "Italy", having two powerfull nation-states in her borders would go against the interests of France???
Would Germany and Italy still unify when they did with the active opposition of Napoleon III??? Would they still unify, but later??? When???
As you know, Napoleon help Cavour in his quest to unify Italy by allying with Peidmont in her war against Austria. In that war, Piedmont obtained Lombardy, and France got Niza and Savoy from Piedmont. (Piedmont would soon obtein Parma, Modena and Tuscany). Napoleon even authorised Piedmont to send troops South, after Garivaldi had conquered the Kindom of The Two Sicilies.
And Napoleon's neutrality during the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 enabled Prusia to anex Hanover and basically exclude Austria from "Germany", indirectly favouring Bismark's attempt to enlarge Prussia (or unify Germany, if you prtefer). He apparently did so in the hope of recieving some German territories in the West, whish he never got.
What if he had opt for an entirely different policy??? What if he had though that no territorial gain was worthy if that led to the formation of powerful nation-states in France's Western and Southern frontiers?
What would the British do? And now that we are at it, what WAS British policy concerning the unification of Italy and Germany IOTL? Was there a policy at all?
WI he had assume this objective in the belief that, althought the unification of those countries was a highly popular cause in his days in the areas that now constitute "Germany" and "Italy", having two powerfull nation-states in her borders would go against the interests of France???
Would Germany and Italy still unify when they did with the active opposition of Napoleon III??? Would they still unify, but later??? When???
As you know, Napoleon help Cavour in his quest to unify Italy by allying with Peidmont in her war against Austria. In that war, Piedmont obtained Lombardy, and France got Niza and Savoy from Piedmont. (Piedmont would soon obtein Parma, Modena and Tuscany). Napoleon even authorised Piedmont to send troops South, after Garivaldi had conquered the Kindom of The Two Sicilies.
And Napoleon's neutrality during the Austro-Prussian war of 1866 enabled Prusia to anex Hanover and basically exclude Austria from "Germany", indirectly favouring Bismark's attempt to enlarge Prussia (or unify Germany, if you prtefer). He apparently did so in the hope of recieving some German territories in the West, whish he never got.
What if he had opt for an entirely different policy??? What if he had though that no territorial gain was worthy if that led to the formation of powerful nation-states in France's Western and Southern frontiers?
What would the British do? And now that we are at it, what WAS British policy concerning the unification of Italy and Germany IOTL? Was there a policy at all?