Before World War I reshaped Europe, there was the Franco-Prussian War, a short but seismic conflict that redrew borders, toppled empires, and gave birth to a new German superpower.

In this episode of History Shorts, we dive into the 1870–1871 war between France and Prussia, a showdown that shattered the old European order. From the diplomatic deception of the Ems Dispatch to the siege of Paris and the fall of Napoleon III, this war laid the groundwork for decades of tension and future global conflict.

You'll learn:

• Why Otto von Bismarck wanted a war with France, and how he engineered it

• How the defeat of France led to the unification of Germany

• Why this war marked the end of old dynasties and the rise of modern nationalism

• How the humiliation of France would fuel the fires of World War I

This isn't just a forgotten 19th-century conflict. It's the origin story of modern European geopolitics.

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