EOA: FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871
Prussian Operational Approach (Broad Actions)
Rapidly mobilize the Prussian army with German allies. Simultaneously, defend against a
possible Austrian and French attack. Upon mobilization, conduct a turning movement toward
Paris with overwhelming firepower to destroy the enemy armies.
(Moltke) Commander’s Intent
The purpose of destroying the French Army was to prevent future French incursions into
Germany, unify German states, and gain a buffer zone (Alsace-Lorraine) between France.
End state:
- Enemy: French army destroyed
- Friendly: German armies use disciplined initiative to fight concentrated against a numerically
inferior enemy
Operational Framework
Moltke used the framework of main efforts and supporting efforts with four lines of operation.
Each conducted by an independent army that was part of a fixing and an enveloping concept.
Once an enemy army was fixed and encircled, the decisive battle started with massive artillery
barrages by all available artillery in the surroundings by mobile artillery. The German armies
divided into corps and divisions to make them self-sustaining.
Tenants of ULO
Integration: Use light cavalry (vs. heavy cavalry for reserve) as a screening force and mobile
artillery to support the infantry.
Lethality: Mass artillery fires to kill as much of the enemy prior to rifle engagements.
Synchronization: To synchronize the efforts of the autonomous 3 armies, the General Staff
provided a clear CDR’s intent and objectives so that the armies could use disciplined initiative
to attain the intent.
Warfighting Functions
Movement and Maneuver: heavy use of rail to bring troops to the frontier
Fires: Used a lot of artillery fires (vs. French who thought using a lot of artillery was a waste of
ammo). Mobile artillery allows the concentration of artillery at any place in the battle.
Sustainment: heavy use rail for logistics
Mission Command: Centralized planning, but decentralized execution. Had a superior General
Staff.
Moltke’s Elements of Operational Art/Design
End state: Prussian supremacy in Germany and unification
Conditions: Established coordination with Bismarck. Political and military leaders co-located.
COG: French Army
OP Approach: Direct, offensive movement into France and her allies/territories.
Decisive Points: Basing: Mobilization planning, quick maneuver through restricted terrain,
mutual support of 3 armies against the French force.
LOO: The early engagements that each Prussian army had allowed for the later concentration
of the entire force.
OP Reach: Railways and telegraph moved each army to the frontier faster than in the past.
Tempo: Prussians moved before the French could react, which allowed the Prussians to have
the initiative.
Simultaneity and Depth: As 2nd Army struck French right flank, Moltke established depth.
Phasing/Transitions: Mobilization, penetration of frontier, large scale battle, rapid pursuit.
Culmination: Design of the campaign and modern technology allowed Prussians to stay on the
offensive.
Risk, Strategic: If southern German states don’t unite, then Prussia will have to fight France in
multiple fronts and with numerically inferior numbers.
Key Concepts of Clausewitz
Trinity Analysis: Moltke and Bismarck’s tension, conscript army (people).
Hubris, Personalities: Wilhelm finally told Moltke to pass all plans through Bismarck.
Theorist Synthesis & Key Concepts of other Theorists
Waltz: Bismarck used war as a means to create the unified state of Germany.
Linn: Prussians (Moltke and Bismarck) were good managers.
Berger: Prussian reality consists of survival and unification whereas French reality consists from
a dominant and unified position in Europe.
Aufklarung – training, education, centralized planning, decentralized execution
EOA: FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871
Concept of Operations
Geographic Keys:
Phase 1: Mobilization
INSERT MAP/SKETCH HERE
Timeline:
Phasing:
France declares war, 19 Jul 1870:
Battle of Wissembourg, 4 Aug 1870: First action of the war started with the.
Battle of Gravelotte, 18 Aug 1870: was the largest battle of the war. While most Prussians fell
under the French Chassept rifles, most French fell under Prussian artillery.
Siege of Metz, Aug 1870: Moltke traps Bazaine, Napoleon III mobilizes from Paris to try to
rescue Bazaine.
Battle of Sedan, 1 Sep 1870: Moltke maneuvers to catch Napoleon’s movement towards Metz
in Sedan, Napoleon surrenders.
New French Republic established, 3rd Republic.
Siege of Paris, 19 Sep 1870- 28 Jan 1871: New French government, the 3rd Republic, agrees to
peace terms.
5 Phases from Prussian perspective:
Phase 1: Defend Prussia and mobilize forces.
Phase 2: Attack to destroy the Army of Strasbourg and isolate the Army of Metz.
Phase 3: Destroy the Army of Chalon if committed north and destroy remnant French army.
Phase 4: Occupy Northern France, attack Paris, and defend.
Phase 5: Redeploy to Germany.
EOA: FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871
Context:
Historical Context:
Prussia: Following the Napoleonic Wars, Prussia was a small state with a small army whereas France and Austria were considered the dominant states in Europe. In a surprise, Prussia
defeated Austria in the Konnigratz War of 1866. Prussia also annexed parts of Denmark, Austria, and forged the North German Confederation with Saxony and Mecklenburg.
France: A lot of army experience in Crimean war, Mexico, Austrians in Piedmont, and Algeria in 1830s-1840s.
Strategic Context: As of 1866, tension between France and Prussia rose. Both countries had their own reason why they thought a war would be beneficial. For France, it seemed a way
to check Prussia’s increase of power, while reconfirm its own great status in Europe. For Prussia, a war would unite Northern and Southern German states under Prussian control.
Bismarck had to orchestrate a scenario in which France would initiate the war in order to activate the alliance of the southern German states.
Road to War: 1. King Wilhelm I of Prussia would accept the title of German Kaiser from the north German confederation. This upset Napoleon III. 2. Bismarck financed railway through
Switzerland, which France saw as a future Prusso-Italian alliance against France. 3. Spain offered Wilhelm’s nephew, Leopold, the crown of Spain. This upset France because it would
shift the balance of power in Europe.
Campaign Context: Moltke’s problem statement- How does the Prussian army defeat French forces IOT expand its territory to the Rhine river. Given its own 3 armies (6 corps of
conscripts), against the French army’s larger, professional army.
Technology Keys:
Assumptions:
France:
Superior Chassepot rifle (eff. Range 1000 yds), which doubled the range of Prussia’s needle gun
(Dreyse), eff range 400 yds.
Mitrailleuse machine gun, but it was not used a lot because they did not train a lot with it prior
to the war.
Artillery: Bronze muzzle loading artillery. (inferior to Prussian artillery)
France:
- Power politics in Europe will support the French cause.
- Superior firepower and technology will provide significant advantage in battle.
- Professional Army with a lot of experience will defeat an inexperienced, conscript army.
Prussia:
Inferior Needle gun, which they used in 1866 in Konnigratz.
Superior Artillery: steel, rifled, breech loader with percussion fused shells that burst upon
impact.
Prussia:
- The Austria Hungarians and Danes will stay out of the war.
- As long as France initiated the war, Southern German states will unite under Prussia.
- Moltke assumed that France could physically mobilize its troops to their borders much faster
than Prussia can mobilize. Hence, Moltke wanted to mobilize prior to declaration of war.