abstract
| - Although the Prussian effort to crush Poland quickly was a resounding success, as the nation surrendered after a month, their attempts to win against the French (via Operation Westschlag) by invading through Austria-Hungary was considered a failure, as Italian reinforcements held back the Prussian armies. Despite attempts by the Royal Navy to blockade France, the British attempts to fight France at sea were met with no greater success than Prussia on land. The only major battle at sea was the Battle of the English Channel, which was inconclusive, with both sides claiming victory, but not changing the tactical or strategic situation in any way. Both nations battled each other mostly at sea for most of the war, although a small British army fought with Prussia on the continent. However, no plans had been made for an invasion of Britain by the French. A counterattack planned by Marshal Michel Ney in the winter finally pushed the Prussian forces out of Austria-Hungary. At the same time, Russian forces attacked Sweden (a Prussian ally) and eventually entered Prussian territory in both East and West. The defeat forced Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm III to abdicate the Hohenzollern Throne on 7 January, and he retired to Switzerland. Britain agreed to an armistice two weeks later, with neither side truly winning the war at sea, and Britain seeing no further reason to continue fighting. In the Treaty of Vienna, Prussia was forced to surrender the city of Kiel and the small North Sea Coast that she owned to the Confederation of the Rhine. The area north of Krakow was ceded to Austria-Hungary. Poland was re-established, with additional land from Prussia. Russia gained Königsberg, as well a part of Northern Sweden. Great Britain was forced to give Jamaica to France, although they managed to gain in return the French rights to the Suez Canal, and France paid an indemnity of one million francs.
|