JOHN CHAPALAPATA

The Seven Weeks War

It is also Called or known as the Austro- Prussian War. It was fought in 1866
between the kingdom of Prussia and the German confederation(an association of
39 German states in central Europe which were created by the congress of vienna
in 1815).
Reasons for this war were as follows: For a number of centuries central Europe
was split into a few large stated and also numerous tiny entities numbering in the
hundreds. Each of these entities maintaining its own independence with the
assistance from outside powers, to be particular France. On the other hand Austria
which was the personal territory of the Habsburg Emperors was considered
occasionally as leader of the German states. The problem was Prussia was
gradually becoming increasingly powerful to the extent that by the late 18 century
it was ranked as one of the great powers of Europe. German states were drawn in
to the influence of the confederation of the Rhine, which was later forced to submit
to French influence until the defeat of the French emperor. After the end of the
Napoleonic wars in 1815 German states were once again organized into a loose
confederation, under Austrian leadership.
The Ultimate aim for most German Nationalists was the gathering of all the
Germans under one state. Eventually Two ideas of nationality came to the fore.
One was for a "greater Germany" which would include all German speaking lands,
including those dominated by the multi-national empire of Austria. The other
would be a lesser Germany that would exclude Austria and other southern German
States for example Luxembourg and Liechtenstein and be dominated by Prussia.

One of the first sparks for conflict was the dispute between Prussia and Austria. It
was a dispute over the administration of Schleswig- Holstein. The major tenants if
the dispute were brought by Austria before the German Diet and Austria also
decided to convene the Diet of Holstein. Prussia then declared that the Gastein
Convention had been nullified and Invaded Holstein. When the German Diet
responded by voting for a partial mobilization against Prussia, Bissmark claimed
that the German Confederation was ended. Prince Frederick was the only member
of the Prussian Crown council who could uphold the rights of the Duke of
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Augustenberg and oppose the idea of a war with Austria which he decided as
fatricide.

The participants or belligerents of the war: The German Federation consiting of:
Austrian Empire as leader of the confederation, Kingdom of Saxony, Kingdom
of Bavaria, Kingdom of Wurttemberg, Kingdom of Hanover, Electorate of Hesse,
Grand Duchy of Hesse, Gr Dchy of Baden, Principality of Reuss, Principality of
Schaumburg- Lippe, Duchy Saxe-Meiningen, Duchy of Nassau and Free City of
Frankfurt. The Commanders and Leaders of the German Confederation were
Emperor Franz Josef, Albert Duke of Teschen and Ludwig von benedek.

The other Participants or belligerants of the war were: The Kingdom of Prussia,
Kingdom of Italy, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duchy of
Mecklenburg- Strelitz, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, Duchy of Anhalt, Duchy of
Brunswick, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg & Gotha, Principality of
Lippe, Principality of Schwarzburg, Principality of Waldeck, Free Hanseatic city
of Bremen, Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg and Free and Hanseatic city of
Lubeck. The commanders and Leaders of this Austrian Side were King Wilhelm 1,
Helmuth von Moltke abd King Viktor Emmanuel 2.

The war Between these 2 belligerents used many of the same technologies as the
American Civil War, including railways to concentrate troops during mobilization
and telegraphs to enhance long-distance communication. The Prussian army used
von dreyse's breech- loading needle gun, which could rapidly be loaded while the
soldier was seeking cover on the ground, whereas the Austrian muzzle-loading
rifles could only be loaded slowly and generally from a standing position.

The main campaign of the war occurred in Bohemia. The Prussian Chief of
General staff Helmuth von Moltke had planned meticulously for the war. He
rapidly Mobilized the Prussian army and advanced across the border in to Saxony
and Bohemia, Where the Austrian army was concentrating for an invasion of
Silesia. There the Prussian armies, led by King William 1 converged and the two
sides met at the battle of Koniggratz on july 3. The Prussian Elde army advanced
on the Austrian left wing and the First army on the center early and prematurely.
They risked being counter-flanked on their own left. Victory therefore depended
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on the timely arrival of the Second army on the left wing. This was achieved
through brilliant staffwork of its Chief of staff, Leonhard Graff von Blumenthal.
Superior Prussian organization and elan decided the battle against Austrian
numerical sruperiority, and the victory was a near total with Austrian battle deaths
nearly seven times that of the Prussian figure. Austria Rapidly sought peace after
this battle.
Except for Saxony, most of the other German states allied to Austria played little
role in the main Battle. Hanover's army defeated Prussia at the Second battle of
Lagensalza on 27 June 1866, but within a few days they were forced to surrender
by the superior numbers. Prussian armies fought against Bavaria on the main river,
reaching Nuremberg and Frankfurt. The Bavarian fortress of Wurzburg was shelled
by Prussian artillery, but the garrison defended its position until armistice day.

The Austrians were more successfil in their war with Italy, defeating the Italians on
land at the Battle of Custoza in June 24, and on the sea the Battle of Lissa in July
20. However Italy's "Hunter of the Alps" led by Garibaldi defeated the Austrians at
the Battle of Bezzecca on July 21, conquered the lower part of Trentino, and
moved towards Trento. The Prussian peace with Austria forced the Italian
government to seek an armsistice with Austria on August 12.

The Major Battles of the war were: The battle of Custoza 24 June in which
Austrian army defeated Italian Army, The battle of Trautenau 27 June in which
Austrians check the Prussian advance but with heavy losses, The battle of
Langesalza 27 June in which hanover's army deafeated Prussia, however hanover
surrendered 2 days later, The battle of Gitschin 29 June in which Prussians
defeated Austrians, The Battle of Koniggratz 3 July which was the Decicive
Victory for Prussia against Austria, The battle of Lissa 20 July which Austrian
fleet decisively defeats Italian fleet, The battle of Bezzeccca 21 July in which the
Austrian army is defeated by Italy and The battle of Lamacs 22 July Which was
the last day of the war, Austrians Defended Bratislava against Prussian army.
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Results of the war: In order to stall intervention by France or Russia, Bismarck

pushed King William 1 to make peace with the Austrians rapidly, rather than to
continue the war in hopes for further gains. William had planned to install both the
crown prince of Hanover and the nephew of the elector of Hesse as titular grand
dukes in small territorial residuals of their dynastic inheritance, by opposition in
the cabinet, including Crown Prince Frederick to the annexation of several German
States. The Austrians accepted mediation from France's Napoleon 3.

The Peace of Prague on August 23, 1866 resulted in the dissolution of the German
Confederation, Prussian annexation of many of Austria's former allies, and the
permanent exclusion of Austria from German affairs. This left Prussia free to form
the North German Confederation the next year, incorporating all the German atates
in the north of the Main River. Prussia chose not to seek Austrian territory for
itself, Since Austria was threatened more by Italian and Pan-Slavic irredentism
than by Prussia. The war left Prussia dominant in German Politics and German
Nationalism would compel the remaining independent states to ally with Prussia in
the Franco- Prussian War in 1870 and then to accede to the crowning of King
Wilhelm as German Emperor. The United German States would become one of the
most influential of all the European counties.