In The Shadow of Napoleon - The 2nd French Empire Before 1870 I GLORY & DEFEAT

[@realtimehistory]

Support Glory & Defeat: realtimehistory.net/gloryanddefeat Small schedule update: This was the third of four primer episodes. Tomorrow we will begin the war proper with an episode about the Ems Dispatch (Week 1 so to speak). Next week we will upload the final primer (German Wars of Unification) and on Thursday the 22nd, the war will really start. From the on we will upload every Thursday again.

[@oliversherman2414]

Please do more 19th century content on this channel

[@PatMzongo]

Another interesting fact about the Second Empire is that it was not only in Napoleon’s shadow, it was also crushed by the 3rd Republic that came after it. Many prominent and influential republicans, such as Victor Hugo, hated the Second Empire and made sure to destroy it’s memory in later years. Napoleon III was in power from 1848 to 1870, but all that is taught in the french republican school system today is: Coup d’état, and defeat to the prussians. Nothing of the 22 years in which Napoleon III modernised, industrialised, and expanded France.

[@PatMzongo]

@Xavier Lecaros Not saying he was right or wrong to despise the regime, just that he did. And that he made a lot of efforts to tarnish the way the Second Empire is remembered

[@nunbiz7328]

@@PatMzongo petty men hate great men

[@paulmourot1096]

@Xavier Lecaros He tried to push people to resist but when he sees that nobody followed him, he exiled himself...

[@jimgordon6629]

Ha, they thought he was a dictator! They had no idea what kind of dictator would come their way 70 years later!

[@PedroKing19]

I love it when vain, arrogant, racist people are only remembered for their failures. It's the greatest form of retribution

[@Penguin-lc3eg]

I think I'm going to keep repeating myself every episode but this was great. Looking forward to more of this and seeing the start of the week by week coverage

[@realtimehistory]

thanks. Ems Dispatch, the proper Week 1 tomorrow's

[@domibht7817]

Hello I am French and I watch your series on the Franco-Prussian war I am happy to see that everywhere these days there is a real rehabilitation of the work of 'Napoleon III he was a great leader but he was a victim of deceit and black legend on the part of the Republicans. I am passionate about the 19th century and the reign of Napoleon III is fascinating happy to see that you did not simplify all this conflict and issues by mocking and "favoring" Prussia. These two countries are fascinating and Napoleon III and Bismarck too. I hope that one day your videos will have French subtitles, the quality is perfect. People often forget everything that Napoleon III did for France I hope to see yet another video on Napoleon III and all that he was able to bring to France, the members of his family Eugenie and the Prince Imperial we have a dramatic and at the same time fascinating story. Très Bonne vidéo ;)

[@Big-guy1981]

A great leader? Là tu exaggères, Mon ami!

[@domibht7817]

@@Big-guy1981 son règne a été bénéfique pour la France entière. Son problème la maladie et l'expédition du Mexique. La crimée la guerre d'Italie des victoires. Les provinces de France étaient favorables à Napoléon III seul Paris et les républicains on toujours été un obstacle.

[@basilen.7852]

@@domibht7817 marrant tu fais moins de fautes d'orthographe en anglais qu'en français

[@domibht7817]

@@basilen.7852 Oui mdrr j'ai écris un peu pensant que ceux qui parlerai français seraient plus intéressés par ce que je dis plutôt de relever les fautes jpp

[@totalwar1793]

I thought he was an okay leader until the later years when he basically alienated French Foreign Policy

[@yorick6035]

10:16 for those of you who love reading about last stands during wars: look up the Battle of Cameron, during the French Intervention in Mexico. 60 or so French Foreign Legion fighting almost to the last man, against 3000 or so Mexican soldiers. The battle is still remembered by Foreign Legion, and the wooden hand of the French commander an important artifact to the Legion.

[@podemosurss8316]

Reminds me of the Spanish "last stand" at St. John's Hill in 1898: 125 Spanish soldiers with 4 guns against three US divisions (2 infantry + 1 cavalry). The US suffered 3000 deaths and around 5000 wounded.

[@Anaris10]

Was Captain D'Anjou I believe.

[@mikeyoung3519]

@@podemosurss8316 seeing as the US only lost 385 troops for the entire Spanish American war, I doubt that

[@podemosurss8316]

@@mikeyoung3519 "The US only lost 385 troops for the entire Spanish American war" Press X to doubt.

[@severanfenrir4051]

Haussmann’s improvements Paris also made the city healthier to live in. Until his designs were implemented disease like cholera and dysentery decimated Paris regularly. The ability to remove the raw sewage and make the city easier to travel and better resources contributed to Paris becoming the center of art, fashion, and so forth. It is also true though that these redesigns made it harder for mobs to barricade the streets and revolt, as seen during the Commune.

[@nyk10473]

This historians Marxism comes out from time to time. In another video he decries the Industrial Revolution - for LOWERING lifespans. This is glaringly false; he cites the average age of death at 40 without mentioning that it had previously been 30. But it is entertaining history, if you keep in mind the dishonest game playing.

[@michaelsinger4638]

I think that if Napoleon III had stuck with domestic affairs, he might be far better remembered today because he did accomplish quite a bit there.

[@gabespiro8902]

Kinda like LBJ, I think he said something like “foreign affairs are the death of domestic affairs”

[@LKaramazov]

Thanks!

[@LightxHeaven]

“France was the preeminent military and cultural power in Europe”. That statement seems to have generally been true since the end of the Hundred Years War. But this war ended that long and glorious era of French history.

[@lucasjleandro]

It's a point

[@jessealexander2695]

I didn't say it hasn't - here we are starting the story in the mid-19th century.

[@LightxHeaven]

@@jessealexander2695 Oh, don’t get me wrong I was just making a statement not critiquing you :)

[@nuttygeezer708]

1914-18 war??? The army was still considered the strongest in the world until defeat in 1940?

[@jasonjason6525]

@@nuttygeezer708 The German Army was much stronger than the French. Can you imagine France alone with no allies going toe to toe with Germany in 1914? They’ll be decimated

[@magni5648]

Fun little tidbit: Another "advantage" of the modernisation of Paris was that those wide, open boulevards also made it much harder for rioting crowds to put up the barricades, and hence easier for the army to march in and put down revolts.

[@adrianainespena5654]

Well, building barricades is not the best way to handle political problems.

[@Noe.2198]

😂

[@magni5648]

@@Noe.2198 Not actually a joke. That was a legit point raised at the time.

[@adrianainespena5654]

What really prevented the barricades was the expansion of agriculture which ended the endemic famines that France suffered, since revolts began when there was little food available.

[@indianajones4321]

Great episode, can’t wait for this channel to get a million subscribers just like The Great War did

[@julbro8451]

anything Hungary vs Romania should do the trick

[@MikeB071]

Ironically in 1870, right before the outbreak of the War, Napoleon III inaugurated the Liberal Empire and appointed the opposition leader Emile Olivier as prime minister. He wanted to reform the regime and give it a wider base of support before he handed it off to his successor, the Prince Imperial, but unfortunately the war ruined everything for him. in many ways, he was actually a very enlightened ruler.

[@yorick6035]

Napoleon the Third has always been one of my favourite historical rulers. So I'm happy with this episode and this series in general!

[@adilyricist1388]

He is... very mixed...

[@miguelangelamezcuarosales7687]

Wow, the first person in the internet that shares my view! You certainly are a cultured fellow.

[@freewal]

He was a giant. He did not deserve this end. Sick and betrayed.

[@patricofritz4094]

Yeah but I feel for Napoleon II and Napoleon III's son

[@adilyricist1388]

@@freewal of course he deserve it. It happened.

[@renel8964]

I was pretty certain that I was a responsible and pretty grown up adult, And then I had to hear "magnificent balls" 🤣

[@davidmccormick7419]

dido lol

[@ihmejakki2731]

Ha, I never knew the Marx quote was in the context of Napoleon the third

[@realtimehistory]

that's why we wanted to include it

[@jonathanwilliams1065]

Hard to stomach agreeing with anything that monster said

[@AngryCenturion576]

Ironic that Karl Marx's quote applies so well to himself. His philosophy is a tragedy, and all his imitators in every failed communist state have been farces.

[@jonathanwilliams1065]

@Some Weeb besides push for a world revolution and the end of private property and supporting religious persecution? He created an ideology that murdered 100 million people

[@jonathanwilliams1065]

@Some Weeb more than 100 million Doubt Certainly not 100 million in 100 years Also Christ did not command any of that Marx calls for murder and theft all over the world

[@drpapa26]

Jesse's French pronunciation is pure joy

[@jessealexander2695]

Facts. :)

[@mammuchan8923]

I second that, it’s extremely pleasing✌️

[@pegzounet]

There is a hint of quebec accent at the end, that always sounds wonderfully musical and cool to us frenchmen.

[@jessealexander2695]

@@pegzounet J'essaie de cacher mon accent un peu pour les citations mais c'est impossible à 100%...

[@pegzounet]

@@jessealexander2695 il faut pas, c'est magnifique !

[@morewi]

Excellent video.

[@r5u26d3]

Great series and presentation

[@danschroeder3441]

Great work, love the content!

[@daudret2065]

I learn and enjoy so much watching your videos, I thank you so much for your work.

[@LKaramazov]

I’m truly enjoying these videos! This one was one of the best!

[@kayzeaza]

Love this channel

[@rabihrac]

Great episode. Thumbs up!

[@Jesse_Dawg]

Please make this series longer! PLEASE

[@realtimehistory]

here is the entire thing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIi9q2CifaioY68 Also watch our video about the Schleswig Wars from last week.

[@catriona_drummond]

I always found the perfect example of France's absurd politics of the time in the outcry "Revenge for Sadowa". Crying revenge for a battle that Austria lost to Prussia while you stayed completely neutral is the epitomy of hypochrisy.

[@kristiyaniliev4002]

I just found the channel. Great surprise! Congratulations 😎😎

[@ivanstojanac7752]

Can't wait to learn more about the war

[@Boxghost102]

Can you do a full hour video just on the French Empire's culture and industry? Please.

[@lawsharland7278]

The second French empire is such a strangely forgotten state despite the massive legacy it left behind

[@अजिङ्क्यगोखले]

The French army under Napoleon Bonaparte was quite a force to be reckoned for its time, but it seems that France took too long to move on from that.

[@NellaCuriosity]

I am loving these primers!

[@flak509]

This is going to be quite a ride, so exciting 👍

[@marystewart7300]

I should like to hear more about Bismarck's rise to power and government of Prussia. I have only a fleeting interest in battles of the military kind, and am woefully ignorant of how Bismarck built up his power, and what, other than war, he did with it. Thank you for these wonderful and enlightening videos.

[@shaider1982]

5:18. I think he was the writer of the short story: “The Necklace”.

[@brokenbridge6316]

This was a very informative video.

[@SithTrooper-MN]

Long live to our Emperor, our Empress and our Empire ! 🇫🇷❤️

[@edwardwindsor2516]

Very interesting aesthetic from the Second French Empire, but alas the story of Le Petit Napoléon is and always will be over-shadowed by Nappy himself

[@RidleyScottOwnsFailedDictators]

I don't see the difference between the Napoleons. With the powerful army that he had to work with, the ineffective strategy of aggressive frontal assaults that withered away his army's strength, the MULTIPLE disastrous blunders he caused that destroyed that army, those disasters that completely outweigh any false "brilliance" attached to his name, and the fact that he ended in complete military defeat is why Napoleon is in the bottom tier of military commanders with the likes of Hitler, Mussolini, Napoleon III, and Solano Lopez, that Paraguayan leader that foolishly lost a war with his neighbors. So if you criticize Napoleon III for foolish military expeditions, superficial short-term "conquests", rushing to war, ending in defeat with a losing war record, leaving France occupied, leaving Paris captured (twice), being personally captured by the enemy, forced into exile, leaving his army in shambles, forcing France to radically change governments, and losing territory for France, do the same with Napoleon. And at least Napoleon III is not responsible for so many deaths of young Frenchmen the way Napoleon sacrificed about one million French conscripts in total defeat.

[@nicholasparker2086]

Amazing photographs! Especially Saigon in 1866

[@adamgordon-boyle1560]

I can't be the only one who thinks the best part of this is hearing Jesse say things in French.

[@grantbarnes3678]

Great, thanks! (Side note-sound is a bit harsh)

[@nicbahtin4774]

6:35 what a cool picture

[@ForelliBoy]

"The guillotines ended the French Empire!" Bismarck: i'm gonna do what's called a pro gamer move

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Excellent Historical Video Thanks for Sharing ( Surfaces Brilliant Phenomena of Glory appeared But standing on Ruin & decline Foundations ....Bringing Loud disasters at last

[@Guitcad1]

I haven't stopped crying since 3:55! 🤣

[@welcometonebalia]

Thanks. I would argue there's an aspect of the 2nd Empire diplomacy that wasn't mentioned but would be important later: although it focused mainly on economics at first, the regime began a process of... I don't know, reconciliation might not be the word... but France and its old rival England tended to become a little closer, if not allied yet (well, they were in the Crimean War...), although of course they would be competing in imperialist endeavours for a long time and this would remain so at least until the end of the century (actually, they would be on the verge of war on several occasions, I know). Nevertheless, if this was not yet the "Entente cordiale", which would have to wait for some time, those first moves, maybe not flamboyant, would prove to be important in the 20th century. As your series has been presented in some way as a prologue to the Great War, I thought it might be worth mentionning. I might be wrong, though.

[@realtimehistory]

it will get a bit of time in the first two weekly episodes when France is looking for allies

[@warpigeonofdoom]

Britain was in an naval arms race with France prior to 1871. A gambler in 1880s may have placed a bet on a Anglo-French war breaking out over colonial possessions. Although we know in hindsight, after 1897 the German navy brought Britain and France closer together.

[@ChrisCrossClash]

@@warpigeonofdoom Naval arms race with France? what? that is the first I've heard of it, if France was seriously foolish enough to go against Britain again, the same thing would have happened like it did with Napoleon 1st. Luckily Napoleon 3rd didn't make the same mistakes.

[@warpigeonofdoom]

@@ChrisCrossClash Have you visited HMS Warrior at Portsmouth? Warrior was built in response to the French ironclad pretentions following the launch of Gloire (1859). The French built a not inconsiderable fleet by 1870 with more on the way. Arguably the fleet was a precursor to the German 'risk fleet' idea after HMS Dreadnought. Enough ships to cause damage to Britain's principal line of maritime defence and reduce Britain risking war. The mid-century scare also stimulated the building of the so-called 'Palmerston's follies'. Forts built in case of a French invasion following a defeat of the iron-clad fleet. The belief was that older ships of the line would useless if the ironclads were defeated leaving Britain unprotected.

[@b1laxson]

Context for some of the years mentioned is the US Civil War was 1861-1865. The various technologies and methods of fighting were being co-developed in both Europe and the Americas. One of these being the "Napoleon" cannon that saw much use in the US Civil War.

[@thebog11]

The 12 pounder Napoleons were smoothbore, old tech by the time of the Franco-Prussian war. The Parrott rifled cannons used by the Union were more modern, but could not compare to the Prussian breachloading artillery.

[@AtaMarKat]

RIP Emperador Maximiliano. 😔

[@wasfureinbua]

interesting video

[@gregburch1598]

The war hasn't started yet, but it's clear our host is very much a product of the modern academy. The analytical concepts would be right at home in a meeting of the Comintern of the 1920s, with a dash of postmodernist spice.

[@macpurdy]

For the algorithm and the history.

[@iDeathMaximuMII]

Napoleon III is a mixed bag for me On one hand, the Paris we see today is because of him. Before he became Emperor, the streets of the capital were disgusting & dirty He also got French colonies in Asia, gave women some rights, and a few more a can’t remember off the top of my head On the other hand, his authoritarian side showed a lot, massive censoring, spying on civilians, secret police, etc. He managed to rule longer than his Uncle (1799 - 1814/1815) yes I’m counting his time as First Consul, since he was all but in name, an Emperor already While his nephew ruled France from 1848 - 1870

[@iain349]

Boom. More real time, from the great war team? The Franco-Prussian war too? And the commune?? I subscribe!

[@1415Khan]

3:58 took me a minute to understand.

[@chrisigoeb]

I like Napoleon III, he tried his best and his new design of paris was marvelous. Not a Napoleon I but no utter failure either

[@TullyBascombe]

When I visited Paris a few years ago I was struck by the degree to which buildings in entire blocks in central Paris exhibited the same architectural style. Was this Haussmann's doings?

[@kevinreiss-coint2353]

Yes, it was probably buildings dating from Haussmann.

[@perperson199]

Yes

[@giulianoradice4715]

Buildings very kitsch!

[@jadegreen438]

I'm gonna be starting wargaming the Franco Prussian war with Perry miniatures new line of plastic kits so this documentary series is very helpful to get a clearer idea of what the era was like.

[@patricofritz4094]

That would be cool I already saw ones on The Napoleonic wars

[@podemosurss8316]

If you try to make a video on Spain at this point in history, you would need at least 1 hour to explain.

[@podemosurss8316]

@A Velsen That's 2 decades later, and thanks to politicians involving with military affairs. But in 1870 the Spanish situation was very complicated. We just had a revolution against Queen Isabella II and were sorting out things. There was factionalism reaching the level of civil war.

[@totalwar1793]

@@podemosurss8316 Yeah, the Carlist Wars were... interesting

[@n.n.5293]

One important caveat to his support for Sardinia-Piedmont is that he didn‘t intend for Italy to unify. He originally intended for the peninsula to be split between three seperate states: Sardinia-Piedmont in the north, the papal states in the center the two sicilies two the south. By backing Sardinia-Piedmont, he hoped to break Austrian Hegemony over northern Italy. All of the newly strengthened states should become french satellites. With that in mind the unification of Italy, which grew more and more hostile towards France, because french troops occupied Rome, can be considered a rather spectacular failure of fremch foreign policy.

[@thunderbird1921]

Partially why Italy successfully unified though was because Britain intervened. As Garibaldi and his volunteers were trying to take the southern peninsula and Sicily, they gained the direct assistance of the Royal Navy, which transported them to the coast and from what I've read even bombarded Neopolitan coastal defenses. The British decided to make Italy a larger state because they sought to make a power to balance both Austria AND France. Napoleon III was alarmed by it to say the least.

[@n.n.5293]

@@thunderbird1921 Definitely true. My point still standd however. I felt it was wrong to credit Napoleon III. With helping to unify Italy when 1, he at no point intended for Italy to unify and 2 as you amended, the british were also a large factor in this.

[@Clapsk]

Re: colonialism, it's more complicated than racist theories for N3. A) China was the big prize, a massive market for industrial goods, so Vietnam was a solid target as it was thought you could access it through the Red River, and it made a nearby base anyway B) N3 foreign policy was about framing himself as protector of Catholics, opposite to Russia which was protector of the orthodox. Hence intervention in Lebanon, but it also provided the pretext for the expedition against Vietnam (with Spain btw) as the Nguyen dynasty was persecuting Catholic communities, mostly out of fear they might be instrumentalised by foreign powers.

[@vfc7539]

Next time i need to explain someone what an anachronism is, i'll use this video. Thanks.

[@ichmalealsobinich]

Thank you for the first detailed history documentation about the franco-prussian war. But the era of Napoleon 3 and Bismarck is worth to be handled in more than one video. And concerning la belle époque, do not forget to mention such musicians as Jaques Offenbach from my hometown Cologne, who impregnated the french music.

[@toric6005]

I misheard one of the first sentences. I thought he said, let’s talk about Friends lol.

[@toric6005]

@@Phil-ni3ol sir you made my night

[@pauldavies5611]

I really liked this video very much and learned quite a bit from it. But if you will permit me a small comment, I wouldn’t say that Napoleon III installed Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico in 1867. Negotiations between the two men for this began as early as 1862, if not earlier, and the Austrian archduke began his stint as Emperor of Mexico in May of 1864. After Prussia defeated Austria in 1866 Napoleon was forced to withdraw his troops from Mexico (the last troops were evacuated by February of 1867) and as a consequence the Mexican Empire was doomed.

[@adrianainespena5654]

You forgot to add that Eugenie was a feminist who pushed for educational opportunities for women. She supported secondary education for women and having women go to the Sorbonne. She also pushed to have George Sand elected to the Academie Francaise

[@bob494949]

So she is who we can blame for all the feminist garbage we deal with today.

[@adrianainespena5654]

@@bob494949 Yes, sad, isni't it that you no longer have the right to beat up your wife if she backtalks?

[@bluebear6570]

France and Prussia couldn´t have been more different! France - luxurious, glamourous and decadent, and Prussia - austere, low key. The French population was predominantly of Roman Catholic denomination, the Prussian populace of Protestant belief.

[@LKaramazov]

What was the capital of world culture before the second empire?

[@DucadiBorgogna_]

Watch out, Napoleon III was incredibly intelligent, an intellectual and courageous. The secondo empire lasted for 20 years and it’s influence in Europe was felt everywhere

[@DucadiBorgogna_]

And the improvement of the worker class are undeniable

[@DucadiBorgogna_]

He changed France forever. He made to some extend the France that we know today

[@T_Mo271]

It would be interesting to know more about why France was meddling in Mexico.

[@Alduin_el_Compadre]

There are better people than me to give a thurough explanation but in short. Mexico owed Money to Spain, Britain and France. The european powers demanded the debts payed but Mexico said "Na fam in broke (again)" so the 3 European powers joined in an ocupation force in the state of Veracruz until mexico managed to pay their debts. Napoleon III decided this was an excelent opportunity to get some colonial land, so he kept bringing more forces; the spanish and Brits realizing What was happening left mexico. At this point is when the battles begin to happen, including the Famous Battle of Puebla/5 de mayo. France managed to capture the mexican capital and forced the mexican republicans into exile to either the USA or the mexican mountain Ranges. At this point the Mexican republicans began guerrilla warfare against the French forces and Mexican imperial sympathizers. The American civil war ended and The USA began giving weapons to the mexican republican forces, after more battles the French forces left (Because the turmoil with Purssia was beggining, the USA began putting sanctions on French goods and Napoleon III had enough of the Bad look gettint beaten by a bunch of poor hispanics tends to bring). Eventually Maximilian I was captured and executed . Fin

[@LKaramazov]

“ wanted to be an emperor like his uncle” lol!

[@lettuceman9439]

I mean he was and for longer than his uncle

[@ChannelBerpindah]

I thought in mid 19th century britain were considered the most powerful military ?

[@justarandomguy1288]

Nope it mainly focused on navy but France had a better air force and land army.

[@stevelawrence5123]

The way you described the Second Republic with the decadence and corruption could be a description of the USA today, except I doubt is any French general would have low enough to agree to warn the Germans in advance if and when his army was ordered to attack.

[@nikolatasev4948]

For me Napoleon III was a better ruler than the first Napoleon. Fewer wars, more focus on internal issues, on infrastructure, health, education, social issues. Napoleion III built hospitals, schools, increased fresh water supply and constructed the Paris sewers - all expensive projects. He even allowed workers to strike, against the wishes of the capitalist. His entire rule he did a balancing act between doing what needed to be done, and doing what people wanted. The workers wanted Communism, the Catholics wanted French soldiers supporting the Pope in Rome, Liberals wanted Italy unified, Republicans wanted Napoleon gone, and pacifists wanted the army reduced. Unlike the first Napoleon, he tried to govern by consensus, not dictatorship, and made some concessions to his political opponents. For example, he wanted to enlarge the army to counter the Prussians, but agreed to postpone this until it was too late and his army got crushed.

[@adrianainespena5654]

Add to his ledger the access of women to higher education. And a system of microloans for workers (which included women) - years before Mohammed Yunus was born.

[@MarktheRude]

2:08 what's with the hand?

[@djfiore7103]

Marx said 2:16 that "The fist time as a great tragedy, the next as a lousy farce" I can't imagine Marx face in heaven when he realized what his ideology, the ideology that he created. Is that quote... Repeating itself over and over again.

[@tomhegeman1166]

'no great power war since 1815'. What about the Crimean War? Furthermore, great content!

[@yourroyalchungusness]

Didn't know that established titles had existed since the second french empire

[@bauschaum2158]

Those were some magnificent balls!

[@OmniumOwl]

Maximillian I. I have never seen a beard with a side part before 😆

[@lucasjleandro]

Vive L'Empereur

[@Reversal89]

to when a week by week or month by month Italian reunification series ? :D

[@hollingsworth_hound]

The Second Mexican empire wasn't established in 1867, that's when Maximilian was executed. France invaded Mexico in 1861 and Maximilian was "invited" to be emperor in 1863. The timing was deliberate, since Napoleon III knew the US would be powerless to exercise the Monroe Doctrine due to its being involved in its own civil war though the US never condoned the invasion or the empire. This of course all changed in 1865 with the defeat of the Confederacy, after which the US openly supported Juárez.

[@Bracus.Reghusk]

It's a shame to don't talk about the Niel Law whith whome Napoleon III wanted to modernize his army conscious of his inferiority against Prussia after the latter's victory over Austria. But the parliament and the government, while going to war, refused this reform which would have modeled the French army on the Prussian model.

[@parsioniparsons4610]

Seems to me this was the last throw off the dice for French pride, they knew the British their number.

[@leowilly29]

To all those who are eager to point Napoleon the Third failures, its important to look at other regimes of that time. The returned monarchy after 1815 was inept and get 2 revolutions in less than 18 years. And after 1870, the 3rd republic triesd harder on colonisation wile being a period of economic stagnation. It didnt correct all France's porblems, but at least some issues were better.

[@karoltakisobie6638]

All social problems you mention here were not exclusive to French in mid 19 century. They were present in entire western world all the way till Great War. US and Russia had the same problems too but they were cushioned by expansion west and east respectively. They came back when Great War started.

[@napoleon_bonaparte_the_great]

Long story short; Napoleon III made a fairy tale Empire out of France, but one that mostly worked. . .until he got sick, his advisors and entourage couldn't compete with the more politically proficient-Republicans {who I personally regard as Traitors as there are some serious claims by Bismarck that he even bought them out} and in the end lost his crown in the field of battle. . .same as his uncle did. Altogether, perhaps someone who would make France better if his regime stayed. And personally a kinda idol for his way of populistic {kinda} progressive way of ruling.

[@MedjayofFaiyum]

Do you have any sources for Bismarck claiming he brought out the French republicans?

[@igorzkoppt]

"Je veux être empereur! Comme Tonton!"

[@LKaramazov]

His ideas were largely populist, but he was also familiar with social ideas” isn’t that somewhat redundant?

[@cybersurf5]

Its fascinating how mutable beauty standards are.

[@grandcrowdadforde6127]

what i REALLY! wanna know........how did he get those mustashes to stick out like that? Were they dangerous??

[@dino0228]

Gosh, this sounds like someone I know (here in 2024) .

[@mayukhmitra5819]

Napoleon III Actually gained permanent conquest for France which it still has to this day. Savoie and Nice in exchange of help in 2nd Italian war.

[@bluebear6570]

I wish my history teacher woukd have explained it like you do.

[@jaymesguy239]

Of course, Haussmann's architecture was intended to create grand boulevards in Paris in order to be able to quell uprisings and protests with armed military vehicles and gendarmes, whereas the more cramped, medieval architecture of old Paris was too convenient a labyrinth for those same protestors to hide from the police and 'forces of order'. It was another way Napoleon III attempted to prevent the outbreak of Democracy from happening again, with results we later saw. Instead of real reform, he focused on 'control'. And he used some forms of representative government in order to subvert them. He used the Letter of the Law in order to violate the Spirit of the Law. Sounds contemporary, doesn't it? And the see-saw of French politics just continued, with increasingly dire results.

[@LightxHeaven]

Napoleon III, in trying to placate everyone made nobody all that happy in the end. He was really walking that tightrope.

[@r5u26d3]

France and Prussia tried to manipulate each other. France got outwitted lost the battle. Couldn’t wait for the return match. Won it then blamed Germany for everything. German people could wait for a return match . Lost it, then France and Germany decide to share the running of Europe. All now peaceful , so far. UK not really part of all this. But France and Germany feel they have to bring the UK to heel.

[@TheWolfwiththeDragon]

I see a lot fo the glory. But where are the feet?

[@SamuelJamesNary]

The Mexican adventure was doubly embarrassing as the only reason it got off the ground and had any success to begin with related to the fact that the US was busying shooting at itself in the American Civil War. Without that conflict, it's unlikely that Napoleon III would have either tried or had anywhere near close to the success that was had.

[@liviunazarie3912]

I've noticed many instances of quotes coming from the "independent observers" Marx&Engels in this series. Aren't there any other relevant independent observers?

[@wazzupsters]

5:57