Franco-Prussian War
Pronunciation: /ˈfraŋkəʊˌprʌʃ(ə)n/
Definition of Franco-Prussian War
- the war of 1870-1 between France (under Napoleon III) and Prussia, in which Prussian troops advanced into France and decisively defeated the French at Sedan. The defeat marked the end of the French Second Empire. For Prussia, the proclamation of the new German Empire at Versailles was the climax of Bismarck’s ambitions to unite Germany.