The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-09-05
IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?
Events of Today as Compared with
Those of the FrancO-Prussian War
of Forty-Four Years Ago

by Herbert IeIHpIe, European hanaS-
er of the International News Service.
Out of the short but terrible
Franco-Prussian war came two
things that have endured up to now:
France again became a republic and
Germany took over Alsace and Lor-
raine In the war of 1914, France
is endeavoring to regain her lost
provinces, but it is hardly within the
remotest possibilities that the pres
ent war can restore the Empire.
On September 4, 1870, the third
republic was proclaimed, and a gov
eriment of national defense was
formed with Jules Favre, Cremieux,
Ferry, Jules simon and Gambetta as
the chief members, and Gen. Trochu,
the military commander of Paris, at
it's head.
There were still French troops in
the field, mostly reserves, and fight
ing took place almost daily, but it
was half-hearted, and in most cases
IuG nCAC NASNO44O0S. - lev
scattering French successes served to
hearten France, and further put off
the conclusion of peace.
ENGLAND again interviewed, and
asked King William to grant terms
more favorable to France. For this
England was accused by Bismarck
of violating neutrality. Earl Gran
Vile denied it, but about that time,
six British GOLFERS which delivered
coal at Rouen, were sunk in the
Seine by the Prussians, and England
narrowly escaped participating in the
war Bismarck saved the day by ex-
planning that the golfers were sliced
and sunk for strategic purposes, and
that Prussia would pay an indem-
nifty
Gradually the Germans closed in
on Paris. BY September 10 the cap
ital was regularly invested, and the
Germans encountered no serious re-
sistance in the field after the battle
| of Sedan The investing force was
| far inferior to the besieged in num-
bers, but the $4,000 troops in Par
is were largely half-trained provis-
ional levy, Drumming with dissatis-
| faction and the spirit of revolution,
which afterwards broke out in the
commune
After the surrender of Strassburg,
Sept. %, Gambetta escaped from
Paris in a balloon, and issued a
proclamation from Tours, calling for
levy en- masse On October 18th,
Gen. Won der Taun took Orleans af
ter administering a severe defeat to
the French Then came Bezaine's
surrender of Metz, Oct. 81. In No
venber a CLEAN of hope came to
France when General Aurelle de Pal
ladines, with the army of the Loire,
defeated Gen. Won der Taun on Nov.
10th, retook Orleans. The Germans,
however, recaptured the city Dec
ember 4.
Fighting continued during Deem
Der, Gen. Chanzy making desperate
stand, was decisively defeated by
the Duke of Mecklenburg on the
| Loire, Dec. 10.
| On January 10, 1871, Chanzy's
army was entirely crushed by Prince
Frederick Charles at lie Mans, and
this ended the fighting, with the ex-
| ception of that around Paris. The
capital was facing starvation. There
was lack of both food and fuel The
people were on the brink of revolu-
ton. Late in December, the Ger
mans had captured Mount Averon,
one of the forts defending Paris.
France was then ready for her
last stand. On January 18th, the
French, led by Gen. Trochu, made a
desperate sortie from Mont Valerien,
and were repulsed with heavy loss.
The Germans thus administered the
last crushing blow of the war, and on
Jan. %, 1871, Paris capitulated, and
the Germans took possession.
A partial armistice was arranged
by Jules Favre and Bismarck, to en-
able France to establish a RESPONSE
bile government TO make peace terms.
The remains of Bourbaki's army re-
treated into Switzerland, AMI the
last Of Frances soldiers had disap-
peared from the field
In the meantime, Bismarck's am
bition had been fulfilled-the
German Empire was an actually.
The Germans had occupied Versail-
lies, the home of the French kings