Armies of The World~Germany

At one time, the German Army was considered the best army in the world having both the best weaponry and the best trained soldiers. This page will cover the wars that Germany has participated in.

## Thirty Years War

Some time after the Protestant Reformation, most of Europe was in conflict as some converted to Protestantism while some regions wanted to stay Catholic. By 1635 the conflict was coming to a head as most of the major European powers (like France) are now at war with each other (though the war started nearly 17 years earlier). The Holy Roman Empire would lose over 200,000 soldiers, they would also lose Sweden and other territories, the Imperial army would take a huge blow.

## Seven Years War

Tensions in Europe began to mount around the mid 18th century and eventually there was the Seven Years War, this would be known as a truly global war as it was fought on multiple continents. For the Holy Roman Empire (Prussia in particular), was fighting against some of the Eastern European Powers (namely Russia). By 1762 when Peter the 3rd became Tsar of Russia signed the Treaty of St. Petersburg where Russia would join Prussia in the war, saving the Prussian General Frederick the 2nd (B.K.A. Frederick the Great) from total defeat, and the 2 sides would enter a defensive alliance. Though the war would end with no side gained any territory, but the Holy Roman Empire would lose 140,000 soldiers in the long conflict.

## Napoleonic Wars

When Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France in 1804, he would go on a campaign for the entire continent of Europe, the other monarchies of Europe fearing of the spreading of revolutionary ideas formed coalitions to try to stop Napoleon. The Holy Roman Empire was one of Napoleon's first targets, in 1806 the Holy Roman Empire was officially dissolved and replaced by the German Confederation (or the Rhine Confederation) which Prussia would unify parts of the confederation from the mid 19th century onwards.

## Franco-Prussian War

By the 1860s, there was a huge rivalry between France and the North German Confederation, and by 1870 the 2 sides went to war. At the time France was given the reputation of having the best army in the world after their victory over the Austrians in 1859, however it wouldn't take long for the North German Army to break through the French defensive lines, the German army took Paris and forced the French to surrender on January 28, 1871. This is where the North German Confederation gained the reputation of having the best army in the world.

## World War 1

As the German Empire had the reputation of having the best army of the world, it was eager to put that reputation to the test. By 1914 they went to war against the Western Alliance as it attacked the west first (which was the first part of the proposed Schlieffen Plan), though they were to be victorious in a few battles of the war, but trench warfare would soon be displayed, the Germans would have better luck on the Eastern front as they would push Russian forces back into the deepest part of the Russian Empire. A few years into the war, Germany would have Russia on the ropes, and with the help of the Russian people who erupted into revolution the Germans were able to get the Russians to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk which forced Russia to recognize several eastern European states as independent. Nevertheless, the Germans were still having a hard time in the west, and with the United States joining the war on the side of the Western Alliance, things got worse for Germany and its army. Eventually, on November 11, 1918 the Germans surrendered. A year later at the Palace of Versailles in France, the leaders of the Western Alliance would make Germany sign a treaty which would bear the name of the palace where the treaty was signed. Not only did Germany had to shrink the size of its army, but also dismantle its air force, have no submarines in its navy, and give up a lot of territory. During the inter-war period Germany's government (the Wiemar Republic) was weak and ineffective thanks in large part to the Treaty of Versailles. It wouldn't be until the rise of the Nazis and Adolf Hitler where the German Army would see the prestige it had during the first World War.

## World War 2

Trying to bring back the glory days of the German Military as well as ethnic cleansing, the Nazis invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 with the Soviets invading as well and the 2 sides signed a non-aggression pact. The Nazi army would go and invade Norway so it can protect their trade for iron, the Allies would try to stop them but failed. Then, the Nazis initiate their infamous Blitzkrieg where they would plow through France's weak points and invade the country itself. The Allies would have to retreat to Dunkirk where they evacuated to Great Britain, then the Nazis would set their eyes on Britain in hopes to invade the island, but a quick British counterattack would deflect the German attack, but this didn't stop the Nazis from trying to bomb Britain into submission though they would ultimately fail. Then, they would direct their attention to north Africa to help out Fascist Italy though they were successful in driving out the British from most of North Africa, but were defeated at the Battle of El Alamein. Then, the Nazis broke their non-aggression pact they made with the Soviet Union and invaded the country, this is Operation Barbarossa which is the biggest invasion force in human history. They were able to push the Soviets back to Leningrad (modern day St. Petersberg) and Moscow but were suppressed when the Russian winter came. Then, the Nazis set their sights on Stalingrad in hopes to head south to the Caucasus and take the rich oil fields. They were met with heavy Soviet resistance in the city and eventually the Nazis were surrounded, and by winter they had no choice but to surrender and were pushed back west. Then, the battle of Kursk took place and it was the biggest tank battle in history, the Nazis would lose that battle as well as ground on the eastern front, they will also lose North Africa to the allies as they begin their invasion of Fascist Italy. The death knell for the Nazis came as the allies successfully invaded Normandy and secured a foothold in Nazi occupied Europe. Within months, the Nazis would be surrounded by both the Allies and the Soviets and surrendered in May of 1945. The German Army were humiliated once more.

After World War 2, both NATO and the Soviet Union on their sides of the country try to rebuild the German Army. In 1990, Germany re-unifies as did the army. For the last few decades, the German army has aided numerous factions around the world, most recently the Russian invasion of Ukraine as it provided troops and tanks to the Ukrainian military.

That'll do it for this page. Don't forget to check out my Games and Movies wikis too. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.