romikgosai/squad_modified_2 huggingface dataset:
The Battle of Spicheren, on 5 August, was the second of three critical French defeats. Moltke had originally planned to keep Bazaine's army on the Saar River until he could attack it with the 2nd Army in front and the 1st Army on its left flank, while the 3rd Army closed towards the rear. The aging General von Steinmetz made an overzealous, unplanned move, leading the 1st Army south from his position on the Moselle. He moved straight toward the town of Spicheren, cutting off Prince Frederick Charles from his forward cavalry units in the process.

Q1: Which battle was the second of three key French losses?
A1: Battle of Spicheren
Q2: On what date did the battle of Spicheren take place?
A2: 5 August
Q3: Moltke had originally planned to kee Bazaine's army on what river?
A3: the Saar River
Q4: Which general's zeal and lack of planning led to cutting off Prince Charles from his calvary?
A4: General von Steinmetz
Q5: Which town was the site of General von Steinmetz's grave error?
A5: Spicheren
The Prussian General Staff developed by Moltke proved to be extremely effective, in contrast to the traditional French school. This was in large part due to the fact that the Prussian General Staff was created to study previous Prussian operations and learn to avoid mistakes. The structure also greatly strengthened Moltke's ability to control large formations spread out over significant distances. The Chief of the General Staff, effectively the commander in chief of the Prussian army, was independent of the minister of war and answered only to the monarch. The French General Staff—along with those of every other European military—was little better than a collection of assistants for the line commanders. This disorganization hampered the French commanders' ability to exercise control of their forces.

Q1: The General Staff developed by Moltke proved to be what?
A1: extremely effective
Q2: What was key factor did the Prussian General Staff study?
A2: previous Prussian operations
Q3: What was the goal in the General Staff studying past operations?
A3: learn to avoid mistakes
Q4: The structure also reinforced Moltke's ability control large formations spread out over what?
A4: significant distances
Q5: Who is essentially considered the commander in chief of the Prussian army?
A5: The Chief of the General Staff
The Germans expected to negotiate an end to the war but immediately ordered an advance on Paris; by 15 September Moltke issued the orders for an investment of Paris and on 20 September the encirclement was complete. Bismarck met Favre on 18 September at the Château de Ferrières and demanded a frontier immune to a French war of revenge, which included Strasbourg, Alsace and most the Moselle department in Lorraine of which Metz was the capital. In return for an armistice for the French to elect a National Assembly, Bismarck demanded the surrender of Strasbourg and the fortress city of Toul. To allow supplies into Paris, one of the perimeter forts had to be handed over. Favre was unaware that the real aim of Bismarck in making such extortionate demands was to establish a durable peace on the new western frontier of Germany, preferably by a peace with a friendly government, on terms acceptable to French public opinion. An impregnable military frontier was an inferior alternative to him, favoured only by the militant nationalists on the German side.

Q1: What did the Germans expect to negotiate?
A1: an end to the war
Q2: On what date was the encirclement of Paris complete?
A2: 20 September
Q3: Bismarck and Favre met on what date?
A3: 18 September
Q4: What was the location of Bismarck and Favre's meeting?
A4: the Château de Ferrières
Q5: Bismarck demanded the surrender of Strasbourg and what fortress city?
A5: Toul
By 16:50, with the Prussian southern attacks in danger of breaking up, the Prussian 3rd Guards Infantry Brigade of the Second Army opened an attack against the French positions at St. Privat which were commanded by General Canrobert. At 17:15, the Prussian 4th Guards Infantry Brigade joined the advance followed at 17:45 by the Prussian 1st Guards Infantry Brigade. All of the Prussian Guard attacks were pinned down by lethal French gunfire from the rifle pits and trenches. At 18:15 the Prussian 2nd Guards Infantry Brigade, the last of the 1st Guards Infantry Division, was committed to the attack on St. Privat while Steinmetz committed the last of the reserves of the First Army across the Mance Ravine. By 18:30, a considerable portion of the VII and VIII Corps disengaged from the fighting and withdrew towards the Prussian positions at Rezonville.

Q1: By late afternoon, what were the Prussian southern attacks at risk of?
A1: breaking up
Q2: Which Prussian general commanded the attack against the French at St. Privat?
A2: General Canrobert
Q3: What factor immobilised the Prussian Guard?
A3: lethal French gunfire
Q4: By nightfall a major component of the VII and VII Corps withdrew towards what Prussian position?
A4: Rezonville
The Prussian Army, under the terms of the armistice, held a brief victory parade in Paris on 17 February; the city was silent and draped with black and the Germans quickly withdrew. Bismarck honoured the armistice, by allowing train loads of food into Paris and withdrawing Prussian forces to the east of the city, prior to a full withdrawal once France agreed to pay a five billion franc war indemnity. At the same time, Prussian forces were concentrated in the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. An exodus occurred from Paris as some 200,000 people, predominantly middle-class, went to the countryside.

Q1: What did the Prussian Army hold in Paris on 17 February?
A1: a brief victory parade
Q2: Under what provision was the Prussian Army permitted to have a victory parade?
A2: the terms of the armistice
Q3: To hounour the armistice, Bismarck allowed train loads of what into Paris?
A3: food
Q4: France had to consent to pay how much in war indemnity?
A4: five billion franc
Q5: An ensuing mass exodus from Paris saw how many people head for the countryside?
A5: 200,000
When the news arrived at Paris of the surrender at Sedan of Napoleon III and 80,000 men, the Second Empire was overthrown by a popular uprising in Paris, which forced the proclamation of a Provisional Government and a Third Republic by general Trochu, Favre and Gambetta at Paris on 4 September, the new government calling itself the Government of National Defence. After the German victory at Sedan, most of the French standing army was either besieged in Metz or prisoner of the Germans, who hoped for an armistice and an end to the war. Bismarck wanted an early peace but had difficulty in finding a legitimate French authority with which to negotiate. The Government of National Defence had no electoral mandate, the Emperor was a captive and the Empress in exile but there had been no abdication de jure and the army was still bound by an oath of allegiance to the defunct imperial régime.

Q1: Whose surrender hit Paris as big news?
A1: Napoleon III
Q2: Which empire was overthrown by a popular uprising in Paris?
A2: the Second Empire
Q3: The uprising forced a proclamation of what?
A3: Provisional Government and a Third Republic
Q4: How did the new government refer to itself?
A4: Government of National Defence
Q5: Bismarck desired an early piece but lacked what in the negotiation process?
A5: a legitimate French authority
A series of swift Prussian and German victories in eastern France, culminating in the Siege of Metz and the Battle of Sedan, saw the army of the Second Empire decisively defeated (Napoleon III had been captured at Sedan on 2 September). A Government of National Defence declared the Third Republic in Paris on 4 September and continued the war and for another five months, the German forces fought and defeated new French armies in northern France. Following the Siege of Paris, the capital fell on 28 January 1871 and then a revolutionary uprising called the Paris Commune seized power in the capital and held it for two months, until it was bloodily suppressed by the regular French army at the end of May 1871.

Q1: A series of Prussian and German victories took place in what part of France?
A1: eastern France
Q2: What seige did these victories lead to?
A2: Siege of Metz
Q3: What battle was a result of the Prussian and German victories in eastern France?
A3: Battle of Sedan
Q4: Which army definitively defeated Napolean III?
A4: the army of the Second Empire
Q5: On what date did the Government of National Defence declare the the Third Republic in Paris?
A5: 4 September
Some historians argue that Napoleon III also sought war, particularly for the diplomatic defeat in 1866 in leveraging any benefits from the Austro-Prussian War, and he believed he would win a conflict with Prussia. They also argue that he wanted a war to resolve growing domestic political problems. Other historians, notably French historian Pierre Milza, dispute this. On 8 May 1870, shortly before the war, French voters had overwhelmingly supported Napoleon III's program in a national plebiscite, with 7,358,000 votes yes against 1,582,000 votes no, an increase of support of two million votes since the legislative elections in 1869. According to Milza, the Emperor had no need for a war to increase his popularity.

Q1: Some historians counter that Napolean III sought what?
A1: war
Q2: Napoleon III belived he would win the Astro-Prussian war and win a conflict with what country?
A2: Prussia
Q3: It is also argued that Napoleon III thought a war would resolve the growing issue of what?
A3: domestic political problems
Q4: Before the war, French voters overwhelming supported what program of Napoleon III?
A4: a national plebiscite
Q5: Who proposed that Emperor needed no war to increase his public appeal?
A5: Milza
To relieve pressure from the expected German attack into Alsace-Lorraine, Napoleon III and the French high command planned a seaborne invasion of northern Germany as soon as war began. The French expected the invasion to divert German troops and to encourage Denmark to join in the war, with its 50,000-strong army and the Royal Danish Navy. It was discovered that Prussia had recently built defences around the big North German ports, including coastal artillery batteries with Krupp heavy artillery, which with a range of 4,000 yards (3,700 m), had double the range of French naval guns. The French Navy lacked the heavy guns to engage the coastal defences and the topography of the Prussian coast made a seaborne invasion of northern Germany impossible.

Q1: What did Napoleon III plan to relieve pressure from an expected German attack?
A1: invasion of northern Germany
Q2: What country were the French hoping to be allied with?
A2: Denmark
Q3: What military strength could Denmark to France in a war?
A3: the Royal Danish Navy
Q4: What had Prussia been discovered building around big north German ports?
A4: defences
Q5: What did the French navy lack in engaging coastal defenses?
A5: heavy guns
The Prussian Army was composed not of regulars but conscripts. Service was compulsory for all of men of military age, and thus Prussia and its North and South German allies could mobilise and field some 1,000,000 soldiers in time of war. German tactics emphasised encirclement battles like Cannae and using artillery offensively whenever possible. Rather than advancing in a column or line formation, Prussian infantry moved in small groups that were harder to target by artillery or French defensive fire. The sheer number of soldiers available made encirclement en masse and destruction of French formations relatively easy.

Q1: What was the Prussian Army composed of, instead of regulars?
A1: conscripts
Q2: Service was mandatory for all men sharing which feature?
A2: of military age
Q3: Together, Prussia and Germany expected to amass how many soldiers?
A3: 1,000,000
Q4: What is an example of a German encirclement battle?
A4: Cannae
Q5: German tactics relied on what type of battle strategy?
A5: encirclement battles
In addition, the Prussian military education system was superior to the French model; Prussian staff officers were trained to exhibit initiative and independent thinking. Indeed, this was Moltke's expectation. The French, meanwhile, suffered from an education and promotion system that stifled intellectual development. According to the military historian Dallas Irvine, the system "was almost completely effective in excluding the army's brain power from the staff and high command. To the resulting lack of intelligence at the top can be ascribed all the inexcusable defects of French military policy."

Q1: What Prussian system was superior to the French example?
A1: military education
Q2: Prussian military officers were trained to exude what type thinking?
A2: independent thinking
Q3: What commander of the General Staff held the expectaion of independent thinking in his officers?
A3: Moltke
Q4: What did the French dearth of an education and promotion system stifle?
A4: intellectual development
Q5: Which military historian criticized the French system as being defective?
A5: Dallas Irvine
The French breech-loading rifle, the Chassepot, had a far longer range than the German needle gun; 1,500 yards (1,400 m) compared to 600 yd (550 m). The French also had an early machine-gun type weapon, the mitrailleuse, which could fire its thirty-seven barrels at a range of around 1,200 yd (1,100 m). It was developed in such secrecy, that little training with the weapon had occurred, leaving French gunners with no experience; the gun was treated like artillery and in this role it was ineffective. Worse still, once the small number of soldiers who had been trained how to use the new weapon became casualties, there were no replacements who knew how to operate the mitrailleuse.

Q1: What aspect of the Chassepot was superior to the German needle gun?
A1: longer range
Q2: What French weapon was considered a rough prototype of the first machine gun?
A2: the mitrailleuse
Q3: How many barrels did the mitrailleuse feature?
A3: thirty-seven barrels
Q4: What was the range of the mitrailleuse?
A4: 1,200 yd (1,100 m)
Q5: Treating the mitrailleuse like what rendered it far less effective
A5: artillery
The French Marines and naval infantry intended for the invasion of northern Germany were dispatched to reinforce the French Army of Châlons and fell into captivity at Sedan along with Napoleon III. A shortage of officers, following the capture of most of the professional French army at the Siege of Metz and at the Battle of Sedan, led naval officers to be sent from their ships to command hastily assembled reservists of the Garde Mobile. As the autumn storms of the North Sea forced the return of more of the French ships, the blockade of the north German ports diminished and in September 1870 the French navy abandoned the blockade for the winter. The rest of the navy retired to ports along the English Channel and remained in port for the rest of the war.

Q1: The French Marines and naval infantry were dispatched to reinforce what?
A1: French Army of Châlons
Q2: The French navy fell captive where?
A2: at Sedan
Q3: Who also was captured at Sedan?
A3: Napoleon III
Q4: The autumn storms of what sea forced the return of yet more French ships?
A4: the North Sea
Q5: On which rough date did the French navy abandon their blockade?
A5: September 1870
Marshal MacMahon, now closest to Wissembourg, spread his four divisions over 20 miles (32 km) to react to any Prussian invasion. This organization of forces was due to a lack of supplies, forcing each division to seek out basic provisions along with the representatives of the army supply arm that was supposed to aid them. What made a bad situation much worse was the conduct of General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot, commander of the 1st Division. He told General Abel Douay, commander of the 2nd Division, on 1 August that "The information I have received makes me suppose that the enemy has no considerable forces very near his advance posts, and has no desire to take the offensive". Two days later, he told MacMahon that he had not found "a single enemy post ... it looks to me as if the menace of the Bavarians is simply bluff". Even though Ducrot shrugged off the possibility of an attack by the Germans, MacMahon tried to warn the other divisions of his army, without success.

Q1: Which marshal was closest to Wissembourg?
A1: Marshal MacMahon
Q2: How many divisions did MacMahon command?
A2: four divisions
Q3: Over how many miles did MacMahon's divisions cover?
A3: 20 miles
Q4: Whose conduct made a bad situation worse?
A4: General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot
Q5: What group did General Ducrot command?
A5: the 1st Division
During the war, the Paris National Guard, particularly in the working-class neighbourhoods of Paris, had become highly politicised and units elected officers; many refused to wear uniforms or obey commands from the national government. National guard units tried to seize power in Paris on 31 October 1870 and 22 January 1871. On 18 March 1871, when the regular army tried to remove cannons from an artillery park on Montmartre, National Guard units resisted and killed two army generals. The national government and regular army forces retreated to Versailles and a revolutionary government was proclaimed in Paris. A Commune was elected, which was dominated by socialists, anarchists and revolutionaries. The red flag replaced the French tricolour and a civil war began between the Commune and the regular army, which attacked and recaptured Paris from 21–28 May in La Semaine Sanglante (Bloody week).

Q1: What became highly politicised during the war?
A1: Paris National Guard
Q2: In what type of neighborhoods did the occur especially?
A2: working-class neighbourhoods
Q3: What did the National Guard refuse to wear?
A3: uniforms
Q4: What did the National Guard refuse to obey?
A4: commands from the national government
Q5: On which dates did La Semaine Sanglante occur in Paris?
A5: 21–28 May
While the French army under General MacMahon engaged the German 3rd Army at the Battle of Wörth, the German 1st Army under Steinmetz finished their advance west from Saarbrücken. A patrol from the German 2nd Army under Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia spotted decoy fires close and Frossard's army farther off on a distant plateau south of the town of Spicheren, and took this as a sign of Frossard's retreat. Ignoring Moltke's plan again, both German armies attacked Frossard's French 2nd Corps, fortified between Spicheren and Forbach.

Q1: Who commanded the French army at the battle of Worth?
A1: General MacMahon
Q2: Which German divisison did MacMahon engage?
A2: German 3rd Army
Q3: Who commanded the German 1st Army?
A3: Steinmetz
Q4: What did a German patrol spot that led them to believe that Frossard had retreated?
A4: decoy fires
Q5: Whose plan did German armies ignore in attacking Frossard?
A5: Moltke's
The casualties were horrible, especially for the attacking Prussian forces. A grand total of 20,163 German troops were killed, wounded or missing in action during the August 18 battle. The French losses were 7,855 killed and wounded along with 4,420 prisoners of war (half of them were wounded) for a total of 12,275. While most of the Prussians fell under the French Chassepot rifles, most French fell under the Prussian Krupp shells. In a breakdown of the casualties, Frossard's II Corps of the Army of the Rhine suffered 621 casualties while inflicting 4,300 casualties on the Prussian First Army under Steinmetz before the Pointe du Jour. The Prussian Guards Infantry Divisions losses were even more staggering with 8,000 casualties out of 18,000 men. The Special Guards Jäger lost 19 officers, a surgeon and 431 men out of a total of 700. The 2nd Guards Infantry Brigade lost 39 officers and 1,076 men. The 3rd Guards Infantry Brigade lost 36 officers and 1,060 men. On the French side, the units holding St. Privat lost more than half their number in the village.

Q1: Who were the casualties especially terrible for?
A1: the attacking Prussian forces
Q2: What was the grand total of German casualties and those missing in action?
A2: 20,163
Q3: What were the number of French killed and wounded?
A3: 7,855
Q4: What was the number of French prisoners?
A4: 4,420
Q5: What did most Prussians fall under?
A5: French Chassepot rifles
While the republican government was amenable to war reparations or ceding colonial territories in Africa or in South East Asia to Prussia, Favre on behalf of the Government of National Defense, declared on 6 September that France would not "yield an inch of its territory nor a stone of its fortresses." The republic then renewed the declaration of war, called for recruits in all parts of the country and pledged to drive the German troops out of France by a guerre à outrance. Under these circumstances, the Germans had to continue the war, yet could not pin down any proper military opposition in their vicinity. As the bulk of the remaining French armies were digging-in near Paris, the German leaders decided to put pressure upon the enemy by attacking Paris. By September 15, German troops reached the outskirts of the fortified city. On September 19, the Germans surrounded it and erected a blockade, as already established at Metz.

Q1: What was the republican government amenable to?
A1: war reparations
Q2: Who declared that France would not yield "an inch of its territory?"
A2: Favre
Q3: Who was Favre speaking on behalf of?
A3: Government of National Defense
Q4: When did Favre make the declaration concerning colonial territories?
A4: 6 September
Q5: What did this cause the Republic to renew?
A5: declaration of war
Albrecht von Roon, the Prussian Minister of War from 1859 to 1873, put into effect a series of reforms of the Prussian military system in the 1860s. Among these were two major reforms that substantially increased the military power of Germany. The first was a reorganization of the army that integrated the regular army and the Landwehr reserves. The second was the provision for the conscription of every male Prussian of military age in the event of mobilization. Thus, despite the population of France being greater than the population of all of the German states that participated in the war, the Germans mobilized more soldiers for battle.

Q1: Who was the Prussian Minister of War?
A1: Albrecht von Roon
Q2: What was the time span that von Roon acted as minister?
A2: 1859 to 1873
Q3: He instituted a series of what regarding the Prussian military?
A3: reforms
Q4: What was the first step in the reforms?
A4: a reorganization of the army
Q5: What was the second reform?
A5: the conscription of every male
The French were equipped with bronze, rifled muzzle-loading artillery, while the Prussians used new steel breech-loading guns, which had a far longer range and a faster rate of fire. Prussian gunners strove for a high rate of fire, which was discouraged in the French army in the belief that it wasted ammunition. In addition, the Prussian artillery batteries had 30% more guns than their French counterparts. The Prussian guns typically opened fire at a range of 2–3 kilometres (1.2–1.9 mi), beyond the range of French artillery or the Chassepot rifle. The Prussian batteries could thus destroy French artillery with impunity, before being moved forward to directly support infantry attacks.

Q1: What type of artillery were the French equipped with?
A1: bronze, rifled muzzle-loading
Q2: What newer artillery were Prussians using?
A2: steel breech-loading guns
Q3: What did the French believe was overly wasted in artillery with a higher rate of fire?
A3: ammunition
Q4: The Prussian artillery batteries had what percentage more of guns than the French?
A4: 30% more
Q5: What was the typical range that Prussian guns could fire?
A5: 2–3 kilometres