Bismarck's First War

This book chronicles the final conflict over the now almost forgotten "Schleswig-Holstein Question", once a pivotal issue for the great powers of Europe. The campaign of Schleswig and Jutland was also the first of Otto von Bismarck's Wars of German Unification, which together created a united German Empire under Prussian leadership. The detailed story of this, the last of the "Cabinet Wars", is told here for the first time in English, compiled from numerous published and unpublished sources, including many contemporary and first hand accounts, as well as official reports. This is an invaluable resource for any student of the mid 19th Century. Key topics include: * The historical background to the conflict. * The political crisis of 1863, the intervention of the "German Parliament" and the build-up to war. * Full descriptions of all military and naval forces involved. * The first phase of the war - the defence and withdrawal from the Danewerke. * The siege and defence of the Dybbøl position. * The Allied invasion of Jutland, and the naval war including the Danish blockade of north Germany ports. * The First Armistice, the London Conference attempts at peace talks and their failure. * The final phase of the conflict, including notably the Prussian conquest of the island of Als. The book includes: * Comprehensive orders of battle for the various stages of the war. * Informative maps, many adapted from early sources. * Numerous illustrations and photographs * Many informative charts and diagrams. * Detailed analysis of contemporary and later sources. Key Sales Points: * The first account of this pivotal war to appear in English in modern times This conflict was the first in which one of the protagonists' armies was equipped solely with breech-loading rifles; it also saw extensive use of military telegraphy, rifled and cast-iron artillery and ironclad warships.