"Too Little, Too Late : The Campaign in West and South " Topic

….Germany, June-July 1866.

"In the spring of 1866, the so-called German Confederation, then a loose organisation of autonomous states, was thrown into crisis by a rift between the two largest members, the Austrian Empire, and The Kingdom of Prussia. Since the founding of the Confederation, in 1815, it had been tacitly accepted that Austria was the overseeing authority. Now, however, a more belligerent Prussia sought a leading role. Under a new and ambitious Chancellor, the ruthless Prince Otto von Bismarck, Prussia would no longer accept a secondary role.

This vital question of leadership naturally affected all member states, and none could ignore it. Matters had, however, moved beyond discussion, and, in June, hostilities began, with the Prussian invasion of the Kingdom of Hanover, and the Electorate of Hesse-Cassel.

This volume chronicles the conflict over the unification of Germany which actually occurred on German soil. The campaign in southern and western Germany ensured that political control of German affairs would be firmly in Prussian hands, controlled by Bismarck, in much the same way that the great battles between Prussia and Austria in the east would exclude Austria from German affairs altogether…."
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Amicalement
Armand

I have this book and it is detailed down to company level, filled with Knotel brothers color uniform illustrations, and has a section of detailed maps. Very confusing in that names, ranks, units on both sides are virtually the same as they were German speaking and used virtually identical nomenclature as well as organization. A better method would be to do what the US "Green Books" do in that all enemy units are in italics. Even skirmishes are covered and numerous first person accounts illustrate the fighting. I got the book in a recent sale by "Military and Naval Press" and it is printed on high quality gloss paper and beautifully bound. A surprise for me was how different uniforms were on all sides compared to just 4 years later during the "Franco-Prussian War". Not light reading but a worthy history of a little known campaign of the 1866 War.

Glad to know I wasn't the only one confused trying to follow which unit was on which side. Still, nice book about an obscure theatre in an obscure war.

Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand