NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Military history of Germany

While German-speaking peoples have a long history, Germany as a nation-state dates only from 1871. Earlier periods are subject to definition debates. The Franks, for instance, were a union of Germanic tribes, nevetheless some of the Franks later identified themselves as Dutch, Flemish, French and again others as Germans. The capital of medieval ruler Charlemagne's empire was the city of Aachen, now part of Germany, yet he was a Frank. France was named after the Franks and the Dutch and Flemish people are the only ones to speak a language that descends from Old Frankish (The language of the Franks). Hence nearly all continental Western European historians can claim his victories as their heritage. The Holy Roman Empire he founded was largely but far from entirely German speaking. Prussia, which unified Germany in the nineteenth century, had significant territory in what is now Poland. In the early nineteenth century the philosopher Schlegel referred to Germany as a Kulturnation, a nation of shared culture and political disunity, analogous to ancient Greece. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... The History of Germany begins with the establishment of the nation from Ancient Roman times to the 8th century, and then continues into the Holy Roman Empire dating from the 9th century until 1806 . ... Download high resolution version (976x718, 175 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Thor/Donar, Germanic thunder god. ... Human migration denotes any movement of groups of people from one locality to another, rather than of individual wanderers. ... Statue of Charlemagne (also called Karl der Große, Charles the Great) in Frankfurt, Germany. ... Eastern Francia were the lands of Louis the German after the Treaty of Verdun of 843. ... The Kingdom of Germany was a medieval state[1] which grew out of that of East Francia in the tenth century, when the term regnum Teutonicum first came into informal use. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... Image File history File links Den_tyske_ordens_skjold. ... Evolution of German linguistic area from 700 to 1950 Settlement in the East (German: ), also known as German eastward expansion, refers to the eastward migration and settlement of Germans into regions inhabited since the Great Migrations by the Balts, Romanians, Hungarians and, since about the 8th century, the Slavs. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Kleinstaaterei, a German word for the occurence of (many) petty states is a polyvalent term, mainly used for the internal state of Germany (and neighbouring regions) during the Holy Roman Empire, especially in its late phase, when it was officially known as Heiliges RÃ¶misches Reich Deutscher Nation. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Confederation of the Rhine in 1812 Capital Frankfurt Political structure Confederation Protector Napoleon I Primate - 1806-1813 Karl von Dalberg - 1813 EugÃ¨ne de Beauharnais Historical era Napoleonic Wars - Formation 12 July, 1806 - Collapse 19 October, 1813 The Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation (German: ; French: ) lasted from... Image File history File links Wappen_Deutscher_Bund. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Germany at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 had been a collection of 38 states loosely bound together in the German Confederation. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... Map of the North German Confederation Capital Berlin Political structure Federation Presidency Prussia (William I) Chancellor Otto von Bismarck History - Constitution tabelled April 16, 1867 - Confederation formed July 1, 1867 - Elevation to empire January 18, 1871 The North German Federation (in German, Norddeutscher Bund) came into existence in 1867, following... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... This article is about the 1871 German Empire. ... The history of Germany is, in places, extremely complicated and depends much on how one defines Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The German Empire was one of the defeated Central Powers during World War I. It entered the conflict following the declaration of war against Serbia by its ally, Austria-Hungary. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_(2-3). ... Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first) - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Image File history File links War_Ensign_of_Germany_1938-1945. ... The history of Germany during World War II closely parallels that of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. ... Following Germanys defeat in World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, Germany was split, representing the focus of the two global blocs in the east and west. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_(1946-1949). ... The C-Pennant Occupation zones in Germany (1945) Capital Berlin (de jure) Political structure Military occupation Governors (1945) - UK zone F.M. Montgomery - French zone Gen. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... Former eastern territories of Germany (German: ) describes collectively those provinces or regions east of the Oder-Neisse line which were internationally recognised as part of the territory of Germany after the formation of the German Empire in 1871. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_(1946-1949). ... Germans expelled from the Sudetenland // The expulsion of Germans after World War II refers to the forced migration of people considered Germans (Reichsdeutsche and some Volksdeutsche) from various European states and territories during 1945 and in the first three years after World War II 1946-48. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... West Germany was the informal but almost universally used name for the Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 until 1990, during which years the Federal Republic did not yet include East Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_East_Germany. ... â€œEast Germanyâ€ redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... This article is about the 1990 German reunification. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Image File history File links Bundeswehr_Kreuz. ... // Part of the motivation behind the territorial changes are based on events in the history of Germany and Europe, especially Eastern Europe. ... This is a timeline of German history. ... The history of German as separate from common West Germanic begins in the Early Middle Ages with the High German consonant shift. ... The term nation-state, while often used interchangeably with the terms unitary state and independent state, refers properly to the parallel occurence of a state and a nation. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... Oche redirects here; in darts the oche is the line from which players must throw. ... The Dutch (Ethnonym: Nederlanders meaning Lowlanders) are the dominant ethnic group[1] of the Netherlands[2]. They are usually seen as a Germanic people. ... The term Flemings (Dutch: ) denotes the majority population in Flanders (the northern half of Belgium). ... Old Frankish was the language of the Franks and it is classified as a West Germanic language. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... Karl Wilhelm Friedrich von Schlegel Karl Wilhelm Friedrich (later: von) Schlegel (March 10, 1772 - January 12, 1829) was a German poet, critic and scholar. ...

During the ancient and early medieval periods the Germanic tribes had no written language. What we know about their early military history comes from accounts written in Latin and from archaeology. This leaves important gaps. Germanic wars against the Romans are fairly well documented from the Roman perspective. Germanic wars against the early Celts remain mysterious because neither side recorded the events. For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... The Germanic Wars is a name given to a series of Wars between the Romans and various Germanic tribes between 113 BC and 439 A.D.. The nature of these wars varied through time between Roman conquest, Germanic uprisings and later Germanic invasions in Roman Empire that started in the... Celts, normally pronounced //, is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic language. ...

Ancient times

Germanic tribes are thought to have originated during the Nordic Bronze Age in northern Germany and southern Scandinavia. The tribes spread south, possibly motivated by the deteriorating climate of that area. They crossed the River Elbe, probably overrunning the territories of the Celtic Volcae in the Weser Basin. The Romans recorded one of these early migrations when the Cimbri and the Teutones tribes threatened the Republic itself around the late 2nd century BC. In the East, other tribes, such as Goths, Rugians and Vandals, settled along the shores of the Baltic Sea pushing southward and eventually settling as far away as Ukraine. The Angles and Saxons migrated to England. The Germanic peoples often had a fraught relationship with their neighbours, leading to a period of over two millennia of military conflict over various territorial, religious, ideological and economic concerns. The term Germanic tribes (or Teutonic tribes) applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... Map of the Nordic Bronze Age culture, ca 1200 BC The Nordic Bronze Age (also Northern Bronze Age) is the name given by Oscar Montelius (1843-1921) to a period and a Bronze Age culture in Scandinavian pre-history, ca 1800 BC - 600 BC, with sites that reached as far... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... This article is about a river in Central Europe. ... The Volcae in the 2nd century BC were a large and powerful Celtic nation of Gallia Transalpina, comprised of two branches, the Volcae Arecomici and the Volcae Tectosages. ... Weser watershed Orthographic projection centred over Bremen The Weser is a river of north-western Germany. ... The migrations of the Teutons and the Cimbri The Cimbri were a Celtic tribe who together with the Teutones and the Ambrones threatened the Roman Republic in the late 2nd century BC. The ancient sources located their home of origin in the northern Jutland. ... This entry is about the Teutonic people, not to be confused with the Teutonic Knights. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 2nd century BC started on January 1, 200 BC and ended on December 31, 101 BC. // Coin of Antiochus IV. Reverse shows Apollo seated on an omphalos. ... This article is about the Germanic tribes. ... The Rugians (Latin rugii) were an East Germanic tribe whose ultimate origins have been traced to Rogaland in Norway, whose population probably was the Rugii that Jordanes mentioned as a tribe that still remained in Scandza. ... Vandal and Vandali redirect here. ... For other uses, see Baltic (disambiguation). ... White cliffs of Dover in England White cliffs of Rugen down the Baltic coast from Schleswig The Angles is a modern English word for a Germanic-speaking people who took their name from the cultural ancestor of Angeln, a modern district located in Schleswig, Germany. ... For other uses, see Saxon (disambiguation). ...

The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (843-1806)

The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (also referred as the First German Empire) emerged from the eastern part of the Carolingian Empire after its division in the Treaty of Verdun of 843, and lasted almost a millennium until its dissolution in 1806. It was never a unitary state; from the beginning it was made up of many ethnicities and languages and would at its height comprise territories ranging from eastern France to northern Italy. Its unifying characteristic was its Carolingian heritage and strong religious connotations, its claim to "German-ness" the ethnicity of most of its subjects and rulers. This article is about the medieval empire. ... Map of Carolingian Empire The term Carolingian Empire is sometimes used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the dynasty of the Carolingians. ... Geopolitical divisions according to the Treaty of Verdun. ... Events Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian empire between the 3 sons of Louis the Pious. ... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

From 919 to 936 the Germanic peoples (Franks, Saxons, Swaben and Bavarians) were united under Henry the Fowler, then Duke of Saxony, who took the title of King. For the first time, the term Kingdom of the Germans ("Regnum Teutonicorum") was applied to the Frankish kingdom. Events King Edward I of England conquers Bedford. ... Events King Taejo of Goryeo (Wanggeon) defeats Hubaekje. ... This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... For other uses, see Saxon (disambiguation). ... Germany, showing modern borders. ... Geography Bavaria shares international borders with Austria and the Czech Republic. ... Heinrich I depicted as The Bamberg Knight Henry I, the Fowler (German: Heinrich der Finkler or Heinrich der Vogler) (876 - July 2, 936), was Duke of Saxony from 912 and king of the Germans from 919 until his death in 936. ...

In 955 the Magyars were decisively defeated at Lechfeld by his son Otto the Great, ending the threat from the Eurasian steppes for four centuries. In 962, partly on the strength of this victory, Otto went to Rome and was crowned the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by the pope. Events August 10 - Otto I the Great defeats Magyars in the Battle of Lechfeld Edwy becomes King of England. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Belligerents East Francia Magyars Commanders Otto the Great harka BulcsÃº; chieftains LÃ©l and SÃºr Strength 10,000 heavy cavalry 50,000 light cavalry Casualties and losses about 3,500 about 30,000 fell in the battle about 5,000 killed by local farmers maybe 5,000 fleeing Magyars... Otto I at his victory over Berengar of Friuli Grave of Otto I in Magdeburg Otto I the Great ( November 23, 912 - May 7, 973), son of Henry I the Fowler, king of the Germans, and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of the Germans and arguably the... Events February 2 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Pope (disambiguation). ...

By 1155, the German states had descended into disorder. Emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa) managed to restore peace through diplomacy and skillfully arranged marriages. He claimed direct imperial control over Italy and made several incursions into northern Italy, but was ultimately defeated by the Lombard League at Legano in 1176. In 1189, Frederick embarked on the Third Crusade. After a few initial successes against the Turks, notably at Konya, Frederick was killed when trying to cross a river. Leaderless, panicked and attacked on all sides, only a tiny fraction of the original forces survived. Events Frederick I Barbarossa crowned Holy Roman Emperor. ... Germany is a federation of 16 states called LÃ¤nder (singular Land, which may be translated as country) or unofficially BundeslÃ¤nder (singular Bundesland, German federal state). ... Frederick in a 13th century Chronicle Frederick I (German: Friedrich I. von Hohenstaufen)(1122 â€“ June 10, 1190), also known as Friedrich Barbarossa (Frederick Redbeard) was elected king of Germany on March 4, 1152 and crowned Holy Roman Emperor on June 18, 1155. ... The Lombard League was an alliance formed around 1167, which at its apex included most of the cities of northern Italy (although its membership changed in time), including, among others, Milan, Piacenza, Cremona, Mantua, Bergamo, Brescia, Bologna, Padua, Treviso, Vicenza, Verona, Lodi, and Parma, and even some lords, such as... Combatants Holy Roman Empire and Ghibellines Lombard League(Guelphs) Commanders Frederick I Barbarossa Alberto da Giussano Strength 2500 (all cavalry) 2500 (2000 cavalry, 500 foot) The Carroccio of Legnano on the way to the battlefield. ... Events May 22 - Murder attempt by the Hashshashin on Saladin near Aleppo Raynald of Chatillon released from prison in Aleppo May 29 - Frederick Barbarossa is defeated in the Battle of Legnano by the Lombard League leading to the pactum Anagninum (the Agreement of Anagni) September 17 - Seljuk Turks defeat Manuel... Events January 21 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade September 3- Richard I of England is crowned as king of England. ... The Third Crusade (1189â€“1192), also known as the Kings Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin. ... Konya (Ottoman Turkish: ; also Koniah, Konieh, Konia, and Qunia; historically also known as Iconium (Latin), Greek: IkÃ³nion) is a city in Turkey, on the central plateau of Anatolia. ...

In 1226 Konrad I of Masovia in west-central Poland, appealed to the Teutonic Knights, a German crusading military order, to defend his borders and subdue the pagan Baltic Prussians. The conquest and Christianisation of Prussia was accomplished after more than 50 years, after which the Order ruled it as a sovereign Teutonic Order state. Their conflict of interests with the Polish-Lithuanian state, over the control of the land of a third party (the baltic prussian land) lead in 1410 to Battle of Gruenwald. A Polish-Lithuanian army inflicted a decisive defeat and broke its military power, although the Order managed to hang on to most of its territories. Events Carmelite Order approved by Pope Honorius III Frederick II calls Imperial Diet of Cremona Births June 21 - King Boleslaus V of Poland (died 1279) Abul-Faraj, Syriac scholar (died 1286) Bar-Hebraeus, Syriac historian and bishop (died 1286) Deaths March 7 - William de Longespee, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, English... Konrad I of Masovia. ... For the state, see Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... Flag of the Knights Templar A military order is a Christian order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i. ... http://www. ... The Prussians kill Adalbert The Prussian people, or (old) Prussians, inhabited the area around the Curonian and Vistula Lagoons, (in what is now northern Poland), in the region roughly occupied by the Mazurian Lakes. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... â€œSovereignâ€ redirects here. ... Coat of arms Capital KÃ¶nigsberg (Kaliningrad) Religion Roman Catholicism Government Principality Hochmeister (Grand Master) - 1209â€“39 Hermann von Salza - 1510â€“25 Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach Historical era Middle Ages - Northern Crusades 1224 - Absorbed Livonia 1237 - Purchased Neumark 1404 - Hanseatic citiesÂ¹ leave, found Prussian Confed. ... March 29 - The Aragonese capture Oristano, capital of the giudicato di Arborea in Sardinia July 15 â€“ Battle of Grunwald (also known as Tannenberg or Zalgiris). ... Combatants Kingdom of Poland Grand Duchy of Lithuania Teutonic Order and Mercenaries and Various Knights from the rest of Europe Commanders WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw II JagieÅ‚Å‚o, Vytautas the Great Ulrich von Jungingenâ€ Strength 39,000 27,000 Casualties Unknown 8,000 dead 14,000 captured The Battle of Grunwald...

The Hussite Wars, fought between 1419 and 1434 in Bohemia, had their origins in a conflict between Catholics and the followers of a religious sect founded by Johannes Huss. The inciting action of the war was the First Defenestration of Prague, in which the mayor and the town council members of Prague were thrown from the windows of the town building. Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor of the period and a firm adherent of the Church of Rome, obtained the support of Pope Martin V who issued a papal bull in 1420 proclaiming a crusade. In all, four crusades were launched against the ‘heretics’, all resulting in defeat for the Catholic troops. The Hussites, capably led by Jan Zizka, employed novel tactics to defeat their numerically superior enemies, notably at Sudomer, Vyšehrad, Deutsch Brod and decisively at Aussig. Whenever a crusade would end, the Hussite armies go on "Beautiful Rides" and would invade the lands where the crusaders were from. One such place was Saxony. After Jan Zizka's death in 1424, the Hussite armies were led by Prokop the Great to another victory at the Battle of Tachov in 1427. The Hussites repeatedly invaded central German lands, though they made no attempt at permanent occupation, and at one point made it all of the way to the Baltic Sea. The Hussite movement was ended in 1434, however, at the Battle of Lipan. During the Peasants' War, spanning from 1524 to 1525 in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, the peasants were uprising against the nobility. The rebellion ultimately failed in the end and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V became much harsher. Crusades First â€“ Peoples â€“ German â€“ 1101 â€“ Second â€“ Third â€“ Fourth â€“ Albigensian â€“ Childrens â€“ Fifth â€“ Sixth â€“ Seventh â€“ Shepherds â€“ Eighth â€“ Ninth â€“ Aragonese â€“ Alexandrian â€“ Nicopolis â€“ Northern â€“ Hussite â€“ Varna â€“ Otranto Hussite Wars Nekmer - SudomÄ•Å™ â€“ VÃtkov â€“ VyÅ¡ehrad â€“ Nebovidy - NÄ›meckÃ½ Brod â€“ HoÅ™ice â€“ ÃšstÃ nad Labem â€“ Tachov â€“ Lipany â€“ Grotniki The Hussite Wars, also called... Events January 19 â€“ Hundred Years War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England which brings Normandy under the control of England. ... Events May 30, Battle of Lipany in the Hussite Wars Jan van Eyck paints the wedding of Giovanni Arnoflini The Honorable Passing of Arms at the bridge of Obrigo The Portuguese reach Cape Bojador in Western Sahara. ... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ... Jan Hus (1369 Husinec, Southern Bohemia – July 6, 1415 Constance) was a religious thinker and reformer. ... The Defenestrations of Prague can refer to either of two incidents in the history of Bohemia. ... Sigismund, aged approximately 50, depicted by unknown artist in the 1420s â€” the only contemporary portrait. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Martin V, nÃ© Oddone Colonna or Odo Colonna (1368 â€“ February 20, 1431), Pope from 1417 to 1431, was elected on St. ... A Papal bull is a particular type of patent or charter issued by a pope. ... Events May 21 - Treaty of Troyes. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... Jan Zizka (or John Zizka from Trocnov, Czech: Jan Žižka z Trocnova) (c. ... The Hussite Wagenburg For the trailer park Wagenburg, see trailer park. ... Combatants Hussites Catholics Commanders Jan Å½iÅ¾ka ? Strength Casualties The Battle of Sudomer was fought on March 25, 1420, between Catholic and Hussite forces. ... Combatants Hussites Catholics Commanders Jan Zizka and Hynek Krusina Sigismund Strength 12,000 soldiers 18,000 soldiers Casualties Uknown 1,000 men The Battle of VyÅ¡ehrad was a series of engagements at the start of the Hussite War between Hussite forces and Catholic crusaders sent by Emperor Sigismund. ... The Battle of Nemecky Brod took place on 10 January 1422, in Nemecky Brod (Deutstschbrod). ... Ústí nad Labem (German: Aussig) is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Usti nad Labem Region. ... Crusades First â€“ Peoples â€“ German â€“ 1101 â€“ Second â€“ Third â€“ Fourth â€“ Albigensian â€“ Childrens â€“ Fifth â€“ Sixth â€“ Seventh â€“ Shepherds â€“ Eighth â€“ Ninth â€“ Aragonese â€“ Alexandrian â€“ Nicopolis â€“ Northern â€“ Hussite â€“ Varna â€“ Otranto Hussite Wars Nekmer - SudomÄ•Å™ â€“ VÃtkov â€“ VyÅ¡ehrad â€“ Nebovidy - NÄ›meckÃ½ Brod â€“ HoÅ™ice â€“ ÃšstÃ nad Labem â€“ Tachov â€“ Lipany â€“ Grotniki The Hussite Wars, also called... Jan Zizka (or John Zizka from Trocnov, Czech: Jan Žižka z Trocnova) (c. ... August 17 - Battle of Verneuil - An English force under John, Duke of Bedford defeats a larger French army under the Duke of AlenÃ§on, John Stewart, and Earl Archibald of Douglas. ... Prokop the Great (Czech: Prokop VelikÃ½; d. ... The Battle of Tachov was a battle fought on 4 August 1427 in the present day Czech town of Tachov. ... Events Lincoln College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is founded. ... For other uses, see Baltic (disambiguation). ... Battle of Lipany, Hussite Wars, 1434. ... Peasants War map. ... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ...

From 1618 to 1648 the Thirty Years' War ravaged Germany, when it became the main theatre of war in the conflict between France and the Habsburgs for predominance in Europe. Besides being at war with Catholic France, Germany was attacked by the Lutheran Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus, who won many victories until he was killed at Lützen. The war resulted in large areas of Germany being laid waste, causing general impoverishment and a loss of around a third of its population. It ended with the Peace of Westphalia. For a bill proposed in USA in 1998, see Bill 1618. ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Combatants Sweden Bohemia Denmark-Norway[1] Dutch Republic France Scotland England Saxony Holy Roman Empire Catholic League Austria Bavaria Spain Commanders Frederick V Buckingham Leven Gustav II Adolf â€ Johan Baner Cardinal Richelieu Louis II de Bourbon Vicomte de Turenne Christian IV of Denmark Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar Johann Georg I... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Gustav II Adolph Gustav II Adolph (December 9, 1594 - November 6, 1632) (also known as Gustav Adolph the Great, under the Latin name Gustavus Adolphus or the Swedish form Gustav II Adolf) was a King of Sweden. ... Two major battles were fought at LÃ¼tzen: Battle of LÃ¼tzen (1632) Battle of LÃ¼tzen (1813) This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Ratification of the Treaty of MÃ¼nster. ...

The imperial general Prince Eugene of Savoy faced the Ottoman Turks on the battlefield, first coming to prominence during the last major Turkish offensive against the Austrian capital of Vienna in 1683. By the closing years of the 17th century, he was already famous for securing Hungary from the Turks, and soon rose to the role of principal Austrian commander during the War of the Spanish Succession. Prince Eugen von Savoyen in a contemporary painting FranÃ§ois-EugÃ¨ne, Prince of Savoy-Carignan, known as Prinz Eugen von Savoyen in German and Eugenio, Principe di Savoia in Italian (October 18, 1663 â€“ April 24, 1736) was arguable the greatest general to serve the Habsburgs. ... Ottoman redirects here. ... // For siege of Vienna in 1529 see Siege of Vienna Combatants Holy League: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Austria, Saxony, Franconia, Swabia, Bavaria Ottoman Empire, Khanate of Crimea, Transylvania, Wallachia, Moldavia Commanders John III Sobieski, Charles V of Lorraine Kara Mustafa Pasha Strength 70,000, (10,000 during siege) 138,000, (200... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Combatants Habsburg Empire England (1701-6) Great Britain (1707-14)[1] Dutch Republic Kingdom of Portugal Crown of Aragon Duchy of Savoy [2] Kingdom of France Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Bavaria Hungarian Rebels [3] Commanders Eugene of Savoy Margrave of Baden Count Starhemberg Duke of Marlborough Marquis de Ruvigny...

From 1701-1714 the War of the Spanish Succession, Germany fought with the English and the Dutch against the French. During the early part of the war, the French were successful until Camille de Tallard was victorious in the Palatinate. Later, in 1706, the Dutch and English helped the Germans take back their land. Combatants Habsburg Empire England (1701-6) Great Britain (1707-14)[1] Dutch Republic Kingdom of Portugal Crown of Aragon Duchy of Savoy [2] Kingdom of France Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Bavaria Hungarian Rebels [3] Commanders Eugene of Savoy Margrave of Baden Count Starhemberg Duke of Marlborough Marquis de Ruvigny... Camille de Hostun de la Baume, first Comte later Duc de Tallard was a famous French general. ... Location of Palatinate in Rhineland-Palatinate The Palatinate (German: ), historically also Rhenish Palatinate (Latin: ; German: ), is a region in south-western Germany. ... Events March 27 - Concluding that Emperor Iyasus I of Ethiopia had abdicated by retiring to a monastery, a council of high officials appoint Tekle Haymanot I Emperor of Ethiopia May 23 - Battle of Ramillies September 7 - The Battle of Turin in the War of Spanish Succession - forces of Austria and...

During the reign of Frederick I (1713-1740), the military power of Prussia was significantly improved. He organized the government around the needs of his army, and produced an efficient, highly-disciplined instrument of war. The army was expanded to 80,000 men, about 4% of the total population. Peasants were drafted into the military and trained for duty, but were sent home for ten months out of each year. Frederick William I (German: Friedrich Wilhelm I) (August 14, 1688 â€“ May 31, 1740) of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia from 1713 until his death. ... Year 1713 (MDCCXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ...

In the War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Empress Maria Theresa of Austria fought successfully for recognition of her succession to the throne. However, during the subsequent Seven Years' War and the Silesian Wars, Frederick II of Prussia, Frederick the Great, occupied Silesia and forced Austria to formally cede control in the Treaty of Hubertusburg of 1763. Prussia had survived the combined force of its neighbours, each larger than itself, and gained enormously in influence at the cost of the Holy Roman Empire. It became recognised as a great European power, starting a rivalry with Austria for the leadership of the German-speaking lands. The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). ... Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ... Year 1748 (MDCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Not to be confused with Maria Theresa of Austria (1816-1867). ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain and its American Colonies Electorate of Hanover Iroquois Confederacy Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Philippines Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and... The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria (and their changing allies) for control of Silesia. ... Frederick II (German: ; January 24, 1712 â€“ August 17, 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740â€“1786) from the Hohenzollern dynasty. ... Silesia (English pronunciation [], Czech: ; German: ; Latin: ; Polish: ; Silesian: ÅšlÅ¯nsk) is a historical region in central Europe, located along the upper and middle Oder River, upper Vistula River, and along the Sudetes, Carpathian (Silesian Beskids) mountain range. ... The Treaty of Hubertusburg, signed on 15 February 1763, together with the Treaty of Paris signed on 10 February 1763, marked the end of the French and Indian War and of the Seven Years War. ... 1763 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

During the Seven Years' War, Prussia fought on the side of Britain against Russia, Sweden, Austria, France, and Saxony. Frederick II of Prussia first invaded Saxony and defeated a Saxon army at Lobositz. Frederick would then invade Bohemia, the Prussians sieged Prague, but they were defeated at Kolin. Since Prussia looked weak, the Austrians and French invaded Prussian lands. However, the French would be defeated at Rossbach and the Austrians at the Leuthen. In 1758, Frederick the Great tried to invade Austria, but he failed. Now, the Russians tried to defeat the Prussians, but the Prussians earned a pyrrhic victory at the Zorndorf. The Swedes, however, fought the Prussians to a draw at Tornow. However, Austria would gain a victory against the Prussian main army at Hochkirch. In 1759, the Prussians saw even more defeats. They lost at Kay and at Kunersorf to the Russians. The Prussians suffered major defeats to the French and Swedish armies, so much that Berlin itself was taken in 1762. However, the great alliance against Prussia would break up whenever Elizabeth of Russia died. It was from her death that a pro-Prussian ruler, Peter III would sue for peace. It was only because of this that the Prussians had survived the war. The Battle of Lobositz was a battle fought on October 1, 1756 during the Seven Years War. ... Combatants Prussia Austria Commanders King Frederick the Great Charles of Lorraine Reichsgraf von Browne Strength 65,000 62,000 Casualties 14,300 8,800 The Battle of Prague (in the Czech Republic known as the Battle of Å tÄ›rboholy) was a battle fought on May 6, 1757 during the Seven... Combatants Prussia Austria Commanders Frederick the Great Leopold Josef, Count von Daun Strength 32,000 44,000 Casualties 14,000 dead or wounded 9,000 dead or wounded The Battle of Kolin (KolÃn) was a battle fought on June 18, 1757 during the Seven Years War. ... Combatants Prussia France Holy Roman / Austrian Empire Commanders Frederick II Charles, prince de Soubise Joseph Frederick William, duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen Strength 22,000 79 guns 42,000 45 guns Casualties 169 dead, 379 wounded 5,000 dead or wounded 5,000 captured The Battle of Rossbach (November 5, 1757... Combatants Prussia Austria Commanders Frederick the Great Charles of Lorraine Strength 39,000 167 guns 58,500 210 guns Casualties 1,141 dead 5118 wounded 85 captured 3000 dead 7,000 wounded 12,000 captured 51 flags 116 cannons The Battle of Leuthen was a battle fought on December 5... Year 1758 (MDCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor. ... The Battle of Zorndorf was a battle fought on August 25, 1758 during the Seven Years War. ... Combatants Prussia Sweden Commanders General von Wedel Strength 6,000 600 Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Tornow was part of the Seven Years War and was fought between the forces of Prussia and Sweden on September 26, 1758. ... The Battle of Hochkirch was a battle fought on October 14, 1758 during the Seven Years War. ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Battle of Kay was a battle fought on July 23, 1759 during the Seven Years War. ... The battle of Kunersdorf was fought on August 23, 1759 during the Seven Years War near Kunersdorf, east of Frankfurt an der Oder. ... Charles van Loo. ... Peter III (February 21, 1728 â€“ July 17, 1762) (Russian: ) was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. ...

The Napoleonic Wars (1805-1815)

The Napoleonic era ended the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and created new German-speaking states that would eventually form modern Germany. Napoleon reorganized many of the smaller German-speaking states into the Confederation of the Rhine following the battle of Austerlitz in 1805. Essentially this enlarged the more powerful states of the region by absorbing the smaller ones, creating a set of buffer states for France and a source of army conscripts. Neither of the two largest German-speaking states were part of this confederation: Prussia and Austria remained outside it. The Napoleonic Era is a period in the History of France and Europe. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... The Confederation of the Rhine in 1812 Capital Frankfurt Political structure Confederation Protector Napoleon I Primate - 1806-1813 Karl von Dalberg - 1813 EugÃ¨ne de Beauharnais Historical era Napoleonic Wars - Formation 12 July, 1806 - Collapse 19 October, 1813 The Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation (German: ; French: ) lasted from... Combatants French Empire Russian Empire Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon I Alexander I Francis II Strength 65,000[1] 73,000[2] Casualties 1,305 dead, 6,940 wounded, 573 captured, 1 standard lost[3] 15,000 dead or wounded, 12,000 captured, 180 guns lost, 50 standards lost[3] The... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ...

King Frederick William III viewed the Confederation of the Rhine as a threat to Prussian interests and allied against Napoleon. At this time the reputation of the Prussian army remained high from the period of the Seven year's War. Unfortunately they retained the tactics of that period and still relied heavily on foreign mercenaries. The lack of military reforms would prove disastrous. Prussian defeats at Jena and Auerstadt led to a humiliating settlement that reduced the size of the country by half. Image File history File links Bataille dAusterlitz, par Category:FranÃ§ois Pascal Simon GÃ©rard File links The following pages link to this file: Battle of Austerlitz ... Image File history File links Bataille dAusterlitz, par Category:FranÃ§ois Pascal Simon GÃ©rard File links The following pages link to this file: Battle of Austerlitz ... FranÃ§ois Pascal Simon, Baron GÃ©rard (May 4, 1770 - 1837), French painter, was born at Rome, where his father occupied a post in the house of the French ambassador. ... Frederick William III Frederick William III, known in German as Friedrich Wilhelm III, reigned as king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. ... The Battle of Jena was fought on October 14, 1806, in Jena, in todays Germany, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon Bonaparte against the Prussians under General Hohenlohe. ... The Battle of Auerstädt, was fought on 14 October 1806, and resulted in a French victory under marshall Davout against the Prussians under General Brunswick. ...

But the Electorate of Hanover, up till the Convention of Artlenburg ruled in personal union by the English King George III , was incorporated into Prussia. The King's German Legion formed in Britain from officers and soldiers of the dissolved Hanoverian army, was the only army of a German state, that was continually fighting the Napoleonic army. Original Iron Cross This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Original Iron Cross This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... A stylized version of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the Bundeswehr, Germanys Armed Forces. ... , Hanover(i) (German: , IPA: ), on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany. ... When Napoleon imposed the Convention of Artlenburg (Convention of the Elbe) on July 5, 1803 the KurfÃ¼rstentum Hannover (Electorate of Hannover) was disbanded and its army dissolved. ...

A demoralised Prussia brought its distinguished old general Gebhard von Blücher out of retirement and reorganized the army. The reforms of the Prussian military were led by von Scharnhorst and von Gneisenau, and converted the professional army into one based on national service. They brought in younger leaders, increased the rate of mobilisation and improved their skirmishing and unit tactics. They also organized a centralized general staff and a professional officer corps. Gebhard Leberecht von BlÃ¼cher. ... Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst (November 12, 1755 - June 28, 1813) was a general in Prussian service, Chief of the Prussian General Staff, noted for both his writings and his leadership during the Napoleonic Wars. ... August Wilhelm Antonius Graf[1] Neidhardt von Gneisenau (27 October 1760 â€“ 23 August 1831) was a Prussian field marshal. ... A General Staff is a group of professional military officers who act in a staff or administrative role under the command of a general officer. ...

Following Napoleon’s defeat in Russia, Prussia and a few other German states saw their chance and joined the anti-French forces in the Sixth Coalition, which won a decisive victory over France at Leipzig in 1813 and forced the abdication of Napoleon. Although declared an outlaw by the Congress of Vienna, Napoleon returned and met a final defeat at the hands of Blücher and Wellington at Waterloo in 1815. Kazan Cathedral in St Petersburg and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow were built to commemorate the Russian victory against Napoleon. ... The Sixth Coalition (1812-1814) was a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and a number of German States against Napoleonic France. ... Map of battle by 18 October 1813, from Meyers Encyclopaedia The Battle of Leipzig (October 16-19, 1813), also called the Battle of the Nations, was the largest conflict in the Napoleonic Wars and one of the worst defeats suffered by Napoleon Bonaparte. ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors, from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from November 1, 1814, to June 8, 1815. ... Gebhard Leberecht von BlÃ¼cher. ... Italic text His Grace Field Marshal the Most Noble Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... Combatants French Empire Seventh Coalition: United Kingdom Prussia United Netherlands Hanover Nassau Brunswick Commanders Napoleon Bonaparte, Michel Ney Duke of Wellington, Gebhard von BlÃ¼cher Strength 73,000 67,000 Anglo-Allies 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 killed or wounded 7,000... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ...

The making of a reunited Germany (1815-1871)

The Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815 redrew the political map of Europe. It established 39 separate German speaking states and organised them in the German Confederation or Deutscher Bund, under the leadership of Prussia and Austria. The Electorate of Hannover became as Kingdom of Hanover again an independent state with the British King as ruler. Significantly, Prussia gained new territories in the west along the Rhine river in geographic isolation from the rest of its lands. This Ruhr valley district underwent rapid industrialisation, inspiring Prussia to establish the Zollverein, a customs union (without Austria) with the aim of promoting German economic growth. The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors, from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria, from November 1, 1814, to June 8, 1815. ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Hanover (German Hannover) is a historical territory in todays Germany. ... For other uses, see Rhine (disambiguation). ... Geography Map of the Ruhr Area The Ruhr Area (German Ruhrgebiet or, colloquially, Ruhrpott) is a metropolitan area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, consisting of a number of large industrial cities bordered by the rivers Ruhr to the south, Rhine to the west, and Lippe to the north. ... Zollverein (German for customs union) or German Customs Union was formed between the 39 states of the German Confederation in 1834 during the Industrial Revolution to remove internal custom barriers, although upholding a protectionist tariff system with foreign trade partners. ...

The Revolutions of 1848 in the German states were a series of popular uprisings that promoted liberalisation and German political unification. The Frankfurt Assembly of 1848 offered the crown of Germany to the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. He declined, stating that the assembly did not represent its respective states. A smaller Prussian-led unification plan was dropped in 1850 after Austria threatened war. The rest of the decade was a period of political and economic consolidation. In the one major conflict during that period - the Crimean War - Prussia remained neutral and strengthened its position with the smaller German states at the expense of Austria. Bismarck with Pickelhaube Source: Uni Duesseldorf, copyright expired. ... Bismarck with Pickelhaube Source: Uni Duesseldorf, copyright expired. ... Bismarck redirects here. ... The Chancellor of the German Empire, in German Reichskanzler, meaning Imperial Chancellor was the title of the head of the German gouvernment from 1871 till 1934. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... // Preliminaries Germany at the time of the Revolutions of 1848 was a collection of over 30 states loosely bound together in the German Confederation after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. ... The Frankfurt Parliament is the name of the German National Assembly founded during the Revolutions of 1848 that tried to unite Germany in a democratic way. ... Year 1848 (MDCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Photograph of Frederick King Frederick William IV of Prussia (October 15, 1795 - January 2, 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, reigned as King of Prussia from 1840 to 1861. ... For the game, see: 1850 (board game) 1850 (MDCCCL) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire British Empire Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,194 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease ~134,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1853â€“1856) was fought...

After a period of constitutional deadlock between crown and parliament in Prussia, a crisis arose in 1863 over the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, disputed between Denmark and the German Confederation. After the Danish annexation of Schleswig, Otto von Bismarck, the new prime Minister of Prussia, made the smaller states of the German Confederation join Prussia and Austria in the war with Denmark. The Second War of Schleswig ended with the defeat of the Danes at Dybbøl, and an agreement between Austria and Prussia to jointly administer Schleswig and Holstein. Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The region of Schleswig (former English name: Sleswick, Danish: SÃ¸nderjylland or Slesvig, Low German: Sleswig, North Frisian: Slaswik or Sleesweg) covers the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark. ... Holstein (Hol-shtayn) (Low German: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) is the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, between the rivers Elbe and Eider. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Bismarck redirects here. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Combatants Prussia Austria German Confederation Denmark Commanders Friedrich Graf von Wrangel Christian Julius De Meza replaced by George Daniel Gerlach on February 29 Strength At the outbreak of war: 61,000 158 guns Later reinforcements: 20,000 64 guns[1] 38,000 100+ guns[2] Casualties 1,700+ killed, wounded... The Battle of DybbÃ¸l occured on the morning of April 18, 1864 in which the Prussian army defeated the Danish army after hours of heavy bombardment. ... The region of Schleswig (former English name: Sleswick, Danish: SÃ¸nderjylland or Slesvig, Low German: Sleswig, North Frisian: Slaswik or Sleesweg) covers the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark. ... Holstein (Hol-shtayn) (Low German: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) is the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, between the rivers Elbe and Eider. ...

Bismarck then set about making Prussia the undisputed master of northern Germany, weakening Austria and the German Confederation. This eventually led to a German Civil War, the Austro-Prussian War, in which in the battle of Langensalza (the last battle between Germanic states on German soil) Hanover won a victory, but was so weakenend by it, that it could offer no resistance to the occupation by Prussia and ceased to be an independent state. The victory of Prussia and its allies at Königgrätz in July 1866, against Austria and its allies sealed this. The result was the dissolution of the German Confederation, and the creation of the North German Confederation one year later. The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Combatants Austria, Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, WÃ¼rttemberg, Hanover and some minor German States (formerly as the German Confederation) Prussia, Italy, and some minor German States Strength 600,000 Austrians and German allies 500,000 Prussians and German allies 300,000 Italians Casualties 20,000 dead or wounded 37,000 dead... Langensalza is a town located in Thuringia, Germany, with a 1960 population of 16,000. ... Combatants Prussia Austria Commanders Wilhelm I Helmuth von Moltke Ludwig von Benedek Strength 140,000troops in 3 Prussian Armies 90,000 Austrians and 25,000 Saxons Casualties 10,000 45,000 including 20,000 prisoners {{{notes}}} In the Battle of KÃ¶niggrÃ¤tz or Battle of Sadowa of July 3... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... Map of the North German Confederation Capital Berlin Political structure Federation Presidency Prussia (William I) Chancellor Otto von Bismarck History - Constitution tabelled April 16, 1867 - Confederation formed July 1, 1867 - Elevation to empire January 18, 1871 The North German Federation (in German, Norddeutscher Bund) came into existence in 1867, following...

A dispute over the succession to the Spanish throne resulted in France declaring the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871, expecting support from Prussia's recent enemies. Unlike in the war only a few years ago, the Germans turned not against each other, with the first emergence of a strong German national sentiment in the background. Instead, the southern German monarchs of Baden, Württemberg and Bavaria honoured their secretly negotiated treaties of mutual defence with Berlin, while Austria remained neutral. Download high resolution version (1100x758, 127 KB)From Canadian Illustrated News, Battle of Mars-la-tour [The War] , Date: 19 November, 1870 , Pagination: vol. ... Download high resolution version (1100x758, 127 KB)From Canadian Illustrated News, Battle of Mars-la-tour [The War] , Date: 19 November, 1870 , Pagination: vol. ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with South German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III FranÃ§ois Achille Bazaine Patrice de Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta Otto von Bismarck Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at wars beginning 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. ... Arms of the Kingdom of WÃ¼rttemberg The title of this article contains the character Ã¼. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Wuerttemberg. ... For other uses, see Bavaria (disambiguation). ...

The Germans, led by King Wilhelm I and von Moltke, mobilized a mass conscript army of 1.2 million men which faced 400,000 experienced regular French soldiers under Napoleon III. While the Germans were mobilizing the French forces held the upper hand, but the massive size of the German army allowed the mass-encirclement and destruction of enemy formations at Gravelotte, Metz and Sedan. The war culminated with the defeat of the French army during the siege of Paris, and was followed by the proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles in January 1871. Wilhelm I of Germany Wilhelm I, (March 22, 1797 - March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871-1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861-1888. ... Generalfeldmarschall Helmuth, Graf von Moltke (known as Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke before 1870) (October 26, 1800 â€“ April 24, 1891), was a German Field Marshal, thirty years chief of the staff of the Prussian army, widely regarded as one of the great strategists of the latter half of the 1800s... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... Combatants Prussia France Commanders Helmuth von Moltke FranÃ§ois Achille Bazaine Strength 188,332 732 guns 112,800 520 guns Casualties 20,163 dead, wounded, missing or captured 7,855 dead or wounded, 4,420 captured The Battle of Gravelotte (August 18, 1870) was a battle of the Franco-Prussian... Combatants Prussia France Commanders Prince Friedrich Karl FranÃ§ois Bazaine Strength 134,000 180,000 Casualties unknown 180,000 surrendered The Siege of Metz lasting from September 3 â€“ October 23, 1870 was a crushing defeat for the French during the Franco-Prussian War. ... Combatants Prussia Bavaria France Commanders Wilhelm I Helmuth von Moltke Napoleon III Patrice MacMahon Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot Strength 200,000 774 cannon 120,000 564 cannon Casualties 2,320 dead 5,980 wounded 700 missing (9,000 total) 3,000 dead 14,000 wounded 21,000 captured 82,000 surrendered... Combatants Prussia, Baden Bavaria, WÃ¼rttemberg (later German Empire) France Commanders Wilhelm I of Germany Helmuth von Moltke Louis Jules Trochu Joseph Vinoy Strength 240,000 regulars 200,000 regulars 200,000 militia and sailors Casualties 12,000 dead or wounded 24,000 dead or wounded 146,000 captured 47... For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ... This article is about the city of Versailles. ...

The results of these wars was the emergence of a powerful German nation-state and a major shift in the balance of power on the European continent. The term nation-state, while often used interchangeably with the terms unitary state and independent state, refers properly to the parallel occurence of a state and a nation. ...

German Empire (1871-1914)

The creation of the second German Empire heralded the end of Bismarck’s expansionism. From that point onwards until the end of his career, he skillfully used diplomacy to maintain the status quo in Europe. For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ...

In 1888 however, Wilhelm II ascended to the German throne. A grandchild of Queen Victoria, he was an admirer of Britain's empire and naval power and opposed Bismarck's careful foreign policy. To further his goals, he made Admiral von Tirpitz, an energetic campaigner for a greatly enlarged fleet, Secretary of State for the German Navy. Through successive "Fleet Acts" he succeeded in giving Germany by 1914 the second largest naval force in the world. Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... German Emperor Wilhelm (born Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, Prince of Prussia 27 January 1859â€“4 June 1941), was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (de: Deutscher Kaiser und KÃ¶nig von PreuÃŸen), ruling from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ... Alfred von Tirpitz Alfred von Tirpitz (March 19, 1849 â€“ March 6, 1930) was a German Admiral, Minister of State and Commander of the Kaiserliche Marine in World War I from 1914 until 1916. ... German frigate Karlsruhe rescuing shipwrecked people off the coast of Somalia while participating in the international anti-terror operation ENDURING FREEDOM, April 2005 The Laboe Naval Memorial for sailors who lost their lives at sea during the World Wars and while on duty at sea and U 995 Modern air... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

This expansion program was sufficient to alarm the British, starting a costly naval arms race and leading indirectly to the emergence of a fragile stand-off between two alliances in Europe: the Triple Entente (Britain, France and Russia) and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy). This article does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Triple Alliance. ...

When in 1914 the growing nationalism in Europe claimed a victim in Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the Austrians replied by setting a seemingly impossible ultimatum to Serbia which they held ultimately responsible. Although the Serbs almost completely relented, their Russian allies refused to halt their mobilisation. Spurred on by their Austrian allies, Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August 1914, ultimately resulting in an all-out war between the two opposing blocks. EugÃ¨ne Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution 1830. ... For the Scottish rock band, see Franz Ferdinand (band). ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ...

The First World War (1914-1918)

The German Schlieffen plan was to deal with the Franco-Russian alliance involved delivering a knock-out blow to the French and then turning to deal with the more slowly mobilised Russian army. At the start of the First World War, Germany attacked France through Belgium to avoid French defenses on the French-German border. They were beat back at the First Battle of the Marne. Years of stalemated trench warfare followed on the Western Front. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Deutsche_Soldaten_an_der_Front. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Deutsche_Soldaten_an_der_Front. ... Image:AlfredGrafVonSchlieffen. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Combatants France United Kingdom German Empire Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von BÃ¼low Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000: 250,000 French casualties (80,000 dead) 13,000 British casualties (1,700 dead) Approximately 250,000 total... Stalemate is a situation in chess where the player whose turn it is to move has no legal moves but is not in check. ... Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of defense. ...

In the East, however, the war was very different. The Russian initial plans for war had called for simultaneous invasions of Austrian Galicia and German East Prussia. Although Russia's initial advance into Galicia was largely successful, they were driven back from East Prussia by the victories of the German generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes in August and September 1914. Russia's less-developed economic and military organisation soon proved unequal to the combined might of the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires. In the spring of 1915 the Russians were driven back in Galicia, and in May the Central Powers achieved a remarkable breakthrough on Poland's southern fringes, capturing Warsaw on 5 August and forcing the Russians to withdraw from all of Poland, known as the "Great Retreat". Image File history File links Guerre_14-18-Artillerie_de_campagne_allemande-1914. ... Image File history File links Guerre_14-18-Artillerie_de_campagne_allemande-1914. ... Galicia (Ukrainian: Галичина (Halychyna), Polish: Galicja, German: Galizien, Slovak: Halič, Romanian: Galiţia, Hungarian: Gácsország) is the name of a region of Central Europe. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... Hindenburg may refer to: Persons: Paul von Hindenburg (1847 â€“ 1934), German general in World War I and president of Germany (1925 â€“ 1934) Oskar von Hindenburg (1883 â€“ 1960), son of the former Carl Hindenburg (1741â€“1808), mathematician Hindenburg, Japanese comic writer Places (all named after Paul von Hindenburg): Hindenburg (Altmark) in... General Erich Ludendorff Erich Ludendorff (sometimes given incorrectly as Erich von Ludendorff) (April 9, 1865 â€“ December 20, 1937, Tutzing, Bavaria, Germany) was a German Army officer, noted as a general during World War I. Ludendorff was born in Kruszewnia near Posen, Prussia (now PoznaÅ„, Poland). ... Stębark (German:Tannenberg) is a village in Poland. ... Sailing on Lake MikoÅ‚ajki. ... For other uses, see Warsaw (disambiguation) and Warszawa (disambiguation). ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

By 1917 the German army had begun employing new infiltration tactics in an effort to break the trench warfare deadlock. Units of Sturmabteilung, or stormtroopers, were trained and equipped for the new tactics, and were used with devastating effect along the Russian front at Riga then at the Battle of Caporetto in Italy. These formations were then deployed to the Western front to counter the British tank attack at the Battle of Cambrai. In March, 1918 the German army Spring Offensive and began an impressive advance creating a salient in the allied line. The offensive stalled before reaching Paris, however. 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... In warfare, infiltration tactics involve small, lightly-equipped infantry forces attacking enemy rear areas while bypassing enemy front-line strongpoints, isolating them for attack by follow-on friendly troops with heavier weapons. ... The seal of SA The , abbreviated SA, (German for Storm division or Storm section, usually translated as stormtroop(er)s), functioned as a paramilitary organization of the NSDAP â€” the German Nazi party. ... The Stormtroopers were special military troops which were formed in the last year of World War I as the German army developed new methods of attacking enemy trenches, called infiltration tactics. Men trained in these methods were known as in German as Sturmmann (literally storm man or assault man but... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... -1... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... This article is about the First World War. ...

Increasing numbers of American soldiers along the western front now began to make their presence felt. Although the German military was able to stand off the Allied forces on both fronts, by 1918 victory appeared unobtainable and a negotiated peace seemed preferable to continuing to an inevitable defeat. The armistice impoverished Germany, setting the stage for the rise of the National Socialists in the 1930s. 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known as the [[. In East Asia, the rise of militarism occurred. ...

The first Republic and the Third Reich (1918-1939)

The treaty of Versailles imposed severe restrictions on Germany's military strength. The army was limited to one hundred thousand men with an additional fifteen thousand in the navy. The fleet was to consist of at most six battleships, six cruisers, and twelve destroyers, and the Washington Naval Treaty established severe tonnage restrictions for German warships. Tanks and heavy artillery were forbidden and the air force was dissolved. A new post-war military (the Reichswehr) was established on 23 March 1921. General conscription was abolished under another mandate of the Versailles treaty. The treaty also forced Germany, whom was blamed for the war, to pay billions of dollars in war reparations. The Occupation of the Ruhr by French and Belgian forces (1923 and 1924) was a result of Germany not being able to pay. The anger and resentment of this treaty was a cause of Adolf Hitler's rise to power. The Washington Naval Treaty limited the naval armaments of its five signatories: the United States, the British Empire, the Empire of Japan, the French Third Republic, and Italy. ... World War I reparations refers to the payments and transfers of property and equipment that the German state was forced to make following its defeat during World War I. Article 231 of the Treaty (the war guilt clause) held Germany solely responsible for all loss and damage suffered by the... The Occupation of the Varun Balan in 1923 and 1924, by troops from France and Belgium was a response to the failure of German Weimar Republic under Cuno to pay reparations in the aftermath of World War I. Initiated by French Prime Minister Raymond PoincarÃ©, the invasion took place on... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the rap album, see 1924 (album). ... Hitler redirects here. ...

The Weimar Republic largely obeyed the Versailles restrictions; the economic problems of reparations, hyperinflation and the Great Depression also made military spending difficult. However, the German armed forces retained their strong officer corps. Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first) - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature... Certain figures in this article use scientific notation for readability. ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ...

The Nazi regime began remilitarisation, initially with stealth, in the 1930s. German armed forces were named the Wehrmacht from 1935 to 1945. The Heer was encouraged to experiment with tanks and motorised infantry, using the ideas of Heinz Guderian. The Kriegsmarine re-started naval construction and Hitler established the Luftwaffe, an independent airforce. Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal Nazism or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ... The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, a stylized version of the Iron Cross, the emblem of the Wehrmacht. ... The German Army (German: [1], [IPA: heÉ] ) is the land component of the Bundeswehr (Federal Defence Forces) of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... This article is about the World War II general Heinz Guderian. ... The Kriegsmarine (or War Navy) was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945, during the Nazi regime, superseding the Reichsmarine. ... The Deutsche Luftwaffe or (German: air force, IPA: ) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ...

In 1936 German troops marched into the demilitarised Rhineland. On 12 March 1938, German troops marched into Austria. Under the Nazis, Germany annexed the Sudeten border country of Czechoslovakia (October 1938), and then took over the rest of the Czech lands as a protectorate (March 1939). The Germans were allowed to take Czechoslovakia because the League of Nations did not have the power to stop them and did not want to start another World War. 1939â€“1941 semi-official emblem Anachronous world map in 1920â€“1945, showing the League of Nations and the world Capital Not applicableÂ¹ Language(s) English, French and Spanish Political structure International organisation Secretary-general - 1920â€“1933 Sir James Eric Drummond - 1933â€“1940 Joseph Avenol - 1940â€“1946 SeÃ¡n Lester Historical...

The Second World War (1939-1945)

In September 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland after German special forces staged 'border incidents'. The new German tactics combining the use of tanks, motorised infantry, and air support - known as Blitzkrieg - caused Polish resistance to collapse within weeks. From the beginning of the campaign German forces committed war crimes. This invasion resulted in the United Kingdom, France and their allies declaring war in short order. However, neither side opened up a western front for several months in what became known as the phony war. The history of Germany during World War II closely parallels that of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. ... This article is about the military term. ... War crimes of the Wehrmacht are those carried out by traditional German armed forces during World War II. While the principal perpetrators of the Holocaust amongst German armed forces were the Nazi German political armies (the Waffen-SS and particularly the Einsatzgruppen), the traditional armed forces represented by the Wehrmacht... British Ministry of Home Security Poster of a type that was common during the Phony War The Phony War, or in Winston Churchills words the Twilight War, was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German...

In April 1940, in Operation Weserübung, German troops invaded and occupied neutral Denmark and Norway to secure access to Swedish iron ore. Combatants Germany Denmark Norway Operation WeserÃ¼bung was the German codename for Nazi Germanys assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. ... Headquarters of the Schalburgkorps, a Danish SS unit, after 1943. ... German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign, lasting from 9 April to 10 June 1940, led to the first direct land confrontation between the military forces of the Allies â€” United Kingdom and France â€” against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for... The Swedish iron ore was important to the German war effort during World War two, as Germany had an inadequate domestic supply, and other sources were cut off by the British sea blockade. ...

The French plans were largely based on a static defense behind the Maginot Line – a series of formidable defensive forts along the French-German border. General Erich von Manstein thought on an idea which led eventually to the approval of a Sichelschnitt ('Sickle Cut') plan to the conquest of France. On 10 May 1940 the Germans bypassed this obstacle by launching another Blitzkrieg through neutral Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands, drawing the Allied forces out. The main thrust of the Battle of France attack however was through the Ardennes which were to that time believed impenetrable to tanks. In June 1940, with French troops encircled and cut off in the north, France capitulated. The British Expeditionary Force and other allied units were driven back to the coast at Dunkirk, but managed to escape with most of their troops when Hitler made a fateful decision not to attack with tanks. The Maginot Line (IPA: [maÊ’inoË], named after French minister of defense AndrÃ© Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defenses, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in the light of experience from World War I... Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Czechoslovakia Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) Leopold III H.G. Winkelman Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R.H. Umberto di... The Ardennes (IPA pronunciation: ) (Dutch: Ardennen) is a volcanic region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes dÃ©partement and the Champagne-Ardenne rÃ©gion). ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939â€“1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... This article is about a Second World War battle in 1940, for the 1658 battle of the same name see Battle of the Dunes (1658) Combatants United Kingdom France Belgium Germany Commanders Lord Gort General Weygand Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Ewald von Kleist (Panzergruppe von Kleist) Strength approx. ... Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ...

Through the winter of 1940-1941 Germany prepared for an invasion of Britain, but this plan was shelved when Göring's Luftwaffe failed to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Britain. Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Hermann Goering in English) (January 12, 1893–October 15, 1946) was a prominent and early member of the Nazi party, founder of the Gestapo, and one of the main architects of Nazi Germany. ... Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side air forces of another side during a military campaign. ... RAF redirects here. ... This article is about military history. ...

To support their weakened Italian allies who had started several invasions, the beginning of 1941 saw the deployment of German troops in Greece, Yugoslavia and North Africa. Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, ÐˆÑƒÐ³Ð¾ÑÐ»Ð°Ð²Ð¸Ñ˜Ð° in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia, or literary The Land of South Slavs) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ...

The Balkan operation had caused a delay, and about six weeks later than planned, on 22 June 1941, Germany reneged on its non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union and launched Operation Barbarossa. The German army and its allies made enormous territorial gains in the first months of the war, reaching the outskirts of Moscow when winter set in. Expecting another Blitzkrieg victory, the Germans had not properly prepared for warfare in winter and over long distances. A non-aggression pact is an international treaty between two or more states, agreeing to avoid war or armed conflict between them even if they find themselves fighting third countries, or even if one is fighting allies of the other. ... Combatants Germany Romania Finland Italy Hungary Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Fedor von Bock Gerd von Rundstedt Heinz Guderian GÃ¼nther von Kluge Franz Halder Ion Antonescu C.G.E. Mannerheim Giovanni Messe, CSIR Italo Garibaldi, ARMIR Iosef Stalin Kliment Voroshilov Semyon Timoshenko Fyodor Kuznetsov...

The year 1941 saw the high point for the German army which controlled an area from France to Russia, and from Norway to Libya. Consequently, it also proved to be the turning point. The harsh Russian winters and long supply lines worked in Russia's favour and German armies were decisively defeated in early 1943 at Stalingrad and later in the Battle of Kursk. With German resources being concentrated on the Russian front, the Allies managed to capture North Africa with victories at El Alamein. Italy was invaded in July 1943 and promptly capitulated. In June 1944, the Allies landed in France on D-day and gradually started pushing the Germans back to the Rhine. Belligerents Germany Romania Italy Hungary Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Friedrich Paulus # Erich von Manstein Wolfram von Richthofen Petre Dumitrescu Constantin Constantinescu Italo Garibaldi GusztÃ¡v VitÃ©z JÃ¡ny Josef Stalin Vasiliy Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilyevskiy Georgiy Zhukov Semyon Timoshenko Konstantin Rokossovskiy Rodion Malinovskiy Andrei Yeremenko Strength Army Group B... Combatants Nazi Germany Soviet Union Commanders Erich von Manstein GÃ¼nther von Kluge Hermann Hoth Walther Model Georgiy Zhukov Konstantin Rokossovskiy Nikolay Vatutin Ivan Konyev Strength 2,700 tanks 800,000 infantry 2,000 aircraft 3,600 tanks 1,300,000 infantry and supporting troops 2,400 aircraft Casualties German... Combatants British Eighth Army: United Kingdom Australia Free French Greece India New Zealand South Africa Panzer Army Africa: Germany Italy Commanders Harold Alexander Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Georg Stumme Ettore Bastico Strength 220,000 men 1,100 tanks[1] 750 aircraft (530 serviceable) 116,000 men[1] 559 tanks[2... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... For other uses, see Rhine (disambiguation). ...

In December 1944, the Germans under von Rundstedt launched a final offensive in the Belgian Ardennes with the aim of re-capturing Antwerp and splitting the Allied lines, but were defeated in the Battle of the Bulge. Berlin fell to the Soviet troops in May 1945. The German high command and most German armed forces surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on 8 May 1945. Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ... The Ardennes (IPA pronunciation: ) (Dutch: Ardennen) is a volcanic region of extensive forests and rolling hill country, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France (lending its name to the Ardennes dÃ©partement and the Champagne-Ardenne rÃ©gion). ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... For the 1965 film, see Battle of the Bulge (film). ... Combatants Soviet Union Poland Nazi Germany Commanders 1st Belorussian Front â€“ Georgiy Zhukov 2nd Belorussian Front â€“ Konstantin Rokossovskiy 1st Ukrainian Front â€“ Ivan Konev Army Group Vistula â€“ Gotthard Heinrici then Kurt von Tippelskirch[2] Army Group Centre â€“ Ferdinand SchÃ¶rner Berlin Defense Area â€“ Helmuth Reymann then Helmuth Weidling #[3] Strength 2,500...

The Cold War (1945-1989)

Among the legacies of the Nazi era were the Nuremberg Trials of 1945-1949. These established the concept of war crimes in international law and created the precedent for trying future war criminals. Image File history File links Besatzungszonen_ohne_text. ... Image File history File links Besatzungszonen_ohne_text. ... For the 1947 Soviet film about the trials, see Nuremberg Trials (film). ... In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ...

Following World War II, the eastern borders of the state of Germany were substantially modified as part of the surrender settlement. Prussia and other portions of eastern Germany were used to form the highly modified state of Poland (with Poland losing a good portion of its eastern territory to the USSR.) The remainder of Germany was split into Soviet (later Russian), American, French and British occupation zones.

In 1949 the Federal Republic of Germany was formed from the French, British and American zones, while the Soviet zone formed the German Democratic Republic. The western territory of Germany fell under the protection of the NATO alliance in the west, while the eastern state joined the Warsaw Pact. Each state possessed its own military force, with eastern Germany formed along the Soviet model and federal Germany adopting a more 'western' organisation. The allied zones of Berlin became part of the Federal Republic of Germany despite the city's location deep in the German Democratic Republic. This condition continued until 1990 when the two states were reunited. Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... â€œEast Germanyâ€ redirects here. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... Not to be confused with the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement about airlines financial liability and the Treaty of Warsaw (1970) between West Germany and the Peoples Republic of Poland. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the 1990 German reunification. ...

The Bundeswehr was established in 1955 in West Germany. In 1956, conscription for all men between 18 and 45 in years was introduced after heavy discussions about re-militarising Germany. A significant exception came from the conscientious objector clause in the West German constitution: West Germany was the first country to grant alternative service to all men who objected to military service on ethical grounds, regardless of religious affiliation. The Bundeswehr (German for Federal Defence Force; ) is the name of the unified armed forces of Germany. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... John T. Neufeld was a WWI conscientious objector sentenced to 15 years hard labour in the military prison at Leavenworth. ...

Most cold war analysts considered Germany the most likely location for the outbreak of a possible third world war. Tensions ran high during 1948 when the Soviet Union and German Democratic Republic closed all roads bringing supplies to West Berlin. The Berlin Airlift sustained the population and avoided a new war. Construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 commenced shortly after the Bay of Pigs invasion and preceded the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was the closest the cold war superpowers came to commencing a nuclear war. During the Cold War the Bundeswehr had a strength of 495,000 military and 170,000 civilian personnel. The army consisted of three corps with 12 divisions, most of them armed with tanks and APCs. The air force owned major numbers of tactical combat aircraft and took part in NATO's integrated air defence (NATINAD). The navy was tasked to defend the Baltic Approaches and to contain the Soviet Baltic Fleet. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Soviet Union blocked Western rail and road access to West Berlin from June 24, 1948 - May 11, 1949. ... View in 1986 from the west side of graffiti art on the walls infamous death strip Walls poster in memory of the fall. ... Map showing the location of the Bay of Pigs. ... President Kennedy in a crowded Cabinet Room during the Cuban Missile Crisis. ...

In East Germany, the National People's Army was founded on 1 March 1956. The NVA was a professional, volunteer army until 24 January 1962, when conscription was introduced. In 1987 at the peak of its power, the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) of the DDR numbered 175,300 troops. Approximately 50% of this number were career soldiers, while the remaining half were short-term conscripts. The National Peopleâ€™s Army (German: Nationale Volksarmee) served as the military of the German Democratic Republic. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Military today

After reunification in 1990, the Bundeswehr absorbed parts of the Nationale Volksarmee of the GDR, which was being dissolved. In 1999, the NATO war on Yugoslavia in Kosovo was the first offensive conflict in which the German military actively took part since the Second World War. In 2000 the European Court of Justice opened up the previously all-male (besides medical divisions and the music corps) Bundeswehr to women. Since the early 1990s the Bundeswehr has become more and more engaged in international peacekeeping missions in and around the former Yugoslavia but also in other parts of the world such as Cambodia, Somalia, Djibouti, Georgia and Sudan. Logo from the http://www. ... The Bundeswehr (German for Federal Defence Force; ) is the name of the unified armed forces of Germany. ...

War on Terrorism

The ‘War on Terrorism’ is a campaign by the United States, supported by several NATO members and other allies, including Germany, with the stated goal of ending international terrorism. The ‘War on Terrorism’ (in its current context) is the name given by the George W. Bush administration to the efforts launched in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. by al-Qaeda. This article is about U.S. actions, and those of other states, after September 11 2001. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... Terrorist redirects here. ... The Bush administration includes President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, Bushs Cabinet, and other select officials and advisors. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11â€”pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ...

As part of Operation Enduring Freedom as a response to those attacks, Germany deployed approximately 2,250 troops including KSK special forces, naval vessels and NBC cleanup teams to Afghanistan. German forces have contributed to ISAF, the NATO force in Afghanistan, and a Provincial reconstruction team. German army CH-53 helicopters have deployed to Afghanistan, one crashed in December 2002 in Kabul, killing seven German soldiers. Eleven other German soldiers have been killed: four in two different ordnance-defusing accidents, one in a vehicle accident, five in two separate suicide bombings, and one in landmine explosion. German forces are in the more secure north of the country and Germany, along with some other larger European countries (with the exception of the UK, Estonia, the Netherlands and Norway), has been criticised for not taking part in the more intensive combat operations in southern Afghanistan. [1] Combatants United States, Poland, France, Canada, Pakistan, India, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines (in the Philippines theatre only), Northern Alliance, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ethiopia, Somalia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Macedonia, Romania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Georgia Taliban, al-Qaeda, Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah... The Kommando SpezialkrÃ¤fte (Special Forces Command, KSK) is part of Germanys Special Forces. ... ISAF can stand for: International Sailing Federation International Security Assistance Force This is a disambiguation page â€” a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) is an administrative unit of international aid to Afghanistan, consisting of a small operating base from which a group of sixty to more than one hundred civilians and military specialists work to perform small reconstruction projects or provide security for others involved in aid work. ... The Sikorsky S-65 is a heavy transport helicopter originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, who designated it the CH_53 Sea Stallion. ... // In January 2006, NATOâ€™s focus in southern Afghanistan was to form Provincial Reconstruction Teams with the British leading in Helmand Province and the Netherlands and Canada would lead similar deployments in OrÅ«zgÄn Province and Kandahar Province respectively. ...

External links

Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War (1991) is a book by Robert K. Massie on the growing European tension in decades before World War I, especially the naval arms race between Britain and Germany. ... // Due to the numerous countries that grew out of Medieval feudalism and de-centralization from the Western Roman Empires fall, different nations have had a power struggle. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... The military history of the Republic of Macedonia spans from the beginning of World War II until the modern Republic of Macedonia and the recent conflict against Albanian insurgents. ... It has been suggested that Wojsko be merged into this article or section. ... // During XVIII century, Serbs had fought the Turks jointly with the Austrian army on both sides of the Turkish border, and imprinted in their memory lay the 20-year Austro-Hungarian rule over Belgrade and the northern parts of Serbia. ... The Thin Red Line of 1854. ... World map of dependent territories. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Types of administrative and/or political territories include: A legally administered territory, which is a non-sovereign geographic area that has come under the authority of another government. ... Nagorno-Karabakh Self-Defense forces on parade in Stepanakert in 1995. ... Southwest Asia in most contexts. ... The borders of the continents are the limits of the several continents of the Earth, as defined by various geographical, cultural, and political criteria. ... The North American plate, shown in brown The North American Plate is a tectonic plate covering most of North America, extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and westward to the Cherskiy Range in East Siberia. ... The African plate, shown in pinkish-orange The African Plate is a tectonic plate covering the continent of Africa and extending westward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. ... The list of unrecognized countries enumerates those geo-political entities which lack general diplomatic recognition, but wish to be recognized as sovereign states. ...

Contents

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