The Franco-Prussian War 1870-71 Volume 2

In this concluding volume of his acclaimed study, Quintin Barry continues the story of the Franco-Prussian War from the collapse of Napoleon III’s empire to the proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles and the uneasy peace that followed.

After Sedan, Helmuth von Moltke faced a new and uncertain struggle. The war against the self-proclaimed Government of National Defence was no longer a conventional campaign between professional armies but a test of endurance against hastily raised forces, popular resistance, and the political passions of a nation in revolt.

Barry traces the German advance on Paris and the long siege that followed, along-side simultaneous operations across France — at Strasbourg, Metz, Orleans, Amiens, the Loire, Belfort, and the North. Drawing deeply on contemporary German and French sources, he reconstructs the major battles — Coulmiers, Beaune-la-Rolande, Loigny-Poupry, Le Mans, and St Quentin — and shows how Moltke’s command structure adapted to new challenges of logistics, winter campaigning and dispersed warfare.

The narrative captures both the strategic and the human dimensions: Gambetta’s desperate mobilisation efforts, the rise of the Francs-Tireurs, and the strains within the German high command as the war dragged into 1871. The culmination comes with the fall of Paris, the armistice, and the emergence of a united Germany — the moment when modern European history was reshaped.

Illustrated with detailed maps, period engravings, and comprehensive orders of battle, this volume stands as an indispensable companion to Volume 1, completing one of the most thorough English-language studies of the war that ended an empire and created another.

Reviews from previous edition:

"Barry's work stands alongside those of Howard and Wawro for anyone with a serious interest in the Franco-Prussian War..." NY Military Affairs Symposium Review

"Barry has done an excellent job at presenting the myriad of military engagements in a logical and straightforward manner. Barry has written an outstanding history of this war, in such a way that it retains the reader’s interest despite the complex maneuvering of the vast forces involved. I strongly recommend this work for those who wish to gain insight into the real time effects of the application of Commanders Intent as a tool of command." War History Online