| The French emperor, Napoleon III, declared war on Prussia, on this day, beginning the Franco-German War, at least partly because his military advisers were convinced that the reorganization of the French army in 1866 had made it superior to its German counterparts. They also had great faith in two recently introduced technical innovations: the breech-loading chassepot rifle, with which the entire army was now equipped; and the newly invented mitrailleuse, an early machine ... |