Please give your opinion regarding which country you think got the best deal at the Congress of Vienna, and why. Also, please explain who got the worst deal and why. Please post comments by Monday 2/4.
It should be clear that Russia got the best deal at the Congress of Vienna. As it was very pro-monarchy, the restoration of the French and Spanish monarchs can be looked on as a victory. As well, despite not getting all of Poland, it did receive a substantial portion, enough to qualify as a fulfillment of a goal that was perhaps an over-reach when one considers the territorial visions of both Prussia and Austria. In my mind, Austria ended up with the worst deal, having failed to accomplish most of its key objectives, namely acquisition of the Austrian Netherlands and territories in the Germanies. Prussia also ended up fulfilling too many of its goals at the expense of Austria, cementing itself as a major power, which Austria couldn't have wanted.
At the Congress of Vienna, France got the best deal, relatively. Given the situations of all the countries attending the Congress of Vienna, France stood in a position to lose everything. Relative to the debacle France was in prior to the Congress and how it came out of the Congress, one could say they were pretty successful. They were able to keep all of their country in tact, restore the Bourbons back in power, and sustain weak neighbors.They also still had the second best army and navy in Europe. The only loss it suffered was that the Prussian kingdom now bordered them. All other problems that France faced were caused by themselves. So although France was a weakened country because of thier revolution and the leaders that they let lead their country, it still had much success at Vienna given that it was the country that started this mess. Austria faired the worst at the Congress of Vienna. It hosted the meeting and yet they did not recieve much in return. They gained little bits of land here and there, but did not achieve anything noteworthy. At the same time their rivals Prussia and Russia gained significant territories.
France got so lucky at the Congress of Vienna! Not only did they get to stay on the map but they had a representative their who was fighting for them. I am frankly amazed that they were able to pull themselves together and choose one representative, but that is beside the point. After all the hell that Napoleon put Europe through and after France's revolution that left them in chaos, England, Austria, Russia, and Prussia could have very easily divided France up and called it a day. But they didn't, in fact, France stayed relatively the same size as it had always been historically, which is relatively large in comparison to all the other countries on continent Europe (besides Russia, but that’s not really fair) . They also got their second demand of being surrounded by a bunch of small duchies and principalities, yes they had Prussia border them and keeping an eye on them but its Prussia. Prussia has also nearly been whipped off the map in recent past and will be in fact very briefly. All of the major powers in Europe Prussia is the one that France can relax the most about.
England definitely got over looked at the Congress of Vienna. They wanted Russia to remain the same size and be contained and it wasn't. They wanted a balance of power, which they got but Europe has had those before and someone always tries to get just a little more powerful and it leads to hell. And France got a slap on the wrist in comparison to how the English wanted to see them get punished. Granted, England was the only power that really could defeat Napoleon but that also means that they did not lose much at his hands. That is why they got so little because they sacrificed so little. That will teach them to leave their island.
It should be clear that Russia got the best deal at the Congress of Vienna. As it was very pro-monarchy, the restoration of the French and Spanish monarchs can be looked on as a victory. As well, despite not getting all of Poland, it did receive a substantial portion, enough to qualify as a fulfillment of a goal that was perhaps an over-reach when one considers the territorial visions of both Prussia and Austria. In my mind, Austria ended up with the worst deal, having failed to accomplish most of its key objectives, namely acquisition of the Austrian Netherlands and territories in the Germanies. Prussia also ended up fulfilling too many of its goals at the expense of Austria, cementing itself as a major power, which Austria couldn't have wanted.
ReplyDeleteAt the Congress of Vienna, France got the best deal, relatively. Given the situations of all the countries attending the Congress of Vienna, France stood in a position to lose everything. Relative to the debacle France was in prior to the Congress and how it came out of the Congress, one could say they were pretty successful. They were able to keep all of their country in tact, restore the Bourbons back in power, and sustain weak neighbors.They also still had the second best army and navy in Europe. The only loss it suffered was that the Prussian kingdom now bordered them. All other problems that France faced were caused by themselves. So although France was a weakened country because of thier revolution and the leaders that they let lead their country, it still had much success at Vienna given that it was the country that started this mess. Austria faired the worst at the Congress of Vienna. It hosted the meeting and yet they did not recieve much in return. They gained little bits of land here and there, but did not achieve anything noteworthy. At the same time their rivals Prussia and Russia gained significant territories.
ReplyDeleteFrance got so lucky at the Congress of Vienna! Not only did they get to stay on the map but they had a representative their who was fighting for them. I am frankly amazed that they were able to pull themselves together and choose one representative, but that is beside the point. After all the hell that Napoleon put Europe through and after France's revolution that left them in chaos, England, Austria, Russia, and Prussia could have very easily divided France up and called it a day. But they didn't, in fact, France stayed relatively the same size as it had always been historically, which is relatively large in comparison to all the other countries on continent Europe (besides Russia, but that’s not really fair) . They also got their second demand of being surrounded by a bunch of small duchies and principalities, yes they had Prussia border them and keeping an eye on them but its Prussia. Prussia has also nearly been whipped off the map in recent past and will be in fact very briefly. All of the major powers in Europe Prussia is the one that France can relax the most about.
ReplyDeleteEngland definitely got over looked at the Congress of Vienna. They wanted Russia to remain the same size and be contained and it wasn't. They wanted a balance of power, which they got but Europe has had those before and someone always tries to get just a little more powerful and it leads to hell. And France got a slap on the wrist in comparison to how the English wanted to see them get punished. Granted, England was the only power that really could defeat Napoleon but that also means that they did not lose much at his hands. That is why they got so little because they sacrificed so little. That will teach them to leave their island.