Ems Telegram and Zimmermann Telegram

552 Words2 Pages

In history various reasons to provoke a war can be found. Border incidents, acts of terrorism, occupation of the territory are the most common ones. However, even such a short document as telegram can become justification for war. Two telegrams that changed the course of history and world order were the Ems Telegram that led to the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and the Zimmermann Telegram which led to America’ declaration of war on Germany.
The Elms Telegram was sent by King Wilhelm of Prussia to the Prussian Chancellor Bismarck and gave account of the chance meeting between King Wilhelm and the French Ambassador Benedetti in 1870. The meeting concerned the claims of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern, whose claims were supported by Prussia, to the Spanish throne. France was pressing Prussia to make formal commitment not to support Leopold when Benedetti spoke to King Wilhelm in Bad Ems. King did not give his answer but promised to continue talks with the Ambassador in Berlin. On receiving the telegram Bismarck saw it as a chance to turn the growing tension with France into war by editin...

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