L'Étranger Podcast
You think you know French history. The Revolution. Napoleon. The guillotine. But France's past is wilder, darker and more extraordinary than any highlight reel suggests.
From the medieval battlefields that forged a nation, to the corridors of Versailles, to the smoking ruins of the Paris Commune - French history is an endless procession of towering personalities, catastrophic miscalculations and moments that changed the world forever. Most of it you've never heard.
L'Étranger takes a fresh look at the stories you think you know, and shines a light on the ones you don't. French history from a foreign perspective - told with curiosity, passion and a deep love for one of the most fascinating countries on earth.
L'Étranger Podcast
Episode 1: The War That Made the Modern World
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The war that reshaped Europe began with a diplomatic insult and ended with the collapse of an empire.
In 1870, France and Prussia went to war. Within months, Napoleon III was captured, Paris was under siege, and a new German Empire had been proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
In this opening episode, we explore the causes, course and consequences of the Franco-Prussian War. From Bismarck’s calculated provocation to the catastrophic defeat at Sedan, this is the story of how a short war transformed the balance of power in Europe and helped create the modern world.
In this episode:
- Why the war began
- How quickly France collapsed
- What it meant for Germany and Europe
Music: Gnossiennes by Erik Satie, performed by Chase Coleman. Recording sourced from IMSLP under Creative Commons licence.
Explore more stories from French history on the website: https://letrangerpodcast.com/
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