European War II (Louisiana Revolution)

European War II (1871 - 1876) is the successor to the European War, and was a conflict engulfing the majority of the European powers in a battle over who would receive the fruits of the Spice Wars. The war was among the most devastating in the world up until that point and radically changed the political alignment of Europe, as many nations changed alliances following the conclusion. The war also resulted in the creation of Vienna and Romania, the successor states of Austria.

The majority of the fighting took place in France and Germany, and pitted France, the United Kingdom, and later Italy and Austria, against Spain and Germany. Initially, many thougth the war would be an easy victory for the French and British, although what actually happened was radically different -- the Italians were forced to save France from the brink of collapse by attacking Germany in 1875 and forcing Wilhelm I to both surrender, and change the political landscape of Germany by transforming it into an empire that would survive years into the future.

The war did eventually end in victory for the French, British, Italians, and Austrians (who won their independence from France after nearly 60 years), and the defeat of the Spanish and Germans, who were forced to give up quite a bit of economic resources. The war led to the rise of the alliance system, which was set in place to avoid devaststing wars such as this one, since nearly 10 million people including civilians were killed by artillery and gunfire, but it actually caused an even more destructive one, followed by one even worse than that.

Background & Causes
The buildup to European War II had been brewing for many years prior to its beginning. The Spice Wars had eventually created an animosity that began to manifest itself throughout the 1860s due to a disagreement over what nation would receive what share of the spoils of the Spice Wars. Eventually, following the end of the Spice Wars, tensions were high between France and Germany and France began mobilizing forces along its eastern border, which Wilhelm I then mistook for an aggression, and mobilized his own troops for war, leading to a series of accidental conflicts along the borders of the two countries and a declaration of war on March 7, 1871, followed by Spain's declaration of war on the 10th and Britain's on the 11th.

Opening Moves
The beginning of the war is generally considered to be March 10, 1871, since this is the day the Germans and Spanish entered France and began shelling major cities with artillery and cannonfire. The French were a bit surprised by the Spanish and were forced into chaos, leading to a series of retreats all the way back to Toulouse. Spain then sent its navy into the Mediterranean where it began hammering the shores of Marseilles with cannonfire from the sea, prepping the way for a ground invasion. All four nations involved passed larger military budgets and instituted much higher drafts to supply the war, and began looking into technological advancements to ensure victory for their side (which would later become the Arms Race). Eventually, the war settled into a relative stalemate with gradual gains for the Spanish and Germans.