<P> The Ems telegram had exactly the effect on French public opinion that Bismarck had intended . "This text produced the effect of a red flag on the Gallic bull", Bismarck later wrote . Gramont, the French foreign minister, declared that he felt "he had just received a slap". The leader of the monarchists in Parliament, Adolphe Thiers, spoke for moderation, arguing that France had won the diplomatic battle and there was no reason for war, but he was drowned out by cries that he was a traitor and a Prussian . Napoleon's new prime minister, Emile Ollivier, declared that France had done all that it could humanly and honorably do to prevent the war, and that he accepted the responsibility "with a light heart ." A crowd of 15,000--20,000 people, carrying flags and patriotic banners, marched through the streets of Paris, demanding war . On 19 July 1870 a declaration of war was sent to the Prussian government . The southern German states immediately sided with Prussia . </P> <P> The French Army consisted in peacetime of approximately 400,000 soldiers, some of them regulars, others conscripts who until 1869 served the comparatively long period of seven years with the colours . Some of them were veterans of previous French campaigns in the Crimean War, Algeria, the Franco - Austrian War in Italy, and in the Mexican campaign . However, following the "Seven Weeks War" between Prussia and Austria four years earlier, it had been calculated that the French Army could field only 288,000 men to face the Prussian Army when potentially 1,000,000 would be required . Under Marshal Adolphe Niel, urgent reforms were made . Universal conscription (rather than by ballot, as previously) and a shorter period of service gave increased numbers of reservists, who would swell the army to a planned strength of 800,000 on mobilisation . Those who for any reason were not conscripted were to be enrolled in the Garde Mobile, a militia with a nominal strength of 400,000 . However, the Franco - Prussian War broke out before these reforms could be completely implemented . The mobilisation of reservists was chaotic and resulted in large numbers of stragglers, while the Garde Mobile were generally untrained and often mutinous . </P> <P> French infantry were equipped with the breech - loading Chassepot rifle, one of the most modern mass - produced firearms in the world at the time . With a rubber ring seal and a smaller bullet, the Chassepot had a maximum effective range of some 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) with a short reloading time . French tactics emphasised the defensive use of the Chassepot rifle in trench - warfare style fighting--the so - called feu de bataillon . The artillery was equipped with rifled, muzzle - loaded La Hitte guns . The army also possessed a precursor to the machine - gun: the mitrailleuse, which could unleash significant, concentrated firepower but nevertheless lacked range and was comparatively immobile, and thus prone to being easily overrun . The mitrailleuse was mounted on an artillery gun carriage and grouped in batteries in a similar fashion to cannon . </P> <P> The army was nominally led by Napoleon III, with Marshals Francois Achille Bazaine and Patrice de Mac - Mahon in command of the field armies . However, there was no previously arranged plan of campaign in place . The only campaign plan prepared between 1866 and 1870 was a defensive one . </P>

Who won the franco prussian war and what did the winner get