180 
WILHELM DER SIEGREICHE 
  
PACE 
54. 
56. 
57. 
60. 
10. 
II. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
. Paris was now surrounded by German troops, and the 
siege os the French capital began. 
In spite of the gigantic efforts made by Gambetta there 
scemed to be no prospect of success. 
Strassburg being determined to defend itself to the last 
man, the Germans decided to bombard this important 
fortress. 
General Ulrich who delended Strassburg was at last 
compelled to capitulate. 
.Metz too could not hold out much longer on account of 
want of fodder for the horsces and of bread and salt for 
the men. 
On the capitulation of Metz the Ccrown-prince and Prince 
Frederick Charles were gazetted field-marshals. 
Gambetta left Paris in a balloon and safely reached Tours 
where the Covernment had taken up its abode. 
Both the army on the Loire and the northern army were 
defeated three times and at last annihilated, although. 
they were commanded by able gencrals. 
The plan to relieve Bellort and then to invade Germany 
with Garibaldi's help completely failed. 
IIaving been sufficicntly reinforced General von Werder 
surrounded Bourbaki'’s army, and the latter had no 
other cheice than to escape into Switzerland. 
The victory which the German armies had won was now 
complete, and France had to make peace. 
The King of Bavaria offered King William the crown as 
Cerman Emperor; he accepted and thereby put the 
seal to the great work of unification. 
On January 18, 1871 King William ol Prussia was 
publicly proclaimed German Empercr in the celebrated 
Ilall of Alirrors at Versailles. 
All attempts to break through the investing army having 
failed, Paris had no other choice than to capitulate in 
its turn, and so the war came t0 an end. 
In the peace of Frankfurt which concluded the Franco- 
German war Françe ccded Alsace-Lorraine to Germany 
and had besides 10 Pay a war- indemnity of sooo 
million francs.