Franco-Prussian War

>go to war over a literal shitpost
>no other European powers want to get involved
>southern German states honour their alliance with the NGF and go to war
>your superior army gets btfo within weeks, war is basically over after less than two months
>get fucking captured by the Germans
What the fuck went so wrong? What was Louis Napoleon thinking?
Also, why did the new republic continue the war, did they actually expect to win after the disastrous first months?

>what went wrong
Incompetent, ignorant and defeatist leadership.
The war continued because the people did not want to lose to Germans. They remembered 1793 and thought it was possible to turn things around like the republic did then.

>go to war over a literal shitpost
He went to war over the public outcry and patriotic demonstrations following said shitpost.
>your superior army gets btfo within weeks, war is basically over after less than two months
The French army was not in any state for war. Louis Napoleon's attempts to expand and modernize the army largely failed due to parliamentary and military obstacles. The parliament was blocking the modernization on account of budget (they later partly relented) and expansion on account of it hurting peasant families (peasant families relied on their harvest, which would be jeopardized if their sons were taken into the army.) and on the belief that enlarging the standing army was a threat to liberty (they also operated under the influence of the levee en masse of the French Revolution, which brought forth a very foolish idea that only a small standing army would be necessary, and that everything could be solved by mass conscription in the wake of war.). The military had different reasons for opposing expansion. They considered themselves a highly professional force, and were afraid of the effects the sudden expansion would have on military discipline. Louis Napoleon managed to push through some reforms, but it was too little and too late, and he failed on the absolutely crucial point of expanding the army. The French army was far, far too small for its intended role.
>get fucking captured by the Germans
He was forced to follow the armies to the front by public opinion. The war was going very, very badly, and he was also seriously ill. His illness and pessimism about the war together created a very strong sense of despair. His mental state at that point was very seriously impaired. I don't mean to imply that he was insane, or anything similar. But he was very depressed.
>Also, why did the new republic continue the war, did they actually expect to win after the disastrous first months?
No idea.

>What was Louis Napoleon thinking
He wasn't, he was triggered as fuck and thought he was the REAL napoleon. Basically Bismarck trolled him into doing it so he could form the German Empire. Louis Napoleon is a textbook example of why monarchy is a stupid idea.

Meh. All in all he was one of the best monarchs France ever had.
Better than his (not) uncle at least.

Why would you lie?

The real question is: Would the Empire survive if Nappy III died a hero's death on the battlefield at Sedan? He certainly had such thoughts, but pussied out in the end.

Nope. It's an example why populism doesn't work. Napoleon was fully aware that this is most likely going to end badly. He simply couldn't back down, because his whole reign was all about "France stronk ". The public would depose him for being a pussy.

I recognize that guy

>couldn't back down
That's stupid.
He didn't risk any more by backing down than by declaring war.