The Seven Years' War 1756-1763: Causes and Results

The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Was the result of a number of contradictions between European states. The main reason for the contradictions was the question of the division of territories between countries. In addition, the conduct of hostilities was due to the reshuffling of forces on the continent and the violation of the traditional balance. As a new force and aspirant for leadership, Prussia acted, which intensified after the accession to the throne of the talented ruler Frederick II in 1740. This aroused fear among a number of leading European states, which led to the outbreak of the war.

The general political situation

The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Arose because of a number of conflicts between the main European powers. The fact is that at the time being, the two countries fought for the right to act as a leader in the international arena. France and England entered a protracted period of conflict, which made an inevitable armed clash between them. At that time, both countries embarked on the path of colonial conquests, and frictions were constantly arising between them because of the division of territories and spheres of influence. The main arena of confrontation was the North American and Indian territories. In these lands, both opposing sides constantly collided in determining the boundaries and redistributing the regions. It was these contradictions that caused the military conflict.

Preconditions of the collision

The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Was also the result of the strengthening of the Prussian state. Frederick II created a very efficient army by those standards, thanks to which he made a series of seizures, at the expense of which he rounded the borders of his country. This expansion occurred at the expense of Austria, from which he took the Silesian lands. Silesia was one of the richest areas of this state, and this loss has become a significant damage to the state. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Empress Maria-Theresa was interested in the return of lost lands. In these circumstances, the Prussian ruler sought support from England, which, in turn, sought to secure its European possessions (Hanover), and was also interested in supporting the preservation of these lands for itself.

The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Became the consequence of the contradictions between England and France for the division of colonial lands, as already mentioned above. Our country also had grounds for participating in an armed confrontation. The fact is that the claims of the Prussian state threatened spheres of influence on the Polish, Baltic borders. In addition, Russia since the 1740's. Connected with Austria a system of contracts. On this basis, there was a rapprochement of our country with France, thus the anti-Prussian coalition took shape.

The beginning of confrontation

The causes of the seven-year war of 1756-1763. Determined its wide scale. Leading European powers were involved in the course of hostilities. In addition, several fronts of combat operations were formed: continental, North American, Indian and others. This military confrontation of the blocs changed the balance of forces in Western Europe and changed its geopolitical map.

The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Began with the attack of the Prussian king on Saxony. The calculation of this ruler was as follows: he planned to create here a springboard for attacking the enemy. Austria, moreover, he wanted to use as a prosperous region to replenish his army, and also intended to use its economic and material resources. He repulsed the Saxon attack and occupied these lands. After this victory, the Prussian king inflicted a series of blows on the Austrians, he even captured the city of Prague for some time, but later the Austrian army defeated him in the city of Colin. Nevertheless, the Prussian army won with Leiten, thus restoring the original balance of forces.

Continuation of hostilities

The entry into the war of France greatly complicated the position of the Prussian king, but nevertheless he managed to inflict a serious blow to his new enemy under Rosbach. Then the hostilities began our country. The Russian army was considered one of the strongest in Europe, but it could not realize its advantages in large part because the commanders of the seven-year war of 1756-1763. They failed to make full use of its possibilities. In the first major battle, the commander of the troops, Apraksin, unexpectedly gave the order for retreat despite his victory over the enemy. The next battle was led by the Englishman Fermor. Under his leadership, Russian troops took part in one of the most bloody battles in the course of a military company of the second year of the war. This battle did not bring any of the sides a decisive success. The battle at Zorndorf, one of his contemporaries called the most strange battle.

Victories of Russian weapons

The seven-year war of 1756-1763, briefly described in schools in connection with the participation of Russia in it, entered its decisive phase of military operations for the third year of its development. In many respects this was due to the victory won by the Russian army under the leadership of the new military leader Saltykov. He was very smart, besides, he was popular among soldiers. It was under his leadership that the Russian army won its famous victory at Kunersdorf. Then the Prussian army was overwhelmed, and the king faced a real threat of seizing the capital of his state. However, instead, the Allied army withdrew, as the countries of the anti-Prussian coalition began to accuse each other of violating their obligations.

Further course of action

Nevertheless, the position of Frederick II was extremely difficult. He turned to England for help, asking her to act as an intermediary in the conduct of the peace congress. The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Which was briefly announced in connection with the above-mentioned battle, nevertheless continued because of the position of Russia and Austria, who intended to inflict a decisive and final blow to their opponent. The Prussian king inflicted damage on the Austrians, but still the forces were unequal. His army lost its fighting ability, which affected the conduct of military operations. In 1760, Russian and Austrian troops occupied the capital of his state. However, soon they were forced to leave her, having learned about the approach of the king. In the same year, the last major battle of the war took place, in which the Prussian king nevertheless emerged victorious. But he was already exhausted: in one battle he lost almost half of his army. In addition, on the secondary fronts, his opponents achieved some success.

The final stage

The causes of the seven-year war of 1756-1763. Affected the specifics of combat operations. In fact, the main battles in Europe unfolded between Prussia and Austria with the active participation of our country. However, in connection with the death of the Russian Empress, a sharp change in the foreign policy course took place under her successor. The new emperor returned to the Prussian king all the lands occupied by the Russian troops, signed a peace and allied treaty with him and even sent his military corps to help him. This sudden change literally saved Prussia from the final defeat.

However, Catherine II, who ascended to the throne, abolished this treaty, but nevertheless, not yet feeling sufficiently confident in the capital, did not begin to resume military operations. So, by this time the seven-year war of 1756-1763 was almost over. Russia took an active part in it, but did not make any territorial acquisitions. The Prussian king, taking advantage of this respite, inflicted a few more serious blows on the Austrians, but it became quite obvious that the resources of his country would not draw the continuation of bloody battles.

The North American Front in Opposition

The fighting was not limited to the European mainland. A bitter struggle unfolded in North America, where the British and the French collided for spheres of influence. For five years, there was a struggle between the two sides for the mastery of ports, cities and fortresses. The seven-year war of 1756-1763, briefly talked about only with reference to the clash of powers on the European continent, thus covered the overseas lands. The most bitter confrontation unfolded for Quebec. As a result, France was defeated and lost Canada.

Activities in India

The struggle of these powers developed in India, where the English consistently ousted the French from their positions. It is characteristic that the struggle was for both land and sea. Finally, the British troops drove the French out of their positions in 1760. This victory turned England into the largest colonial power and ultimately subjugated her power to India.

Effects

The seven-year war of 1756-1763, the results of which literally changed the map of Europe and the balance of power between the leading powers, was perhaps the largest military and political clash on the continent in the mid-18th century. The results of this serious confrontation led to the redivision of colonial territories and spheres of influence between states. The main consequence of the struggle was the transformation of England into the largest colonial empire on the mainland. This country pushed the position of its main opponent of France and took the leading position in spreading spheres of influence.

Terms of agreements

The results of the seven-year war of 1756-1763. Affected, first of all, on the redistribution of territories. In the year that the fighting was over, a treaty was signed, according to which France lost Canada, ceding this area to its rival, which also made a number of other major territorial acquisitions. The positions of France after the treaty were greatly shaken. However, much was also contributed by internal reasons: in the state itself a serious crisis was imminent, which led to revolution in several decades.

In the same year, Prussia signed an agreement with Austria, according to which Silesia and some other lands remained behind it. Because of these disputed territories, both powers for a long time were in hostile relations. But Friedrich II almost immediately after the end of the war took a course toward rapprochement with our country. The seven-year war of 1756-1763, the causes, the results of which determined the development of the European powers for a whole century ahead, redistributed allied relations and obligations in a new way. For Russia, the main result was that it acquired great experience in conducting military operations in confrontation with the leading powers of the continent. It was from the participants in the war that the generals of Catherine's time came out, who provided a whole series of brilliant victories to our country. However, the empire did not make any territorial acquisitions. The new ruler did not declare war on the Prussian king, although her union treaty signed by her husband was terminated.

Position of the parties

The largest number of soldiers lost in this war, Austria. The losses of its main enemy were half as much. There is a view that as a result of the fighting, more than two million people were killed. In order to participate in the war, Great Britain intensified the exploitation of its North American colonies. In particular, taxes were raised, all kinds of obstacles were created for the development of industry on the continent, which in turn caused a violent explosion of discontent among the colonists, who finally took up arms, starting the war for independence. Many historians are looking for an answer to the question of what allowed Prussia to finally win, despite the fact that several times its ruler found herself in an extremely difficult situation, which more than once threatened him with a final defeat. A number of specialists outline the following reasons: disagreement between the Allies, the death of the Russian Empress and the unexpected turn of the foreign policy course. However, the most important, of course, is the first reason. At critical and decisive moments the allies could not find a common language, which led to disagreement between them, which was only in the hands of the Prussian ruler.

For Prussia itself, the victory was extremely important for both domestic political and foreign policy development. After the war, she became one of the leading powers in Europe. This accelerated the process of uniting the fragmented German lands into a single state entity, precisely under the leadership of that country. Thus, this state became the basis of a new European state - Germany. Thus, it can be said that the war was of international significance, since its results and results affected not only the position of European countries, but also the position of colonies on other continents.