Part 11/14:
The 1848 Revolution abolished the monarchy again, establishing the Second Republic, with Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte elected president, later declaring himself Emperor Napoleon III in 1852. His regime lasted until France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), which led to the fall of the Second Empire and the fragile Third Republic.
20th Century: Two World Wars and Modernization
France’s modern history is defined by the World Wars. The devastation of WWI (1914–1918) was profound, with millions dead, as exemplified by the Battle of the Marne and the mutinies of 1917. The interwar period saw social reforms and political tensions.