The second French Empire remained officially neutral during the American Civil War and did not recognize the Confederate States of America. The United States warned that recognition would mean war. France wanted to oppose the Union, not without British cooperation, but London rejected the intervention.
Emperor Napoleon III understood that a war with the United States without allies would “harm” France. Nevertheless, the textile industry needed cotton , and Napoleon had imperial ambitions in Mexico, which the Confederation could help with. At the same time, other French political leaders, such as Foreign Minister Edouard Tuvenel, were supported by the United States.
Opinion
At the same time, 22 political newspapers in Paris expressed the general opinion of French society, namely: its position on the war was determined by democratic values, the policy of Napoleon III in Mexico and the prediction of the final result of the war. Issues such as slavery; The Trent incident (related to the UK) and the economic consequences for the French cotton industry did not affect the newspaper publishers. Their positions in the war determined the answers to such questions. The confederation was supported by conservative supporters of Napoleon III, Bourbon legionnaires and Catholic interests. The Union supported Republicans and Orleans (those who wanted a successor to Louis Philippe on the throne ).
Between 1861 and 1865, the blockade of ports of southerners, organized by the Union, significantly reduced the supply of cotton to French textile mills, which led to a cotton shortage. By 1862, factories in Alsace, Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Normandy were forced to double the prices of cotton products they produced, and it also became necessary to reduce staff. As a result, many French industrialists and politicians wished the Confederation a quick victory.
Policy
The French government considered the American war a relatively minor problem, while France was distracted by numerous diplomatic problems in Europe and around the world. Emperor Napoleon III was interested in Central America as a trading zone and plans for a trans-oceanic channel. He knew that the US was categorically against its construction, and the Confederation would allow the creation of a new empire in Mexico, where French troops landed in December 1861.
William L. Dayton, US Ambassador to France, met with French Foreign Minister Edouard Touwenel, a Union supporter. It was he who at the beginning of the war convinced Napoleon to temporarily postpone the already prepared act of diplomatic recognition of the independence of the Confederation. Despite his initial success, Tovenenel retired in mid-1862. The possibility of war with the United States increased the chances for Prussia to win, if it “opens” a second front against France, but already in Europe. This fact did not allow the imperial government to expect victory in the event of war on two fronts, even if they were on different continents.
The representative of the Confederation in Paris, John Slidell, offered Napoleon III to supply large batches of raw cotton from the South with a “markdown” to France, if he recognizes the sovereignty of the Confederation and provides naval assistance to destroy the blockade. The Earl of Walewski and Eugene Ruer agreed with him, but British disapproval and especially the seizure by the Union of New Orleans in the spring of 1862 led French diplomacy to oppose the plan. In 1864, Napoleon III sent his attorney, Thomas W. Evans, as unofficial ambassador to Lincoln and US Secretary of State William Seward. Evans convinced Napoleon that the defeat of the South is inevitable.
Slidell was able to negotiate a loan of $ 15,000,000 from Frederick Emile d’Erlanger and other French capitalists. Money was used to buy iron warships, as well as military supplies, which accounted for smugglers.
Events
In accordance with its official neutrality, the French government canceled the sale of cast-iron CSS Stonewall shortly before being delivered to the Confederation in February 1864 and resold the vessel to the Danish fleet. The ship left Bordeaux for a world cruise with a Danish crew in June 1864. However, the Danes refused to accept the ship due to disagreements on the price with shipbuilder L’Arman. L’Arman subsequently secretly resold the ship by January 1865 of the Confederation, while it was still at sea.
France restored normal diplomatic relations with the United States in 1866 and withdrew its troops from Mexico after the execution of the French protege.
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