The Kingdom's Ambition

Stopping was impossible. Prussia's intentions were clear to everyone, and Bismarck was about to take the first step toward a major achievement in his life.

Once this main Danish force on Als Island was defeated, the Danes would have no final bargaining chips left in the war.

June 29th, Als Island Fjord.

Als Island is located east of the Jutland Peninsula, connected by the Als Fjord. The fjord is an extension of the Baltic Sea, and its waters are not particularly wide.

The fjord between Als Island and the Jutland Peninsula was calm, and the sunny weather provided a clear view of the sea. Under favorable natural conditions, the Prussian army began to advance toward Als Island, attempting to cross the fjord.

Prussian engineers constructed pontoon bridges across the water, and personnel and weapons began boarding ferries in the bay.

With the roar of steam, the ferries advanced toward Als Island. A thousand sails competed, a hundred boats raced, and the narrow Als Fjord was densely packed with vessels.

Danish observation soldiers watched the sea through binoculars. The Prussians were rapidly approaching the coast. Upon seeing this, they immediately reported to their superior officers.

The Danish army, which had hastily retreated to Als Island, was demoralized by successive defeats and lacked sufficient organization. There was also not enough time to construct fortifications on Als Island.

The Danish forces on the island could only use artillery to disrupt the Prussian landing troops. The sporadic artillery fire could not deter the Prussians' resolve.

Under the cover of gunboats, thousands of Prussian soldiers easily landed on the coast of Als Island. Both sides began a fierce struggle for control of the coast.

Denmark could now only rely on rudimentary fortifications to resist Prussia, but Prussian artillery was being continuously transported to the rear via ships and pontoon bridges.

Once artillery support was in place, the landing Prussian forces launched their attack. The Danes quickly fell into disarray, and their hastily constructed defensive works were destroyed by Prussian artillery fire in just one round.

As Prussian infantry charged the Danish positions, the demoralized Danish army, after a brief resistance, raised the white flag.

Als Island was the final large-scale battle between the Allied forces and Denmark. With the surrender of the Als Island garrison, the Second Schleswig War entered its final stages.

A few days later, on July 3rd, the Battle of Dybbøl broke out. The Allied forces achieved victory, and Denmark lost all ability to resist.

The Danish government was forced to sit down at the negotiating table with the German states. As the losing party, the Danish government announced its cessation of resistance. Prussia and Austria also halted their advance, and all hostilities between the two sides ceased, ending the war.

On August 10, 1864, the King of Denmark, Christian IX, signed a preliminary peace treaty, relinquishing his rights to the two duchies and instead supporting the Austrian Empire and the King of Prussia.

The Treaty of Vienna on October 30th saw Denmark cede all these territories to Austria and Prussia.

The Second Schleswig War.

Denmark's territory receded by 250 kilometers, losing forty percent of its land and nearly forty percent of its population. The total population decreased from 2.6 million to 1.6 million, including 200,000 Danes from the Schleswig region. Denmark's strength on the Jutland Peninsula was greatly diminished.

Through this war, Prussia gained dominance over the Duchy of Schleswig, and its army began to garrison the Schleswig region. Prussia also acquired the important port city of Kiel. The Kiel Canal was a crucial route for Germany to bypass the Danish Straits, significantly enhancing Prussia's maritime capabilities.

The Austrian Empire also gained the Duchy of Holstein in this war. The war concluded with a victory for Prussia and Austria, bringing the Second Schleswig War to a close.