Why was the Ems telegram of particular importance?

(a) It started the Austro-Prussian War.
(b) It ended the Austro-Prussian War.
(c) It started the Franco-Prussian War.****************
(d) It ended the Franco-Prussian War.

Correct.

The Ems telegram was of particular importance because it played a significant role in starting the Franco-Prussian War.

To understand why the Ems telegram was important, we need to take a look at the historical context. In the mid-19th century, tensions were already high between the German states, particularly Prussia, and France. Prussia, under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck, sought to unify the German states under its control, while France was wary of the growing power of Prussia.

The Ems telegram refers to a message that was sent by King Wilhelm I of Prussia to Bismarck while he was vacationing in the spa town of Ems, France. The telegram detailed a meeting between Wilhelm and the French ambassador, Count Vincent Benedetti. During the meeting, Benedetti requested that Wilhelm guarantee that no member of the Prussian Hohenzollern family would ever seek the Spanish throne.

When Bismarck received the telegram, he saw an opportunity to manipulate the situation to his advantage. He edited the message to make it sound more aggressive and provocative, making it seem as if Wilhelm had dismissed Benedetti in a rude manner. Bismarck then released the edited version of the telegram to the press, sparking a wave of nationalistic sentiment in both Germany and France.

The release of the Ems telegram led to a surge of patriotic fervor in Prussia and the German states, as well as public outrage in France. In France, public opinion turned against Prussia, fueling the desire for revenge and ultimately leading to the declaration of war by France on Prussia.

Therefore, option (c) "It started the Franco-Prussian War" is the correct answer.