Following their triumph over the French at the Battle of Sedan on September 1, 1870, Prussian forces began marching on Paris. Moving swiftly, the Prussian 3rd Army along with the Army of Meuse encountered little resistance as they neared the city. Personally guided by King Wilhelm I and his chief of staff, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, Prussian troops began encircling the city. Within Paris, the city's governor, General Louis Jules Trochu, had massed around 400,000 soldiers, half of which were untested National Guardsmen.
As the pincers closed, a French force under General Joseph Vinoy attacked Crown Prince Frederick's troops south of the city at Villeneuve Saint Georges on September 17. Attempting to save a supply dump in the area, Vinoy's men were driven back by massed artillery fire. The following day the railroad to Orleans was cut and Versailles occupied by the 3rd Army. By the 19th, the Prussians had completely encircled the city beginning the siege. In the Prussian headquarters a debate was had over how best to take the city.
Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck argued in favor of immediately shelling the city into submission. This was countered by the siege's commander, Field Marshal Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal who believed shelling the city to be inhumane and against the rules of war. He also argued that a quick victory would lead to peace before the remaining French field armies could be destroyed. With these in place, it was likely that the war would be renewed in a short time. After hearing arguments from both sides, William elected to allow Blumenthal to proceed with the siege as planned.
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