edit.); Debidour, _Histoire diplomatique de l'Europe (1814-1878)_, vol ii.pp.

291-293.
Lord Loftus in his _Diplomatic Reminiscences_ (vol.ii.p.

280) says: "So satisfied was Bismarck that he could count on the neutrality of France, that no defensive military measures were taken on the Rhine and western frontier.

He had no fears of Russia on the eastern frontier, and was therefore able to concentrate the military might of Prussia against Austria and her South German Allies." Light has been thrown on the bargainings between Italy and Prussia by the _Memoirs of General Govone_, who found Bismarck a hard bargainer.
Bismarck and the leaders of the Prussian army had few doubts as to the result.

They were determined to force on the war, and early in June 1866 brought forward proposals at the Frankfurt Diet for the "reform" of the German Confederation, the chief of them being the exclusion of Austria, the establishment of a German Parliament elected by manhood suffrage, and the formation of a North German army commanded by the King of Prussia.
A great majority of the Federal Diet rejected these proposals, and war speedily broke out, Austria being supported by nearly all the German States except the two Mecklenburgs.
The weight of numbers was against Prussia, even though she had the help of the Italians operating against Venetia.