The English Government, still anxious to keep the peace, represented to Bismarck the dilemma in which he had placed the Danes.

Lord Wodehouse, who was in Berlin in December, requested that at least more time should be allowed.
Bismarck refused to listen to the request.
"These constitutional questions," he said, "had nothing to do with him; the Danes had put off the Germans for years; they could not wait any longer.

The King could always make a _coup d'etat_; he would have to do so sooner or later.

Germany and Denmark could never be at peace so long as the Democratic party had the authority." Denmark did not give way; the help from England, on which they had reckoned, was not forthcoming; the fatal day passed; the Austrians and Prussians entered Holstein, marched across that Duchy, and in the early part of February began the invasion of Schleswig.

The relations of the Allied troops to the Federal army of occupation were very remarkable.
Both were opposed to the Danes, but they were equally opposed to one another; had they dared to do so, the Saxons would have opposed the Prussian advance.