 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Mune zvematongerwo enyika, Napoleon III akaedza kutevedzera babamunini vake, achibatanidzwa muzvirongwa zvakawanda zveumambo kutenderera pasirese pamwe nehondo dzinoverengeka muEurope. Kutanga kwokutonga kwake kwakaona kukunda kweFrance muCrimeauye muItaly, achiwana Savoy neNice mukuita kudaro. Achishandisa nzira dzakasimba zvikuru, akavaka Umambo hweFrance muNorth Africa nomuSoutheast Asia. Napoleon III akatsvakawo kumanikidza Umambo hweChipiri hweMexico ndokuhupinza mumhepo yeFrance, asi izvi zvakaguma nokukundikana. Akakanganisa zvikuru kutyisidzira kwaibva kuPrussia, uye pakuguma kwokutonga kwake, Napoleon III akazviwana asina vavakidzani mukutarisana nechiuto cheGermany chakanga chakanyanya. Kutonga kwake kwakaguma munguva yeHondo yeFrance nePrussian, akabatwa nemauto ePrussian paSedan muna 1870, akabviswa pachigaro nemaFrench republicans, uye akazofira mukutapwa muna 1873 achigara muUnited Kingdom. 