What did France and Great Britain do in response?

Answer 1

In the late 1930's, Britain and France had a defence agreement with Poland which stated that they would come to its aid if it was attacked. On 1 September 1939, Germany attacked Poland so on 3 September 1939, Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Answer 2

For different reasons, both those countries were pro-Confederate.

Britain viewed America as a fast-growing economical rival, and was happy to see it split in two. There were also older conservatives who still felt that the American revolution had been an insult, and they favoured this separate nation of feudal planter-aristocrats.

France was seeking influence in Mexico, so it suited them if there were to be a new nation in-between Mexico and the USA that was pro-French.

However, neither country was willing to risk sending troops unless this new Confederate nation was actually looking viable. When Robert E. Lee conducted his victorious sweep across the Virginian peninsula in summer '62, that moment seemed to be at hand. When the Westminster Parliament broke up for its summer recess, they said that if Lee had successfully invaded the North by the time they re-assembled, they would grant recognition to the Confederacy. (And the French were tending to follow the British line.)

But by that time, Lee had been unexpectedly defeated at Antietam, so the British were not prepared to grant recognition yet.

Meanwhile Lincoln had been keenly aware of this major threat to reinforce the Confederates from abroad, and took the first opportunity to turn the war officially into a crusade against slavery (which it hadn't been), making it politically impossible for free nations overseas to be seen to fight for slave-owners. That was when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

Answer 3

They saw advantages in a divided union, but pursued cautious policies toward both sides.