80 likes | 559 Views
German Unification under Bismarck. Otto von Bismarck Junker class-aristocrat-Prussian Nationalist. Believed in Prussian power Unite German states under Prussian leadership-NOT Austrian Leader of Prussian politics Prime Minister in 1862.
E N D
German Unification under Bismarck • Otto von Bismarck • Junker class-aristocrat-Prussian Nationalist • Believed in Prussian power • Unite German states under Prussian leadership-NOT Austrian • Leader of Prussian politics • Prime Minister in 1862
Bismarck sets the tone of his Leadership Germany is not looking to Prussia’s liberalism but to her power. . . . The great questions of the day will not be decided by speeches and majority decisions-that was the mistake of 1848-1849-but by Iron and Blood.
Bismarck works with Kaiser William I • Trying to build up army- • Legislature controls $ • Bypasses them, builds up anyway • Uses army for unification • Gets support of Germans • 8 Hr. work day • Pension @ 65 years old • Universal male suffrage Prussia before unification
Ousting the Austrians • Must provoke Austria • Share responsibility of Schleswig-Hostein • OvB treats Austria bad to provoke them into war over regional control • Negotiates to keep Russia, France, Italy out of conflict • Seven Weeks War- • Beat Austrians, badly • Just wants Austria out • Unites all of N. Germany
Final Unification • France doesn’t want cousin to Kaiser as King of Spain • OvB rewrites message to provoke war • Both industrialized-ready • OvB gets S. Germany (Bavaria) to side, then join, with Prussia • Franco-Prussian War • Huge German victory • French Emperor is caught • 1871 Declares German Empire