Otto Von Bismarck's Role In The Unification Of Germany

Question: Evaluate the importance of Otto von Bismarck’s role in the unification of Germany.

Introduction:

In 1871, The German states became unified into the German Empire after centuries as separate states. Bismarck is generally given the praise for the unification, but many other elements also need to be considered; The French Revolutionary ideas of nationalism, German liberal nationalists, Prussia’s economic and military strength and the mistakes of Bismarck’s opponents.

Paragraph 1: French Revolution:

Before 1789, Europe was dominated by monarchy, but the poor were tired of living a life of serving the higher classes, the commoners then rebelled against the higher classes and the commoners surprisingly won. This revolution kickstarted the idea of national unity

Paragraph 5: Weaknesses/mistakes of Bismarck's opponents:

Danish king’s attempt to annexe Schleswig-Holstein

Austria’s international isolation: Russian and British neutrality

Decline of Austrian power compared with Prussia

Austria and France allowing themselves to be provoked into war

French Emperor Napoleon III’s territorial ambitions

Bismarck successfully took advantage of these weaknesses/mistakes

Conclusion:

Bismarck had significant importance on the unification of Germany but without the French Revolution, German liberal nationalists, Prussian economic and military strength and the mistakes of Bismarck’s opponents, then the unification of Germany would not have happened. Germany may also have been unified without him but his leadership proved helpful in terms of timing and methods of unification.

Bismarck important but could not have unified Germany without these other factors; 1815-1862 was not really ‘the time when nothing happened’ as Bismarck later