Germany's+Economic


 * 2b. German Unification: The Age of Bismarck**

"By blood and iron."  Two great powers lay claim to German leadership: Austria and Prussia. Both peoples spoke the German language and followed many traditional German folk customs. The two rivals struggled with each other to lead the smaller German states. In 1851, Bismarck began to represent Prussia in the diet of the The path to such power lay in eliminating Austria's influence over German affairs. Prussia had already created the  
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 * The German Empire was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, January 1871. This event was the crowning achievement of Bismarck's political career. ||

Realpolitik
Bismarck was the architect of a policy that came to be known as The Danish king's attempts to annex the 

Otto-Suggestion
Bismarck then crafted an alliance with Napoleon III of France, receiving assurances that the French emperor would remain neutral in the event of military conflict between Austria and Prussia. Bismarck promised Venetia to the Italians in exchange for their support of Prussia. Tensions mounted, and in June 1866 Austria declared war on Prussia. Austria was no match for Prussian armed forces, which used the telegraph and rail links in its mobilization. Prussia crushed Austria in only seven weeks of fighting. The Bismarck then annexed the recalcitrant pro-Austrian German states to form a new Only several small German kingdoms in the south, such as Bavaria, remained independent of Prussian control. These territories might have fallen into the Prussian, Austrian, or French spheres of influence. Although aligned with the new North German Confederation in the face of French imperialism, south German states feared further 
 * [[image:http://www.beyondbooks.com/eur12/images/00012780.jpg width="250" height="186"]] ||
 * This map illustrates the territories of the German Empire at the time of its creation. The captured province of Alsace-Lorraine, located at the empire's southwest border, proved to be a point of contention until and during the Second World War. ||

The Iron Chancellor
Bismarck first used the pen rather than the sword. He seized the opportunity to provoke France when Bismarck, in the famous Fearing a French attack, the south German states joined the North German Confederation, satisfying Bismarck's dreams. Although the Franco-Prussian War officially ended in May 1871, France was soundly defeated by Prussian forces within two months. In January 1871, in the Palace of Versailles, Germany was now satiated and ready for peace, Bismarck said after the war. But the balance of power in Europe was completely changed. In five short years, Bismarck's Germany had become the most powerful country in continental Europe, soon rivaling Britain in industrial output and military power.
 * [[image:http://www.beyondbooks.com/eur12/images/00012449.jpg width="200" height="288"]] ||
 * Known as the "Iron Chancellor," Otto von Bismarck was the driving force behind German unification. [[image:http://www.beyondbooks.com/bbshared/ads/ad.gif width="9" height="9" caption="Advertising Alert ... Click for info" link="http://www.beyondbooks.com/bbshared/ads/index.asp?adURL=http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWbismarck.htm&adID=00012449"]] ||