Otto Von Bismarck Research Paper

Over the course of the 19th century, Otto von Bismarck, the leader of Prussia and eventual Chancellor of Germany, played a major role in the orchestration of Germany’s unification. The unification of the plethora of Germany’s states transmogrified the European landscape and played a crucial role in the ultimate defeat of France. Germany had become a dichotomized confederation, influenced by the prodigious Austrian and Prussian Empires. The states of Germany saw the Austrian and Prussian Empires as the only forces that could unify the confederation completely, and thus, a struggle of power began. In his 1856 letter to Minister von Manteuffel, Bismarck made a bold and poignant prediction regarding the future of Germany. “I wish only to express

Following seven weeks of malicious carnage, Prussia reigned victorious over Austria with the support of the Italian state. Prussia’s victory resulted in the annexation of Hanover, Frankfurt, Nassau, amongst several other territories. In addition, Austria’s defeat resulted in the dissolution of the German Confederation, the formation of North German Confederation, and Austria’s ultimate exclusion from Germany. “If Austria were severely injured, she would become the ally of France and every other opponent of ours…” Bismarck remarked following the end of The Austro-Prussian War. In the end, Bismarck’s prediction held true, but the value of Austria as an ally to the newly formed Confederation was too great to ignore (Doc 5). Bismarck’s statement was reflective of a new chapter for a unified Germany, whose future would be decided by her allies, and of course, her enemies. In his 1856 letter, Bismarck was the leader of Prussia, desperately vying for control of The German Confederation, and fearing the imminent war before him. A decade later, he was The Chancellor of a unified Germany, meticulously examining the landscape of the European continent as a chessboard that would determine the vitality of his Confederation as a whole. Overall, these documents allow us to see the transpiration of Germany’s unification, from the years