In what ways and with what successes did Bismarck use (a) diplomacy, (b) economic measures,

and (c) war to achieve German unification?

I. Introduction
a. There is no doubt that Otto von Bismarck was an outstanding statesman and
diplomat
b. His diplomacy, economic measure, and military strategies proved to be decisive
in the quest for dominance over Germany
c. He was largely successful in his actions; only a few domestic issues arose
II. Economic measures
a. Before Bismarck became PM of Prussia, William I had realized that the Prussian
military was sorely outdated and was in need of money for improvements
b. He appealed to the parliament for an increase in taxes, parliament allowed one-
year increases in 1860 and 1861 but a new group of liberal representatives
turned down his request in 1862
c. When he became PM in 1862, Bismarck used the tax money gained in 1860 and
1861 to solve the domestic financial problem
d. The funds were directed to the army to initiate projected reforms
e. His brilliant diplomacy showed here because he simply ignored parliament from
1863-1866
i. Parliament was powerless to do anything because everything was backed
by the military
f. In the end, the Prussian military was made to be modernized and extremely
effective – Bismarck’s economic policies were very successful and the only
downside was that a few Prussian liberals were angered
III. Diplomacy
a. Outstanding statesman, practiced Realpolitik – knew when to stop
b. Polish Revolt – February 1863
i. Revolt in the Russian part of Poland
ii. While other countries, including Austria, supported the rebels, Bismarck
sent Prussian troops to support Russia in quelling the revolt
iii. Successful, Prussia supplanted Austria as Russia’s favorable country in
regards to German affairs
c. February 1, 1864 – Prussia and Austria declared war with Denmark, great success
d. Convention of Gastein – August 14, 1865
i. Prussia and Austria agreed to maintain joint sovereignty, with Prussia
administering Schleswig and Austria administering Holstein (lay between
Schleswig and Prussia)
 ii. Bismarck created a situation where an incident could easily be
engineered
e. Essentially gained neutrality from all major European nations and isolated
Austria by using his skills in diplomacy
f. Very successful; all of Bismarck’s goals were accomplished
IV. Austro-Prussian War of 1866
a. Made an agreement with Napoleon III for France’s neutrality in exchange for
France’s acquisition of territory in Rhineland or Belgium (hint)
b. Allied with Italy on April 8, 1866 – support only if war broke out in three months
c. Used pretext that Austria had violated Gastein by sending troops into Holstein to
start war
d. Prussia’s army was superior to that of Austria in training and equipment,
including breech-loading needle gun, military railroads, and army general staff:
i. Highly trained experts who planned war away from frontline with steady
stream of information
ii. General Helmuth von Moltke used strategies and new technologies such
as telegraph to defeat Austria
e. In just over two weeks, Prussia secured complete victory over Austria
f. August 23, 1866 – Peace of Prague:
i. Austria deprived of all influence among German states
ii. North German Confederation created under Prussian leadership
iii. End of Austrian hopes for Germany
V. Franco-Prussian War
a. 1868 – Prince Leopold, a Prussian, is offered the throne of Spain
b. Bismarck had hoped to keep it secret, but a coding error at the Prussian embassy
in Spain made it public
i. One of the few errors made in Bismarck’s plans
c. France very angry and sent an ambassador to demand an apology from King
d. King politely sent him away, Bismarck edited so that it seemed more rude
e. July 15, 1970 – France declares war on Prussia
f. The Second French Empire ended with the defeat at Sedan on September 2,
1870, but the war continued until February 1871
g. Final peace treaty in May 1871 – France gave up Alsace and Lorraine and
required to pay indemnity of five billion francs
h. The war was questionable from the beginning because its only contribution to
German unification is the distraction of France from German politics
i. Some say that Bismarck went too far to hurt France by taking sacred soil