Transcript bismarck and the unification of germany as unit 3

OVERVIEW OF CONTENT
1.
The German Confederation, 1815-48:
i. Why was Unification unlikely in 1815?
ii. What were the forces of change 1815-48?
iii. ‘Peaceful Dualism’ Austrian political and Prussian economic control.
2.
Revolutions in Germany 1848-49:
i. The Frankfurt Parliament.
ii. The Prussian Revolution.
3.
The Rise of Prussia, 1850-62:
i. Economic and Political developments.
4.
Diplomacy and War, 1862-71:
i. Bismarck, Master Planner or Opportunist.
ii. The Polish Revolt 1863.
iii. War with Denmark 1864.
iv. Austro-Prussian War, the Seven Weeks War 1866.
v. The Franco-Prussian War 1870-71.
1.
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION
1815-1848.
i. Why was German Unification
unlikely in 1815?
• The German Confederation was
set up at the Congress of Vienna
(1815) with 39 separate states
all being controlled by separate
rulers.
• The Diet (Parliament) of the
Confederation included
representatives from each state
chosen by the individual
princes.
1.
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION
1815-1848.
i. Why was German Unification
unlikely in 1815?
• ‘Peaceful Dualism’ meant that
Austria and Prussia dominated
and shared the control of
Germany.
• The southern catholic states
tended to look towards Austria
for leadership and the northern,
protestant states to Prussia.
1.
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION
1815-1848.
i. Why was German Unification
unlikely in 1815?
• The was cultural, religious and
national disunity. Some nonGermans were part of the
Confederation; some
Confederation states were ruled
by non-Germans and parts of
the Habsburg Empire was
outside of the Confederation.
• The Junkers (aristocratic
landowners) dominated society.
There was little industry or large
towns.
iii. ‘Peaceful
Dualism’
Austrian
political and
Prussian
economic
control.
Austria and Prussia
German States 1815
1.
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION
1815-1848.
ii. What were the forces for
Change between 1815 and 1848?
• The Zollverein:
18 states joined the PCU Prussian
Customs Union to form the
Zollverein in 1834. By 1848 only
Austria, Hanover, Oldenburg,
Mecklenburg and the Hanseatic
towns were NOT in the Zollverein.
1.
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION
1815-1848.
ii. What were the forces for
Change between 1815 and
1848?
• The Growth of German
Nationalism:
Students and educated
Middle Classes
demonstrated in Wartburg
(1817) and Hambach (1832)
1.
THE GERMAN CONFEDERATION
1815-1848.
ii. What were the forces for
Change between 1815 and
1848?
The Growth of Liberalism:
Students and the educated
Middle Classes campaigned
for a Constitution and liberal
measures e.g. in Baden in
the 1840s.
Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People"
In France, which was the original European home of the liberal
revolutionary
2. REVOLUTIONS IN GERMANY IN 1848-9.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE
REVOLUTIONS?
•THE FRANKFURT
PARLIAMENT:
•The Frankfurt Parliament
was a liberal assembly of 596
men from all states given the
task of drawing up a
Constitution for a United
Germany.
Germania, the
personification of
Germany. She holds
the Revolutionary Flag
used by the Frankfurt
Parliament
2. REVOLUTIONS IN GERMANY IN 1848-9.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE
REVOLUTIONS?
•However, it FAILED because:
• it became a ‘talking shop’
without real action; there
were too many different
representatives who called for
different things
•e.g. ‘Kleindeutschland’ (a
small Germany without
Austria)
•‘Grossdeutschland’ (a larger
Germany to include Austria);
Propaganda de la Kleindeutschland, 1849.
2. REVOLUTIONS IN GERMANY IN 1848-9.
•WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE REVOLUTION ON WHO
CONTROLLED THE CONFEDERATION?
•The old
Confederation Diet
and proposed a
‘Grossdeutschland’
under the leadership
of Austria.
•However, Prussia
confirmed its economic
control after Austria
attempted to set up a rival
Customs Union to the
Zollverein called the
Zollunion.
• Its failure meant:
•PRUSSIA KEPT ECONOMIC CONTROL
VS AUSTRIA KEPT POLITICAL
CONTROL.
3. THE RISE OF PRUSSIA, 1850-1862.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENTS IN PRUSSIA 185062?
•THE ZOLLVEREIN
•Prussia had an ‘Industrial
Revolution’ due to an abundance of
raw materials in the Saar, Ruhr and
in Silesia.
3. THE RISE OF PRUSSIA, 1850-1862.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN
PRUSSIA 1850-62?
•The Railways developed
massively: 1845: 3,280 km to
1860: 11,633 km. This helped
with trade to other countries and
would later help mobilise the
Prussian Army.
3. THE RISE OF PRUSSIA, 1850-1862.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN
PRUSSIA 1850-62?
•Entrepreneurs and Iron and
Steel Magnates like Alfred Krupp
and his Needle gun would assist
economic developments which
would later help the army.
•Prussia developed an extensive
Banking System.
3. THE RISE OF PRUSSIA, 1850-1862.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN PRUSSIA
1850-1862?
Austria weakened
•Austria had lost key allies and was losing influence in Europe.
•Austria had refused to help Russia in its war against France and
Britain (the Crimean War, 1854-56) and lost a major ally as a result.
3. THE RISE OF PRUSSIA, 1850-1862.
•WHAT WERE THE MAIN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN PRUSSIA
1850-1862?
•1860-62 the new Minister for War General Von Roon tried to pass an ‘Army
Bill’ to increase conscription time from 2-3 years; doubling the size of the army.
•1860-62 Parliament repeatedly refused to pass the Bill.
•June 1861 Radical liberals set up the ‘Progressive Party’ which aimed to have a
people’s army controlled by a parliament rather than an army controlled by the
King.
•This became a major CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS. As a result von Roon
persuaded William I to appoint Bismarck as Minister President to sort the
problem out and to get the Army Bill passed.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
BISMARCK
•Bismarck was appointed Minister President in 1862. He quickly solves
the Constitutional crisis by overriding Parliament.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE POLISH REVOLT 1863.
CAUSES:
•Poland had been divided
between Russia, Austria and
Poland in the 18th Century.
•Poles in Russia revolted in 1863
because they wanted
independence from the absolutist
rule of the Tsar.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE POLISH REVOLT 1863.
EVENTS:
•Bismarck offered assistance against the Russian Poles but was refused. At the
‘Alvensleben Convention’ Bismarck agrees to send any Polish rebels back to Russia.
•Austria and France condemn this action and Prussian Liberals call for his dismissal.
As a result Bismarck is forced to deny the agreement existed.
CONSEQUENCES:
•Russia was angered by Bismarck’s denials.
•However, she was more angry at Austria after the Crimean War.
•Therefore Russia was likely to remain neutral if a war broke out between Austria
and Prussia.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
WAR WITH DENMARK 1864.
CAUSES:
•King Frederick VII of Denmark who ruled North German states of Schleswig and
Holstein died leaving no heir. It led to a succession dispute between the German
Prince and the Danish.
EVENTS:
•Prussia supported the German Prince and Austria, decided to join with Prussia to
invade Schleswig and Holstein.
•Prussia and Austria defeated the Danes quickly. At the Treaty of Vienna in October
1864 Prussia and Austria agreed to jointly control both territories
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
WAR WITH DENMARK 1864.
•The Convention of BadGastein decided that Prussia
would govern Schleswig and
Austria would govern Holstein.
CONSEQUENCES:
•This situation now meant that
relations between Prussia and
Austria began to deteriorate
rapidly.
• It ultimately led to the
outbreak of the Seven Weeks
War between them.
Schleswig-Holstein 1864 - 65 and the Seven Weeks War
German states annexed by Prussia 1866
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE SEVEN WEEKS WAR BETWEEN
AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA JUNE-JULY 1866.
CAUSES:
•Tensions between the two
states grew over Schleswig and
Holstein.
•Prussia made a secret alliance
with Italy in April 1866 whereby
Prussia promised to declare war
on Austria within 3 months and
hand Venetia over to Italy in
the event of victory.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE SEVEN WEEKS WAR BETWEEN
AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA JUNE-JULY 1866.
EVENTS:
•Bismarck meets Napoleon III at Biarritz in
October 1865 to try to gain French
neutrality in the event of an AustroPrussian War.
•Napoleon agrees to gain Venetia which
she would then hand to Italy.
•Bismarck puts forward plans to reform the
German Constitution which would give
Prussia increasing control. The Austrians
obviously oppose it and in anticipation of
further trouble, in defence, they mobilise
their armies in April 1866. Prussia is now
given the excuse they needed and invades
Holstein.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE SEVEN WEEKS WAR BETWEEN
AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA JUNE-JULY 1866.
EVENTS:
•With the help of the Italians Prussia decisively
defeat the Austrians on 3rd July 1866.
•William I, von Roon and other leading Generals
like von Moltke wanted to march onto Vienna
and bring Austria under Prussian control.
•Bismarck advised against this and advises that
Prussia should end the War. (He was worried that
France and Russia might get involved to stop
them).
•Bismarck organises for the Prussians and the
Austrians to meet at Prague in August 1866.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE SEVEN WEEKS WAR BETWEEN
AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA JUNE-JULY 1866.
CONSEQUENCES:
•The Treaty of Prague in August 1866 was
incredibly lenient on Austria.
•The North German Confederation is set up
and Germany is now divided into:
• The North German Confederation (led
by Prussia) and
•Austria and 4 independent South
German States which formed themselves
into a union (Bavaria, Wurrtenberg,
Baden and Hesse-Darmctadt) also Austria
lost Venetia to the Italians (through
France)
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871.
CAUSES:
•The Hohenzollern Candidature
Crisis: In 1868 revolutionaries drove
the Queen of Spain out of the
country leaving a Spanish succession
crisis. In February 1870 the Spanish
Parliament offers the throne to
Leopold of Hohenzollern, who was
related to the Prussian Royal family.
Prussia had a choice: to accept the
throne would give them Spain as an
Ally but it would worry the French.
Leopold of Hohenzollern
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871.
CAUSES:
•The Ems Telegram: On the 13th July 1870 the
French Ambassador Count Benedetti met
William I at the German town of Ems. William
accepted the withdrawal of Leopold, but
refused to accept the further French demand
that Leopold withdraws permanently.
•William sends Bismarck a telegram describing
his talks with Benedetti and gives Bismarck
permission to release it to the press.
•Bismarck releases his own version of the
telegram which angers the French so much
that they declare war on Prussia on the 19th
July 1870.
4. DIPLOMACY AND WAR, 1862-71.
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871.
EVENTS:
•On the 2nd September 1870 the Prussians defeat the French.
•The Prussians kept advancing until they reached Paris and on the 18th
January they humiliated the French by declaring a fully united
German Empire led by King William I at Versailles.
CONSEQUENCES:
•A united German Empire with William I as the Emperor was
set up on the 18th January 1871.
•France loses Alsace-Lorraine
•France pays Germany 5,000,000,000
Unification achieved
German Empire 1871
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
Key questions:
•Did Bismarck have a ‘Master Plan’ for Unification?
•What other factors were involved in the Unification process? (Factors
outside of Bismarck’s control that he used as an opportunity).
•To what extent were the actions of others responsible for unification?
E.g. Napoleon III
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
MASTER PLAN?
Bismarck later declared that he had carefully planned unification of
Germany in 5 clear steps from 1862. He said that he had planned:
1. To Obtain Russian Neutrality
2. To trick Austria into declaring War
3. To ensure French Neutrality
4. To Treat Austria Leniently after Defeat.
5. To Trick France into Declaring War.
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
MASTER PLAN?
EVIDENCE:
• He said he obtained Russian neutrality through the ‘Alvensleben
Convention’ of 1863.
• He said he tricked Austria into War with Prussia by setting up the
argument over Schleswig and Holstein.
• He ensured French neutrality for the Austro-Prussian War by making
an agreement with Napoleon at Biarritz in October 1865.
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
MASTER PLAN? EVIDENCE CONTINUED:
• He ensured Austrian neutrality in the future FrancoPrussian War by treating the Austrians leniently at the
Treaty of Prague in August 1866. He did persuade William
and von Roon NOT to march onto Vienna. He did ensure that
most states were united in the North German Confederation
in the Treaty of Prague.
• He manipulated France into declaring War on Prussia Ems
Telegram.
WHO SUPPORTS THE MASTER PLAN VIEW?
• Bismarck himself! Early German Historians.
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
OPPORTUNISM?
Bismarck had a favourable ‘deck of cards’ handed to him in 1862.
He inherited: a favourable European diplomatic situation; a
formidable economy, a powerful army and a liberal education
system. However, many historians believe that after 1862 there
were circumstances outside of Bismarck’s control that he used to
benefit Prussia and therefore they believe he was more of an
Opportunist.
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
EVIDENCE:
• Actions of the Poles: How could Bismarck have known in
advance that the poles would rebel? It is more likely he offered
Russia support because he feared revolts in Prussian Poland. The
fact he nearly lost his job as a result of Liberals and Britain and
France condemning his agreement with Russia suggests his
actions were NOT planned.
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
OPPORTUNISM? EVIDENCE CONTINUED:
•The Neutrality of Russia: Bismarck actually upset the Russian Tsar through denial
of the Alvensleben Convention.
•He was lucky that Austria had upset the Tsar more during the Crimean War.
•He could not guarantee Russian neutrality as result.
BISMARCK’S ROLE IN GERMAN UNIFICATION
CONCLUSIONS:
• Bismarck was a skilful politician who was most probably a Prussian
Supremacist who wanted Prussian expansion at the expense of the
Austrians.
• It is most unlikely that he planned unification from the start and
more likely that he used opportunities when they presented
themselves to benefit Prussia, initially and later, for Germany.