Bismarck (1815-1898) and Metternick's (1773-1859)

Bismarck (1815-1898) and Metternick's (1773-1859) (early-mid 19th Century Austria diplomat, chaired the Congress of Vienna, 1815) system was all about the balance of state power. BALANCE OF POWER. Bismarck's original argument was that the Frankfurt Parliament of 1848 (orig. idea of a German confederation) did not work, so the states needed to unify and in that way use economic and military power as security against such outside predators as France or (in his and friend's view) Catholic Austria. Austria and France had been at odds with Prussia over controlling and influencing the German states for over one hundred years already.

The triumvirate of Prussia that successfully implemented the three wars of German Unification were: Otto Von Bismarck, Prime Minister of Prussia (1862-73), Albrecht Von Roon, Prussian Minister of War (1859-73) and Helmuth Von Moltke, Prussian Chief of the General Staff (1857-88).

Bismarck was able to manipulate the King, titular head of the Prussian state, Wilhelm I (1861-88) into following along with his agenda of nationalism and realism, because he was somewhat of a weak ruler and his ruling house of Hohenzollern's ancient rivalry with the Hapsburgs of Austria influenced him greatly. Bismarck also convinced him, and believed in him, that once France was defeated, he would rule over all of Germany. Indeed, in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles on Jan. 18, 1871, after the final surrender of France, he was crowned Emperor of Germany (1871-88).

Bismarck's Iron & Blood speech spoke of the failure of the Frankfurt Parliament that had been formed in the wake of the wave of revolutions of 1848. In April, 1848, before the Frankfurt Parliament, Bismarck predicted the direction he wanted to go in, and the direction that the German states must go in if they wanted unification. He said:

'Prussia must concentrate and maintain its power for the favorable moment which has already slipped by several times. Prussia's boundaries according to the treaties of Vienna are not favorable to a healthy state life. The great questions of the time will not be resolved by speeches and majority decisions--that was the great mistake of 1848 and 1849--but by iron and blood.''

This was also very much about imperialism, and the future development of a navy which would allow Germany to catch up to England and France and others in their race to gobble up Africa and Asia in the massive wave of 19th Century colonialization. A navy required a large work force and supply of natural resources (coal, steel, copper, etc.). He and his friends saw Germany being left behind if they didn't unite. For imperialism in Germany, they would after unification occupy nearly all of central Europe, putting them in a position to dominate or influence the politics of much of the European continent.

This was also very much about German NATIONALISM,