1.

The Rise of Nation States: the German case (see Lynn Hunt and use this when you are
handling the First World War)
2. The Road to War

Germany’s spectacular rise and expansion under Bismarck in the second half of the
nineteenth century was a major development for it presaged the acceleration of Imperialist
rivalries in the continent and set the stage for a major outbreak. This is not to argue that
Germany alone was singularly responsible for the first great war but simply to link the rapid
rise of Germany and its impact on the balance of power in Europe.

From the years of the Napoleonic wars, liberal movements had gained momentum in
Germany – the development of romanticism, and sense of pride about Teutonic heritage.
The centres of German leadership were Prussia, a strong state with military and autocratic
traditions and Austria an imperial power that oversaw an inefficient and ram shackled
empire. Prussia took the lead in uniting the other German states first within an economic
framework – the Customs Union or Zollverin. The rapid development of Germany, of Prussia
thanks to iron ore resources, efficient industrial production and the eminence of ports like
Hamburg made it a significant power and it was left to the new Chancellor Otto Von
Bismarck (1815-1898) to take the lead in unifying Germany under the leadership of Prussia.

Appointed by the Kaiser William I Bismarck was determined to expel Austria from the
German confederation, and forge German unity under Prussia. The tactics were not drawn
from liberalism but from ‘iron and blood’

Three wars made a united Germany: 1. Against Denmark in 1864, 2. Against Austria in 1866
and 3. Against France in 1870. The causes of war were over disputed territories; in the case
of Denmark, the bone of contention was Schleswig and Holstein with their German
populations. Bismarck managed to persuade Austria to take up Holstein and Prussia
Schleswig and then turned the table on Austria. Austria was no match for the modernized
Prussian state and within weeks was routed allowing Bismarck to drive it away from the
German Confederation and create a new North German Confederation led by Prussia.
For bringing the rest of the German states into the confederation, German entrapped France
in a war. He had earlier bought French neutrality by promising territory , subsequently
nationalist sentiments were whipped up, the situation becoming more fraught as Spain
toyed with a Prussian candidate for its throne . This threatened France with Prussian rulers
on both its borders – Bismarck now edited the famous Ems telegram to make it appear that
the King of Prussia had insulted France over the succession issue . This inflamed the French
public into demanding war against Prussia – at the fateful battle of 2 September 1870,
France routed and the new German state was born.

At the core of the new state was Prussian military might. There was a complex constitution
that guaranteed the eminence of business classes and aristocracy – Bismarck appointed the
Chancellor. The Reichstag, elected by universal male suffrage ratified budgets and the
Bundesrat (represented the states).
German foreign Policy and the Road to War