the belief that people should be mainly loyal to their nation

Nationalists believe that a cultural unity should turn into a political reality

FOCUS: German

unification

Mid-1800s

Nationalism:

Unification of Germany

Iron and Blood

Factors Hindering Unification

• Religion (North-Protestant/South-Catholic)

• 39 different German states

• Loyalty to individual princes rather than central government

• Opposition of France and Austria

• Economic differences (East-Agriculture/West-Industry)

Germany Towards Unification: 39 States in German Confederation

Otto von Bismarck• Became Prussian chancellor (prime

minister) 1862 under William I

• Junker - German noble landowner

• Protestant conservative

• military reforms

• manipulative & confident

• brilliant diplomat

• Realpolitik

King William I of Prussia

Realpolitik

• Practical or pragmatic politics

• any action is acceptable if it serves the state’s (nation-state’s) interest

• making decisions based on usefulness rather than moral considerations

3 Wars for unification

Danish War Austro-PrussianWar

Franco-PrussianWar

1864 1866 1870

Prussia alliedwith Austria

Prussia alliedwith Italy

North GermanConfederationallied withSouthernGerman States

Danish War• Danish King intends to annex

Schleswig and Holstein• Austria & Prussia combine to defeat

Denmark easily• stage set for conflict manipulated

by Bismarck

1864

Austro-Prussian War

• Also called the Seven Weeks War (by the Prussians!) Prussians win easily

• Austria agrees to dissolve the German Confederation

• German states above the Main River join together in North German Confederation under Prussian King

• Austria contends with Hungarian revolt Austria becomes Austria-Hungary

1866-67

Franco-Prussian War

• Bismarck tricks the French into war• Southern Catholic German states join the

North German Confederation for protection

• French commander captured and surrenders to the Prussians

• Prussian victory helps build up German patriotism

Treaty of Frankfurt• Treaty that ends Franco-Prussian War• France pays Prussia lots of $$• Prussians will remain in France until paid

• France gives Alsace-Lorainne to Germany

• Rebels in Paris refuse to accept surrender• Paris bombarded and taken after inhabitants

resort to eating rats and zoo animals

Boundary of German Empire

1870-1871

Become part of Germany

Treaty of Frankfurt

• was very harsh towards French

• led to years of problems between France and Germany

• shown later in World War I and II

William I’s coronation in Hall of Mirrors at Versailles

German Empire• Centralization of Power

• Kulturkampf - Effort to reduce power of Catholic Church in Germany

• Foreign Policy...

Bismarck’s foreign policy• gain allies

– Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria, Italy

– Reinsurance Treaty: Germany and Russia

• Isolate France

• avoid war - Bismarck hosts 2 conferences to settle conflicts

Problems following Unification

• Alliance system

• Empire dominated by Prussia

• Suppression of Catholics

• Growth of Socialism

• Dismissal of Bismarck

Post-Bismarck Germany

• Kaiser Wilhelm II (1889-1918)

• Militarism• build-up of navy and

army

• forces Britain and France into alliance

• competes for colonies

Foreign Policy

• allows Russian alliance to lapse

• Russia and France make alliance which leads to Schlieffen Plan…..(we will mention this during WWI)

World War I

These alliances help set the stage for