Alexander Stoyanov BLOOD AND IRON SYNOPSIS THESIS: Otto von Bismarck paved the road to World War One through his instigation of, and leadership in European conflicts, his unification of Germany, and his post-war system of alliances. COUNTER ARGUMENTS: 1. Austria was instrumental in the invasion of Denmark. Austria already had interests in the Slavic areas before Bismarck became involved. 2. Bismarck did not want such strong reparations for France. Bismarck’s intentions for Germany were for the most part peaceful. 3. Bismarck originally had Russia in the “Emperor’s League,” and his motivation for the Triple Alliance was peaceful in its origin. ARGUMENT 1: Through his instigation of, and leadership in three large European conflicts, Otto von Bismarck created the rivalries and social conditions necessary for the outbreak of the First World War. • Bismarck annexed territories in Northern Germany • “By the 1865 Convention of Gastein, Schleswig went to Prussia and Holstein to Austria, but Austria insisted this was only a provisional solution.”1 • Bismarck began to orient German foreign policy to direct Austrian power away from the North • “A vision of a Prussian-dominated northern Europe and a redirection of Austrian power to the Slavic areas in the south took shape in his (Bismarck’s) mind.”2 • The shift created instability in the Slavic states, where the First World War began • “First, the limits of great power control over events within Europe were exposed. Owing to rivalry between Russia and Austria in the Balkans, the Concert of Europe was unable to impose its will on the Balkan states.”3 • The Franco Prussian War of 1870 was initiated by Bismarck • “Ostensibly fought over the issue of whether the German prince Leopold von Hohenzollern would be permitted to accept the vacant throne of Spain, the Franco-Prussian War was really a dispute about German unification.”4 • The conflict left a rivalry and atmosphere of hate for years leading up to WW1, and was a cause of the war • “The Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) had left France thirsting for revenge and for recovery of the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine.”5 ARGUMENT 2: Through his successful unification efforts, Otto von Bismarck brought forth to Europe a great new power to be reckoned, economically, and militarily, thereby raising tensions during a postwar peace. • Bismarck made his intentions very clear from the onset of his reign as Minister-President • “I shall seize the first best pretext to declare war against Austria, dissolve the German Diet, subdue the minor states and give national unity to Germany under Prussian leadership.”6 • Bismarck wanted a Prussian dominated Germany • “Gradually... began to consider the options that would make Prussia the undisputed power 7 in Germany.” Alexander Stoyanov • After the Austro Prussian War, Bismarck took over territiories with the goal of expanding Prussian influence over Germany • “Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Nassau, and Frankfurt, all of which had fought against Prussia, were annexed.”8 • Bismarck warned against serious reparations for France, however was unable to control King William’s generals, a failure that led to the First World War. • “a generation that has taken a beating is always followed by a generation that deals one.”9 • The Franco Prussian War resulted in more German influence, especially through the annexation of the Alsace and Lorraine regions. • The war“lit the flame of resentment and shame in the souls of the French... Although peace prevailed in Europe for 43 years after the Franco-Prussian War, it was an unstable and uneasy peace... the two nations continuously poised for a resumption of hostilities.”10 • After the war, a huge indemnity was demanded • “The French indemnity added to available capital”11 • This indemnity was put to use building the economy, military, and infrastructure of Germany • Germany “made heavy investments in railroads and spurred industrialization with tax benefits, tariffs, and policies encouraging the formations of large combines, the famous German cartels.”12 ARGUMENT 3: Through his system of alliances put in place after every conflict, Otto von Bismarck set up the domino effect that enveloped every European nation into the massive conflict that was WW1. • The alliances in place before WW1 are often cited as one of the reasons the war broke out • The Triple Alliance, and the Triple Entente “dominated the diplomatic history of Western Europe from 1882 until they came into armed conflict in World War I.”13 • Bismarck created an “Emperor’s League” in order to maintain peace, but also to maintain German power and influence • “The primary goal of this alliance was to isolate France from the rest of Europe.”14 • In direct competition with Germany, France and Russia band together. • France approaches Russia. Together, they form their own Dual Alliance, to “counterbalance the Triple Alliance.”15 • Bismarck’s alliances create two major hostile camps in Europe • The alliances “Each member nation promised to assist the others if one or both became involved in war with two major powers of the world, but would remain neutral in the event of war with one. For example, Italy pledged to remain neutral in a war between Austria- Hungary and Russia but would fight in a war between the Central Powers and a Franco- Russian foe.”16 • Bismarck created the conditions for war long before the war actually broke out. • “Europe was on the brink of world war almost a decade before it actually broke out.”17 ____________________________________________________________________________ 1 History Review, Mar 2010, Issue 66, p26 2 “Bismarck, Otto von” Barkin, Kenneth, Britannica Biographies, 3/1/2012, p1 3 Mulligan, William. The Origins of the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010. Print. 4 The Reader's companion to military history, Robert Cowley, Geoffrey Parker - Houghton Mifflin - 1996 Alexander Stoyanov 5 Fay, Sidney Bradshaw. The Origins of the World War. New York: Macmillan, 1930. Print. 6 Bismarck, Otto, 1862, "Bismarck's "Blood and Iron" Speech." 7 “Bismarck, Otto von” Barkin, Kenneth, Britannica Biographies, 3/1/2012, p1 8 Ibid 9 Rice Jr., Earle First Battle of Marne, 2002, p18 10 “How Did Bismarck Do It?” Steinberg, Jonathan; History Today, Feb2011, Vol. 61 Issue 2, p21 11 Rice Jr., Earle First Battle of Marne, 2002, p18 12 “The Western Experience,” Mortimer Chambers - Knopf; distributed by Random House - 1974 pg 259 13 “Triple Alliance and Triple Entente” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition; Dec2013, p1-2, 2p 14 “Bismarck, Otto von” Barkin, Kenneth, Britannica Biographies, 3/1/2012, p1 15 Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition; Dec2013, p1-2, 2p 16 Ibid. 17 Everyday Life: World War I, 2006, p2 .