Transcript German Nationalism PPT 2015

Otto von Bismarck &
German Unification
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What is nationalism?
Discuss with Partner
1 minute
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Austria, France and Russia all feared a unified
Germany would be a powerful threat
Smaller German states feared a unified
Germany would mean Prussian control (this
was the same feeling some smaller American
colonies experienced after the Revolution!)
Catholic German states in the south feared
Protestant Lutheran states in the north would
dominate
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Prior to 1800, there were about 250 German
kingdoms, states or baronies.
When Napoleon conquered Europe, he reduced this
number to 100 by combining and/or eliminating
many of the German states in order to make the
territory easier to rule (Confederation of the Rhine).
In 1815, the Congress of Vienna further reduced
this number to 38 by creating the German
Confederation.
Austria was the strongest member of the
Confederation (remember, the Austrians share a
Germanic culture); Prussia was the second
strongest
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Many German nationalists believed that for a
new German Reich (empire) to emerge,
Austrian influence must be eliminated and
Prussia must take the lead in unification!
Why get rid of Austria?
◦ The Austrian Empire was not purely German; it
contained a huge mix of different ethnicities and
nationalities.
◦ Plus, Austria would try to dominate German politics
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Prussia was an authoritarian state.
Strong work ethic
Very militaristic
◦ Strong army
◦ Army would carry out the needs of the government
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Liberals demand reforms such as:
◦ A Constitution
◦ Workers rights
The revolt was suppressed by Fredrick
Wilhelm IV – emperor of Prussia
1849 – German Parliament tries to unify
German States into one country
◦ Offer the crown of the new Germany to Fredrick
Wilhelm IV.
◦ He turns them down. He believes in the concept of
divine right. “I will not accept a crown from the
gutter.”
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German unification put on hold
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Prussian Junker
◦ Junker = conservative noble class
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1862 – became Chancellor
under King Wilhelm I (a
position much like Prime
Minister or Secretary of State)
His goal? German unification!
He would accomplish it in just
under 10 years
“Germany does not
look to Prussia’s
liberalism, but to her
power…The great
questions of the day
are not to be decided
by speeches and
majority resolutions –
that was the mistake
of 1848 and 1849 –
but by blood and
iron!”
Discuss with your partner what you think
Bismarck meant by Germany’s power will be
determined by “blood and iron.”
2 Minutes
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Strong will
Powerful manipulator
Master of “Realpolitik” – politics of reality
Politics based on practical matters rather than
theory or ethics
Often resulted in ruthless decisions
(Sound familiar- Machiavelli???)
“The ends justify the means.”
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Had wars with Denmark and Austria - Prussia
easily won
No harsh terms of peace in order to prevent
feelings of revenge.
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War against Denmark
(with the help of Austria)
Seven Weeks War (against
Austria)
Franco-Prussian War
(against France)
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Bismarck invented excuse to attack Austria
Lasted 7 weeks
Major victory for Prussia
Prussia
◦ annexed Holstein and several other German states
◦ Dissolved Austrian gov’t & replaced with dominant
Prussian one
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“We had to avoid leaving behind any desire
for revenge.”
◦ Otto von Bismarck
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Growing rivalry between:
◦ France (Napoleon III- nephew of Napoleon
Bonaparte)
◦ Prussia (Wilhelm I & Bismarck)
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Relative of Wilhelm was offered the Spanish
throne
France protested
Bismarck rallies Germans (all Germans). It
becomes “Us against Them”
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Bismarck rewrote &
released in the press a
telegram
Wilhelm “insulted” French
ambassador
Napoleon III (France)
declared war on Prussia
Now France looks like the
aggressor nation
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France attacked Prussia
Prussia – military
superiority; highly
industrialized
Spanked France
Napoleon III
surrendered (taken
captive)
German army enters
Paris
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January 18,1871
German Confederation made official
Bismarck + 600 German princes, nobles, and
generals gathered at Versailles (Ouch!)
Wilhelm I of Prussia proclaimed Kaiser of the
Second German Empire
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Peace treaty signed May 1871
France paid $1 billion and had to give up the
provinces of Alsace & Lorraine
For the next 40 years, all that was left were
bitter feelings and the desire for revenge…
the “Revanche” movement
France will have its revenge after World War I
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Italian Peninsula - not unified since fall of
Roman Empire
Despite common language, most of peninsula
divided into competing states with own
government
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Napoleon invaded Italy
◦ United many states under one gov’t
◦ Congress of Vienna - split Italian states
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Spirit of nationalism began to rise
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COV had ignored national groups
Placed them under control of large empires
(sometimes w/ mixed ethnicities)
Some states were under Austrian control, while
others were under French control
Secret Societies
Italian artists, writers, thinkers became interested in
celebrating Italy’s cultural traditions
Others formed secret societies to work for political change
Some even plotted to overthrow the Austrian government in
Italy
1831, popular writer, Giuseppe Mazzini,
launched a nationalist group called
Young Italy to fight for unification of the
Italian states
Mazzini had been exiled but smuggled
patriotic pamphlets into Italy
Young Italy attracted tens of thousands
of Italians to the cause of unification
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As nationalism grew, some Italians led
unsuccessful rebellions
Then, two men rose to lead a successful
movement to unify Italy…
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Camilio di Cavour
Fought for Sardinia’s
independence
One of the most
important leaders of
Italian unification
Founded the nationalist
newspaper, Il
Risorgimento - or
“resurgence”
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1852, Cavour became Prime Minister
Worked toward rebuilding a thriving economy
so that Italy could unify (as a monarchy)
Cavour aligned Sardinia with France
◦ Sardinia supported France in war with Russia & gave
them the provinces of Savoy & Nice
◦ In turn, France supported Sardinia in its war against
Austria - (successful liberation)
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How did Cavour help Sardinia break free from
the Austrian Empire?
Talk with Partner
30 seconds
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Many Italians consider Cavour “brain” of Italian
unification, Mazzini “heart”
Giuseppe Garibaldi has been called “sword” of Italy
Garibaldi joined Young Italy movement, 1833
Nationalist activities forced Garibaldi to flee Italy
twice
Learned techniques of guerilla warfare while living
in South America
Returned to Italy often to continue fight to free
Italy from Austrian domination
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1854, Garibaldi returned for
good
Cavour asked to lead part of
Sardinian army in war
against Austria
After bitter fighting,
Austrians agreed to give up
Lombardy, retaining Venetia
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Followers known as Red Shirts because of colorful
uniforms
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By July 1860, using guerilla warfare, Garibaldi, Red
Shirts gained control of island of Sicily
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September, Garibaldi, Sardinian troops conquered
Naples
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Red Shirts now controlled southern part Italian peninsula
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Garibaldi wanted a republic, but ultimately offered the
Kingdom of Two Sicilies to Sardinian king Victor
Emmanuel
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What actions led Garibaldi to be called the
“sword” of Italian unification?
Talk with Partner
30 seconds
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1861, territories held elections, all agreed to unification
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Holdouts were Venetia, still belonging to Austria; Papal
States, under French troops supporting pope
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1866, Prussia defeated Austria, gave Venetia to Italy
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1870, Prussia forced French to withdraw from Rome
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Italian troops entered Rome, completed unification under
King Victor Emmanuel