Otto Von Bismarck's Responsibility For World War I
Otto von Bismarck became the Prime Minister of Prussia in 1862 and began his campaign for unifying Germany the same year. He managed to unify his country and become Chancellor of Germany in 1871 after years of war and political turmoil. This unification along with the other actions by Bismarck make him fairly responsible for starting WWI but nowhere near entirely at fault. These other actions include creation of strong nationalism in both Germany and other countries as a consequence, build up of armaments, and the creation of the Dual Alliance and Triple Alliance. Though other people were responsible for abusing his creations to begin WWI. Primarily this falls on Wilhelm II who, used Bismarck’s creations to further his desire of colonialism. Also Germans were not entirely at fault for WW1’s outbreak as many
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Bismarck began this war after securing the friendship of both the Russians, the French, and that of Austria as to prevent any interference from bigger stronger nations. To gain the trust of these nations made a number of decisive moves. He had the Prussians fight alongside the Russians and quell a Polish rebellion together. He promised the French some territory and told the Austrians it was simply Germans protecting Germans. Together the Prussians and Austrians quickly crushed the Danes and secured the two territories. Next came the war with Austria. Bismarck again set himself up with allies and other diplomatic persuasions to keep any other major power out of the fighting. He formed an alliance with Italy for the price of Venice and got Napoleon III to remain neutral. Bismarck, with the help of the Prussian general Helmuth von Moltke, defeated the Austrians in a matter of weeks and unified most of the rest of the German states. The recruitment of the southern German states was a difficult process. As he could not just go to war with them as that would not create the Germany Bismarck had envisioned.
Bismarck began this war after securing the friendship of both the Russians, the French, and that of Austria as to prevent any interference from bigger stronger nations. To gain the trust of these nations made a number of decisive moves. He had the Prussians fight alongside the Russians and quell a Polish rebellion together. He promised the French some territory and told the Austrians it was simply Germans protecting Germans. Together the Prussians and Austrians quickly crushed the Danes and secured the two territories. Next came the war with Austria. Bismarck again set himself up with allies and other diplomatic persuasions to keep any other major power out of the fighting. He formed an alliance with Italy for the price of Venice and got Napoleon III to remain neutral. Bismarck, with the help of the Prussian general Helmuth von Moltke, defeated the Austrians in a matter of weeks and unified most of the rest of the German states. The recruitment of the southern German states was a difficult process. As he could not just go to war with them as that would not create the Germany Bismarck had envisioned.