One of the momentous events in the history of Europe was the unification of Germany in 1870. This event led to the creation of an economically strong and militarily powerful German nation that shook the power dynamics in Europe and led to two world wars to satisfy German national aspirations. The man who achieved this massive task is Prussian Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck. He through a series of wars and deftly made diplomatic ties unified individual German states under the Prussian banngoals.

How Blood And Iron Policy Unified Germany

1. When Denmark violated the London agreement of 1852 and incorporated territories of Schleswig and Holstein, Bismark went to war with Denmark in 1864. He was supported in this war by Austria. The combined forces of Austria and Prussia defeated Denmark.
2. This war led to the Gastein agreement of 1865 according to which Schleswig came under the protection of Austria and Holstine under the protection of Prussia.
3. After defeating Denmark he turned his attention to Austria. He began systematically isolating Austria by making treaties with other major European powers to prevent them from coming to the aid of Austria.
4. He supported Russia when a revolt arose in Russian Poland, He offered support to Italians in their goal of Italian Unification. Having isolated Austria he violated the 1865 Gaustein treaty leading to war with Austria. Prussia came out victorious in this war and the subsequent Treaty of Prague excluded Habsburgs of Austria from German affairs.
5. This led to Prussia becoming the only major power among German states. In 1867 he incorporated all German states north of the Main river, deposing their ruling dynasties. Thus he formed the North German Confederation.
6. Bismarck completed the unification process when a possibility of the cousin of Wilhelm I becoming monarch of Spain arose. Bismarck backed the idea, while France, the last remaining obstacle in German unification, opposed it.
7. This led to the Battle of Sedan in 1870, where Prussia not only defeated but captured Napoleon III. When war broke out all southern German states supported Bismarck. The war ended in 1871, January.
8. Ten days before the ending of the war, the establishment of unified Germany was declared with Wilhelm I as its emperor at a conference in the hall of mirrors in Versailles palace.

Bismark blood and iron policy not only included wars and concluding treaties but also building up a strong army to fight these wars. He made sure the army reforms took place and built a powerful army. The unification of Germany established a strong and powerful nation with aggressive nationalistic aspirations. The downside of Blood and Iron policy was that it caught the popular imagination and tended to foster militarism and authoritarianism in Germany.