Nation   States   saw   a   major   resurgence   during   the   post   industrial   revolution   period   of   the   1860’s   and   1870’s.
The   key   factor   in   this,   inspired   by   the   Revolution   in   France   and   Napoleonic   age   was   the   feeling   of   nationalism.
The   nations   of   Italy   and   Germany   will   use   these   sentiments   to   forge   their   own   unification,   not   so   much   indepdence.
The   movements   will   be   lead   by   two   fierce
nationalists   Italian   Prime   Minister   Camilo   di   Cavour   and   Chief   Minister   Otto   Von   Bismarck.
The   Unification   of   Italy:   1861
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Italy   before   unification:   Separate   States.
o The   Kingdom   of   Naples   (Two   Sicilies)   was   made   up   of   Sicily   and   the   Southern   half   of   the   Italian   Peninsula.
o The   Papal   States   in   the   Middle   of   the   Kingdom.
o Lombardy   and   Venetia   Industrial   provinces   in   the   North   ruled   by   Austria.
o Kingdom   of   Sardinia:   made   up   the   island   of   Sardinia   and   the   northwestern   provinces.
Ruled   by   the   monarchy   Victor   Emmanuel   II   and   his   prime   minister
(1854 ‐ Cavour).
The   only   independent   state
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Cavour’s   Politics:   rejected   the   ultra   nationalism   and   liberal   approach   of   the   idealist   Giuseppe   Mazzini.
He   did   however   embrace   liberal   reforms   such   as   limits   on   papal   dominance,   public   works,   education,   the   growth   of   industry,   railroads   and   emancipating   the   peasants.
o Power   Politics:   brought   Sardinia   on   the   side   of   France   during   the   Crimean   war   of
1856…he   then   petitioned   Napoleon   III   to   aid   Italy   in   a   war   for   independence   against   the   Austrians.
He   agreed   as   the   emperor   was   interested   in   weakening
Austria.
They   struck   a   land   deal   that   would   give   Napoleon   III   the   French   speaking   Italian   provinces   while   Cavour   and   Emmanuel   were   allowed   to   annex
Northern   Italy.
In   the   middle   of   the   War…Napoleon   pulls   out,   for   fear   of
Prussian   intervention!
However,   Austria   allowed   the   several   of   the   northern
Kingdoms   including   Lombardy   to   declare   independence   and   unite   with   Cavour.
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Giuseppe   Garibaldi:   along   with   his   redshirts   at   the   urging   of   Cavour   will   invade   Sicily   and   a   French   force   protecting   the   region.
Garibaldi’s   men   illustrate   the   power   of   nationalism,   their   force   of   but   1,000   defeated   armies   10x   their   size!
They   conquered   Sicily   in   the   name   of   unification   with   Cavour   with   Emmanuel   II   as   the   leader   of   the   throne.
(Picture   in   text)
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Final   unification:   the   last   group   to   be   subdued,   albeit   peacefully   were   the   Papal   States   who   despite   misgivings   of   the   Pope   will   be   joined   in   the   unified   Italy.
Unification   came   with   limits   however   as   the   people   had   few   freedoms   in   terms   of   political   participation.
The   Unification   of   Germany:
Germany’s   unification   began   with   a   dramatic   increase   in   the   wealth   and   prestige   of   the   German   states.
Germany   began   intertrading   amongst   its   states   and   the   results   were   prodigious.
Economically,   Germany   was   unified.
The   largest   Germanic   state   Prussia   dealt   closely   and   forcefully   with   Austria.
Austria   stood   to   lose   greatly,   economically   and   for   fear   of   German   might   should   they   unify.
The   Frankfurt   Assembly   of   1848   led   by   the   aggressive   Hohenzollern   family   failed   to   unite
Germany   so   afterwards   they   are   determined   to   do   it   by   force.
Austria   also   a   Germanic   kingdom   did   not   desire   unification.
Prussian   liberals   desired   a   unification   of   the   38   independent   states   ruled   by   a   constitutional   monarchy.
Conflicts   raged   in   Prussia   as   King   William   IV   promised   certain   liberal   reforms   that   were   too   much   for   conservatives   and   too   little   for   liberals.
The

workers   wanted   socialism,   the   conservatives   refused.
The   problem   was   two   provinces
Schleswig   and   Holstein   that   were   claimed   by   the   Danish.
When   the   war   with   Denmark   brought   victory   Fredericka   William   the   King   of   Prussia   began   discussions   to   make   him   a   divine   right   empire   of   Germany…Austria   balked,   deal   off.
Otto   von   Bismarck   and   Realpolitick:
Bismarck   the   ultimate   Machiavellian   was   appointed   chief   minister/chancellor   to   push   through   military   expenditures   in   the   name   of   King   (Kaiser)   Wilhelm   I.
Like   Metternich   he   had   no   interest   in   reform   or   democracy   his   concern   was   power,   power   in   his   mind   came   in   the   form   of   “Blood
and   Iron”.
In   his   mind   blood   and   iron   were   the   only   things   capable   of   unifying   Germany,   it   had   to   be   achieved   through   planned   industrialization   and   warfare.
He   used   three   wars   to   chip   away   at
resistance   and   strengthen   Prussia.
End   justifies   the   means!
1.
Danish   Wars:   beginning   in   1864   the   allied   Prussia   and   Austria   (fake   alliance)   defeat   he   the   Danish   over   the   disputed   provinces.
Nationalism   feelings   are   high   with   the   convincing   victory.
Quickly   arising   the   issue…who   get’s   what   between   the   two   kingdoms.
2.
Austro ‐ Prussian   War:   broke   out   in   1866   after   the   Danish   wars   also   known   as   the   7   weeks   war.
Land   issues   from   war   1   were   unresolved   so   Austria   along   with   a   large   alliance   of   the   remaining   German   states   declared   war   on   Prussia.
The   superior   Prussian   force   drubbed   them.
Surrender   terms   lenient   so   Bismarck   could   use   Austria   in   war   3.
21   of   the   38   states   were   unified   in   Bismarck’s   new   North   German   Confederation   under   the   leadership   of   the   Prussian   King.
The   body   had   a   two ‐ house   legislature   known   as   the
Reichstag   and   Bundesrat.
3.
Franco ‐ Prussian   War:   broke   out   over   a   disputed   the   dynastic   throne   in   Spain.
France   and
Prussia   disagreed.
Bismarck   and   France   engaged   in   intense   diplomacy   which   Bismark   altered   (Ems   Dispatch)   and   made   public.
The   comments   were   embellished   and   inflammatory   and   inspired   great   nationalism   in   Prussia.
Napoleon   III   bowed   to   the   public   opinon   in   France   which   was   equally   nationalistic   and   declared   war   on   Prussia.
The   result   was   an   absolute   route,   in   less   than   four   months   the   Prussians   had   defeated   the
French   and   taken   Napoleon   III   prisoner!
The   French   were   punished   very   harshly   by   the   peace   terms   laid   out   by   Bismarck.
Many   southern   states   joined   the   war   effort   and   ultimately   the   empire.
Treaty   of   Frankfurt   in   1871   gave   the   very   wealthy   territories   of
Alsace   and   Lorraine   to   the   Germans.
The   victories   sparked   intense   nationalism   and   rekindled   the   desire   for   a   unified   German   state   under   Prussian   rule.
Immediately   after   victory   #3,   the   four   southern   (Baden,   Bavaria,   Hesse,   and
Wurttemberg)   states   not   in   the   empire   joined   the   German   confederacy.
Germany   had   been   united   with   Bismarck   as   its   Chancellor   and   Kaiser   (emperor)   Wilhelm   its   monarch.
However,   this   relationship   is   confusing…it   is   similar   to   Richelieu   and   Louis   XIII.
Bismarck   had   complete   control   over   Wilhelm.
Democratization:   Reichstag   elected   by   universal   suffrage   had   little   real   power.
The   chancellor   and   his   cabinet   of   ministers   held   most   of   the   power.
It   was   a   façade   of   democracy.
His   nemesis   the   National   Social   Democratic   Party   (Socialists)   were   a   rising   powerful   force   that   Bismarck

couldn’t   defeat…so   as   in   the   English   case   of   Gladstone/Disreali…he   joined   them   and   took   their   initiatives   of   workmen’s   comp,   pensions   and   medical   insurance.
Wilhelm’s   son   Kaiser   Wilhelm
II   finally   dismissed   Bismarck   in   1888.
Wilhelm   knew   that   Bismarck   dominated   politics   and   wanted   to   rule   autocratically   which   he   did   until   the   end   of   WWI   when   it   was   he   who   dominated
politics.