The Last Emperor Of Germany And King Of Prussia

Germany started out as a divided nation fighting for dominance in Europe. Otto Von Bismarck was able to take this struggling complexity and unify it. During this process Bismarck turned the small country of Prussia into a powerhouse, growing the population from 11 to 18 million. Bismarck sprung from a landlord class and moved his way up the political ladder as realpolitik, realistic Politician. He was a man of simple ideals; he stressed duty, service, order, and the fear of God. These ideals along with manipulative tactics are what lead Bismarck on his journey of the unification of Germany, proving that without Bismarck’s diplomatic efforts between 1871 and 1890 Europe would not be the stabilized continent it is today.

One of the notable leaders for Germany's unification was Wilhem I the King of Prussia. Wilhem succeeded Frederick William in 1861. His support came widely from middle class conservatives and wealthy landowners also called the Junkers or nobility. The Junkers opposed the revolutionary liberals. Wilhem’s proposals as king were he wanted an increase in military strength and size. However at the time Parliament the legal body of Prussia would not give in to his demands and refused to give the king any money. This pushed Wilhem to appoint a new Prime Minister in order to achieve his wish for of a bigger military. The most well know figure behind the German unification was Otto von Bismarck or the “Iron Chancellor” a conservative Junker. Bismarck was appointed as Wilhem’s Prime Minister in 1862. Bismarck believed in the idea of politics of reality or Realpolitik or “a foreign policy based on calculations of power and national interest” ( Kassner 3).

His father served a very small term, only lasting several months, due to having cancer when he became emperor. Wilhelm became took over for his father on June 15, 1888; he was only age 29 at the time. Wilhelm didn’t have the best political career, all things considered. He regularly ruffled the feathers of other nations, which caused some inner trouble within Germany. Kaiser’s hand was somewhat tied when it came to beginning World War I- in fact, it is said that he said” You will regret this, gentlemen,” to his generals.

In contrast to Bismarck, Kaiser believed that in order to keep Germany in power and prevent them from defeat he had to build and strengthen a navy as strong as, if not stronger than England’s. In all, Kaiser’s end goal was to make Germany the strongest country in power out of Europe, whereas Bismarck was content with having good relations with different European countries but also maintaining his own power throughout the land that he owned.

Fascism was around approximately forty years. From 1921-1943, Mussolini was the Fascist leader in Italy and Hitler was the Fascist leader in Germany. Many people thought Fascism could improve their countries because the leaders who stepped up to power, promised great improvements. They also convinced the citizens that they had nothing more to worry about. When Fascist leaders were brought to power, they promised the people their lives would be better and their country would be saved. Fascism was good for people who complied with the rules, but not for those who talked against their leaders. Fascism in the 1920’s lead Europe to support of the middle class and economic instability.

Wilhelm II (January 27, 1859- June 4, 1941) He was the last ruler of the German Empire and Kingdom of Prussia. He ruled for 20 years from 1888 to 1918. He left foreign policy and the war effort to Paul Von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff who were the best generals. He lost most of his power and respect with the public because of newspaper interviews, which often depicted him as unrealistic and weak.

Both sources teach us about what people value and the responsibilities that men and women have had within society. Wilson in his inaugural speech is justifying the greatness of moral force of a society in which the government system has been set as the model through its people and the opportunities of limitless enterprises. Wilhelm on the other hand, explains the responsibility of the people of Germany to protect at all times the fatherland and only through the ideals of imperialism, nationalism and militarism can the fate of their country be guaranteed an everlasting

It has been said by several historians that the second half of the nineteenth century was the ‘Age of Bismarck.’ In the mid 1800’s Bismarck provided dynamic leadership- a trait which had been lacking during the events of 1848-89. Ian Mitchell stated “Bismarck was everywhere.” However, there has been a considerable degree of debate concerning the role of Bismarck in the unification of Germany. Some argue that unification would have been inevitable and had nothing to do with Bismarck, although others argue that the unification was solely down to Bismarck’s role. There are differing opinions on whether Bismarck was a planner or an opportunist or whether he was merely just

Prince Otto von Bismarck was seen as both a political genius and a power monger, like a German version of Alexander the Great by the people. Bismarck was a conservative, who used the people around him to reach his goals; and in doing so, he pitted people against one another. According to the book 19th Century Germany by John Breuilly, modern historians have found it very hard “to separate the man from his achievements” (Breuilly 172). The historians have run into a roadblock that consists mostly of “Bismarck’s individuality and his responsibility for the political development of the Empire” (Breuilly 172). Bismarck was known to support nationalism and patriotism, and he believed in the Burschenschaften or student organizations. He also believed in the concept of faith in power, more in ideas. Bismarck only cared for two things: Prussia and Prussian power, and he would do anything to obtain Prussian domination. Although Bismarck did not care for Germany, he was all for German Unification. Historians cannot decide if Bismarck’s legacy is positive or negative but they agree that he was a “brilliant and shrewd tactician who succeeded in postponing the problem of political mobilization for 60 years” (Breuilly 172). In Otto von Bismarck, some people saw a great man who was ahead of his time, while others saw nothing more than a bloodthirsty power monger, who wanted a united Germany to

Bismarck feared a two front war with Russia and Austria-Hungary so he tried to maintain allied with them. After Wilhelm the first died and Wilhelm the second replace him, Germany was on a new track to become a world power. Wilhelm II showed a lot of aggressiveness and it started to worry the European powers. The Wilhelmine era started a lot of conflicts in Europe.

Wilhelm II a.k.a. Wilhelm II (1859-1941), was the last German Kaiser or emperor, and also the king of the Prussia from 1888 to 1918. He was a prominent figure in World War I and gained an infamous reputation as an active militarist through his speeches and politically incorrect newspaper interviews. He was born in Potsdam, Germany on January 27, 1859 to Frederick III of Germany and Victoria, the first child of Queen Victoria of England. He arm was deformed during the birth and never grew to full size and some historians believe the lame arm contributed to his rash behavior.

Otto Von Bismarck was a great leader in the unification of Germany. His skill as a diplomat was unrivalled during his reign as chancellor of Prussia. The mastery he showed in foreign policy was such that he was able to outwit all other powers and make their leaders appear inadequate.

Adolf Hitler was the dictator of Germany during World War II. He was well adored by many citizens of the country, but he was also behind a horrifying tragedy that took the lives of millions of Jews. He was a very compelling leader which is why so many people followed him blindly. Hitler’s story comes from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most powerful dictators in the world. He used his powers to influence his country and plunge the world into a full on war.

Occasionally he displayed a violent temper, and he kept his power by melodramatically threatening resignation time and again, which cowed Wilhelm I. He possessed not only a long-term national and international vision but also the short-term ability to juggle complex developments. As the leader of what historians call "revolutionary conservatism,"[4] Bismarck became a hero to German nationalists; they built many monuments honoring the founder of the new Reich. Many historians praise him as a visionary who was instrumental in uniting Germany and, once that had been accomplished, kept the peace in Europe through adroit

A close friend of Voltaire, during his rule Prussia became a hub for the great minds of the time and his palace in Potsdam hosted ballet and operas. As a young man he had a keen interest in culture and wrote poetry and prose in French, he once wrote that Machiavelli’s principles of remorseless pragmatism were no longer suitable in the much gentler enlightened age. However, just one year later he found himself on the throne of Prussia and proceeded to ruthlessly wage wars and exploit diplomatic opportunities with the aim of building Prussia into a great power. He provoked the war of Austrian Succession by invading the province of Silesia, which he subsequently won, doubling the Prussian population and cementing Prussia’s place as the greatest of the German states. After the end of the war of Austrian Succession, Friedrich the Great began to embrace more enlightened ideas, he was markedly more tolerant in matters of religion allowing the citizens of Prussia to practice as they wished and he heavily promoted education reform and published the findings of many scholars (Gates, no date). Despite his demonstrations of, and indeed conviction for, enlightenment the reign of Friedrich the Great was most memorable for his demonstrations of power and military prowess (Keithly, no