Bismarck’s Unification of Germany 1864-1871 - Sir Richard Evans

In three short, sharp military conflicts, the Kingdom of Prussia, led by Otto von Bismarck, defeated Denmark, Austria and France to create the new German Empire in 1871. This lecture analyses these wars, their origins and their consequences, and explains how and why the Prussians were victorious, and how far Bismarck’s studied moderation in the peace settlements was successful in preventing further conflicts. This is part of the series of lectures, War and Peace in Europe from Napoleon to the Kaiser, which looks at the conflicts that tore Europe apart at various times during the 19th century. It examines the origins, course and impact of six wars, or international conflicts, looking not just at their military aspects but also at how soldiers and civilians experienced them, the ideological influences that underlay them, and the social and cultural changes to which they gave rise.