WOH 1030 Exam 2 Study Guide German Unification Process Italy s unification was very similar o Both countries were fractured politically economically and legally o Unified at the same time The German nation states each had their own rulers and were never unified until this period Prussia was a regional power part of Germany that wanted to unite the other principalities under their empire Process of unification o Internal external diplomacy Wilhelm I king of Prussia let Otto von Bismarck back the enterprise Otto is a gifted diplomat He accomplishes unification in less than 10 years Internal goes to the vulnerable principalities and offered protection if they joined Prussia The princes would also have access to new Prussian markets External Otto wanted other European powers to pressure their allies the smaller German states to join his state But the other Europeans would rather leave Germany divided since it made it easier to control Furthermore the Austrian Emperor thought if he gave up his German colonies all of his other colonies would want to return to their nationalistic country o War 1866 Prussia declares war on Austria Prussians clobber the Austrians in 6 weeks The general wanted to take Vienna the capitol but Otto wouldn t let him Austria is also German speaking and might become an important ally Compromise Otto could ve demanded more territory and concessions They agreed to be allies if Austrians respected the new boundaries Links the countries during WWI Franco Prussian War Louie Napoleon fears German unification because Alsace and Loraine had been traditionally French but located in Germany Napoleon had just increased taxes and thought a war would be a good way to distract his citizens Otto allows the army to take Paris Napoleon falls and the Third Republic rises French forced to sign a lopsided treaty Otto created a bitter Third Republic whose main goal was to reclaim Alsace and Loraine Caused more problems while the Austrian Prussian war solved them Otto wanted to hinder a French comeback He wanted to hamper the French economy so the Germans could industrialize faster and by the time France caught up they wouldn t bother trying to retaliate Hanover traditionally English but Britain was caught up in India so they couldn t fight to keep it under their control Had Europe s energies been focused on Europe the unification might not have happened this way Unification creates a lot of problems in Europe Germany thinks they re a great European power and begin wanting colonies Scramble for Africa 1880 1902 Causes o Economic Germany France and the U S are industrializing and need raw goods and markets to dump their surpluses on Britain had a foothold in Egypt but anticipated a need for more resources so they began expanding from there There are a lot of resources in Africa but no markets o Social Darwinism The strongest nation will be the one that survives These governments thought the only way they could survive was to have the most resources and control the most territory o Industrial and scientific advancements After 1870 Europe could again turn their energies outward Europe entered this period as the undisputed military master Maxim machine gun most important to domination of Africa Malaria was the reason that Europe had not been able to infiltrate the Asian and African woods in the part But now they had quinine which was easy to mass produce Steam ships for the first time fast moving coal powered armored steam ships became the frontline vessels in every major navy If something happens in one of their new colonies they can now show up quickly with soldiers Telegraph in 1870 the first cable from Africa to Europe was dropped Allowed for command and control o Social tensions In France wealthy industrialists could inflate a crisis in an African colony to keep workers from striking o White man s burden Idea that Europeans could go to backward lands and civilize every heathen they came in contact with It was their obligation to spread their advancements to the rest of the world How o King Leopold II Belgium began signing treaties with royalty in the Congo River basin Created the Belgian Congo in the heart of Africa o France began expanding and dominated large parts of NW Africa o British have territory almost the uninterrupted length of Africa with the exception of a slice of German east Africa o Berlin Congo conference All powers except Britain show up Not a single African leader invited Leopold II could keep Congo and principle of effectivity in Africa the only way a European power can effectively control a territory is with military and civilian occupation Bureaucracy had to be present to administer the colony at all times This becomes very expensive to colonize Africa so other Europeans couldn t claim your territory there Great War WWI 1890 1918 Some countries went to protect what they believed was their nation s way of life France Germany Some went begrudgingly England Changed colonial people s view of Europe Before they thought Europeans were invincible This marks the end of imperialism for most of Europe Otto von Bismarck s system o 7 years after the Franco Prussian war France s economy bounces back o Original Three Emperor s League Link the three conservative monarchs together Austria Hungary Russia and Germany in a defensive and offensive alliance If one country started a war the other two were required to come to their aid Didn t last long emperor s couldn t get along had diverging interests and Russians decided to start a war against the Ottomans o After fall of OTEL Otto creates the Triple Alliance Defensive alliance with Austria Italy and France were sparring over some territory in the Alps so they wanted to join too Keeps France and Russia in check o Russo German reassurance treaty if either party goes to war the other party will not attack them o Maintained stability and peace in Europe 1873 1890 1890 Wilhelm I dies Wilhelm II takes over o Forces Otto to retire o Wilhelm refused to renew the Russo German reassurance treaty o Russia and France form a relationship France offered military technologies low interest loans Russia had to ally with them against Germany 1894 o Russia France ally against Germany Italy Austria o Wilhelm II makes a British Germany treaty impossible Second Boer War Britain vs the Dutch The dispute broke into a war Wilhelm openly supported the Dutch and sent them military equipment and advisors prolonging the war To pacify steel producers coal