Unification of italy & germany Chapter 8: Section Unites Italy Unification of italy & germany

Introduction While nat’lm destroyed empires it also built them Italy was one of the nations to form Between 1815 & 1848 fewer Italians were willing live under foreign rulers Italians looked for leadership from the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia WHY? (1) it was the largest city-state and (2) it had a liberal constitution

Cavour leads Unification Cavour was named as prime minister by King Victor Emmanuel II He used skillful diplomacy & alliances to gain control of northern Italy For ex, he convinced Napoleon III to go to war with him against Austria to drive them out of No. Italy The 1858 war was very successful. They took all of No. Italy except Venetia.

Giuseppe Garibaldi As Cavour was uniting the North, a small army under Garibaldi began uniting the South Known as the Red Shirts Began in Sicily and marched north Garibaldi agreed to unite areas he conquered with kingdom of Piedmont- Sardinia The “Red One” willingly stepped aside

Unified Italy In 1866 Venetia became part of Italy By 1870 Italian forces had taken over the Papal states With this victory Rome became the capital of the united Italy The Pope would continue to live in a part of Rome known as the Vatican City.

German Unification Germany achieved some unity in 1815 with the German Confederation of 39 states. It was dominated by Austria then but Prussia was ready to step in and take it over and add more German states Prussia had advantages over Austria. (1) Unlike Austria Prussia had a primarily German population which unified it (2) Prussian army was the most powerful (3) Prussia had a liberal constitution

Bismarck Takes Control Wilhelm I succeeded Frederick William as king Liberal parliament refused him funds to double strength of his army Wilhelm saw this as challenge to his authority and was joined in this view by the Junker class. Wilhelm chose a conservative Junker, Otto von Bismarck, as his prime minister.

Wilhelm II & Bismarck

Bismarck Bis was a master of what is called Realpolitik (the politics of reality) It is known as tough power politics with no room for idealism. His style was to get done whatever needed to be done in whatever way necessary including war if necessary. Blood and iron speech on p. 262

Prussia Expands Bismarck formed alliance with Austria and went to war against Denmark and took over two border provinces (Holstein & Schleswig) The quick victory increased German nat’l pride among Prussians and won new respect from other Germans. It lend support for Prussia as head of a unified Germany. Prussia took over Schleswig

Seven Weeks War Then Bismarck purposely stirred up border conflicts with Austria (realpolitik) & provoked Austria into declaring war in 1866. Austr suffered devastating & humiliating blow They lost Venetia which went to Italy & even more Germany territory Prussia took control of northern Germany

Franco-Prussian War Bismarck manufactures war with France in order to win over the Southern German states They were Catholic & resisted domination by a protestant Prussia But Bismarck creates the impression that the French foreign minister insulted the Prus king and France reacts to the deception by declaring war on Prussia Prussia defeats France (captures Napol III)

Wilhelm Crowned Emperor Empire called the Second Reich Bismarck had achieved Prussian dominance over Germany by “blood and iron” The unification of Germany had upset B/P established at Congress of Vienna Britain & Prussia were the strongest econ & militarily. France was in the middle with Austria & Russia lagging behind.