The causes and meaning of the great war . 2, his purposewas the consolidation of the several German statesinto one mighty empire under the dominatingleadership of Prussia. But as Austria was thenthe leading German Power, and too huge andconglomerate to make a subservient part of thatempire, Bismarcks first step was to crush and expelher from the German body. 7. Bismarcks Brutal Policy of Blood and Iron.—To carry out his purpose a powerful army, per-fectly disciplined and superbly equipped, wasnecessary, and to secure it the taxes were vastlyincreased. To this increase the Liberals in thePrussi
The causes and meaning of the great war . 2, his purposewas the consolidation of the several German statesinto one mighty empire under the dominatingleadership of Prussia. But as Austria was thenthe leading German Power, and too huge andconglomerate to make a subservient part of thatempire, Bismarcks first step was to crush and expelher from the German body. 7. Bismarcks Brutal Policy of Blood and Iron.—To carry out his purpose a powerful army, per-fectly disciplined and superbly equipped, wasnecessary, and to secure it the taxes were vastlyincreased. To this increase the Liberals in thePrussian Landtag strenuously objected. But hewas not at all dismayed by the bitter andviolent opposition he had to meet. They threat-ened to hang Bismarck. Although challenged againand again to the duel field he remained un-moved. Thrusting aside those who stood in hispathway, he silenced the press at will; he bulliedthe Landtag. He scornfully referred to hisopponents as mere pedants, and with brutalfrankness exclaimed: The making of Germany. PRINCE BISMARCK 6 THE CAUSES AND MEANING OF Bismarcksopen defi-ance of con-stitutionalrights is a matter not of speechifying or parliamentarymajorities; but of blood and iron. By this heof course meant that his aims were to be achievednot by argument or by moral suasion, but bythe use of bayonets and bullets on the battle-field. The triumph of his master, the Prussianking; and of his country, the Prussian state, was tobe brought about by any methods he could devise,his guiding principle being: The end justifiesthe means. For four years he took the money he needed, inutter disregard and in open defiance of constitu-tional rights. He could safely do this because thearmy, which was wholly at the kings disposal,protected him against a possible revolution on thepart of the people. This same army, enlargedand improved, was his chief instrument in carry-ing out this policy of blood and iron outsidethe kingdom. 8. The War with Denmark (1864).—By abl
Size: 1298px × 1925px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectworldwar19141918
