Rise of German Unification in 1840-1870 - Research Paper Example

History and Political Science 10 November The Rise of the German Unification and how it affected the French Military Policy during the Period of 1840-1870 The unification of Germany under the European Commission carried fresh heights and debates to the integration of Europe. After the Second World War, West Europeans felt that Germany was secure when weak and divided. France enjoyed a special position in a divided Europe that depended on Germany which was divided. This is because France enjoyed political ascendancy, a good position as a lasting member of the United Nations Security Council, and control of nuclear defense. This however changed when the unification of Germany causing a change in French foreign and military policy. Germany is a state in Europe that rose into power during the German Unification of 1840-1870, and became a part of the Status Quo. Before it became unified, Germany entered into different wars such as the Austro-Prussian War, Danish War, and Franco-Prussian War. Prussia was a major boost for the German Unification, after it defeated Austria that had dominated Germany. The Unification was not an easy process, but the Germans were patient. Their main strengths were the growth of the economy, the effective railway network, and superior weapons. 1Today, Germany is a modern state, in the 19th Century it was made up of a collection of smaller states that formed the German Confederation. These Confederations were controlled by Austria. In the 1860`s, the control of Austria was challenged by the Prussia, the development of the unification, and codification of Germany. 2The process of unification began as a gradual evolution of economic affinity from the early stages of Industrial Revolution in the mid 19th Century, which made the German state modify towards economic unification. Some of the economic modifications were like the growth of the railway network in Germany, which made it easy to access different resources across the Confederations. This railway network helped to enhance economic growth, and economic prosperity. This growth also resulted to the formation of the Zollverin Customs union; this accordance was amongst the German states, to introduce a preferential custom policy for its members. Schleswig and Holstein were two German duchies that were under the control of the Danish. The Holstein population was largely German speaking and the Schleswig was a mixture of Germans and Danes. 3In the year 1840, the Dane tried to claim Schleswig and Holstein to be part of Denmark, instead of having a semi-independent duchy. This angered the German nationalist and demanded for the two duchies to be incorporated into the German Confederation. In 1848, a small war had begun for the two duchies. Throughout the history of Germany, unification had not been attained. The country had been divided into states that were ruled by a king, who pledged their loyalty to the Holy Roman Emperor. When Napoleon got into power, one of the things that he destroyed was the Holy Roman Emperor, and added its territory possession. 4In the year 1815, the Vienna divided Napoleon`s Emperor, they were put under Confederations, and they owned the Government and army. Due to the weak Government and Army in Germany, Austria controlled confederation. In 1848, the Germans tried to fight the Austrians but failed. The road to the unification was not an easy road but, the Germans were patient. Prussia became the unification of other German States; it became the forerunner in driving away the Austrians from Germany. Instead of the sudden uprising, they gained a strong economy.5 In 1840, a group of Aristocratic Prussian owners took the first step by enhancing trade, and making it easier throughout Germany. Zollverien, a custom union formed in 1934, reduced barriers, and tariffs among its members. 6The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 paved way for the unification of Germany, through successful wars within and outside. Germany became a powerful and aggressive nation in central Europe. It had built a strong and well equipped army, and a well-established navy. Germany became a fast growing industrial country with a growing population, hence securing it stability. The unification of Germany had several implications. Under Nationalism, it demonstrated a unique expression of unity that was as a product of war aggressions, but not through liberal means. Germany refused to be controlled by other states, their differences were put side to enforce on their national goals and objectives. Consequently, Germany gained peace and stability; this peace and stability threated the power of Europe. 7In the earlier years, Great Britain and France controlled Europe. The German unification changed the cause of history. This is because the political and economic strength of Germany upset the status quo, afterwards the Franco-Prussian France were in search of revenge. The French Military army policies were affected in many ways. This was because the French Army was neither ready, nor was it organized, and their railway station was not efficient. The military however didn’t spend much time with modern technology, the only plan they had was a series of arrangements to form the armies around Paris. 8The French rifle was about 1600 yard as compared to the Germany 600 yard, they were also unable to gather more than 250,000 troops. The French army also had poor a communication network. When Germany got unified, France’s9 “political ascendancy over the truncated Germany, its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and its possession of a nuclear deterrent seemed to lose credibility with the changes in the European landscape.” Consequently, the French foreign policy greatly changed. The controlled sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany was replaced by a completely sovereign and united Germany, which counterbalanced Frances economic strength. France decided to strengthen European integration as an essential move to restrain Germany to the European framework. Once unified, Germans population and resources were sufficient to make it the greatest and powerful European nation. Germany began by placing more emphasis on its military power ready for any attacks. To curb the dominance of the German economy, 10France decided to create the Economic and Monetary Union, “this was viewed as an attempt to curb the predominance of the Bundesbank and the Deutschemark.” After the defeat of the French by German, the Third Republic and the government decided to work to regain the position of France in Europe. They decided that this would be achieved if they provided France with a worldwide colonial empire. Consequently, they changed their policy and acquired new policies to advance their military; some of these policies were an initial move to expand its Empire. France hoped to gain back their power and prestige by expanding their empire. They also had a hope to expand their culture, of Catholicism, and also had pressure to expand their demographics. During the war, the French military was outnumbered by the German military and it was this time that the French leaders requested the colonial people to join the military. 11The desire to expand into new markets, and find cheap raw materials enhanced the desire for French to expand in the overseas. France had several strategies against the Germans. The first strategy was to build a structure of alliances, allied by the Britain; this was because the British could block the Germans for taking France territories, and deter it from going to war. It also wanted a cooperation with Russia; this was because due to the size of Russia, it would create a threat for Germany with a two-front war, if Germany begun the war. 12At this time France felt that it had solved all its problems regarding the Germans. The forces set to attack Germany, and convinced Berlin to attack first eliminating one enemy, so that it could not have the two-front war. France was not ready to accept defeat by Germany and the nation resented the defeat and seizure of Alsace-Lorraine. France therefore decided to take revenge on Germany. Between 1892 and 1995, France signed a complete military defensive alliance with Russia opening up the possibility of two front wars, in which chances of Germany losing would be many. However, Germany became aware of this and prepared in advance to meet the two war threat. After 1870, Germany had significantly increased its military equipment and personnel and in 1898, it expanded it navy personnel and equipment. At this time, France was facing three main challenges. The first was whether to escape diplomatic isolation or to work to regain its position in Europe as a great power. Second, was the issue of how to mend national unity in France and mainly how the French government would regain confidence from its army and citizens? Third, the French government wondered whether 13“it could define and propagate a coherent and confident national consciousness to underpin its diplomatic and military endeavors.” France created a third republic. However the republic was constantly faced by crisis as each appointed government kept collapsing. The nation decided to return to a constitutional monarchy after Napoleon was captured in 1871. In 1875, constitutional laws were signed into operation through a number of parliamentary acts for the third republic. However, the nation continued to struggle even with these changes. During the World War 1 and the World War 2, Germany had a mission to eliminate France. In the First World War Germany came close enough, but in the Second World War France saved itself. It was at this time that the Germans gave the French a surprise by withstanding the Russia, the French, and the British in the two-front war. This war weakened the Russian; the Germans now had new territories to show off to the French. 14With the intervention of the Americans, France was saved and a new balance of war was created. During the Second World War, France used the same strategy, and decisions to make the same moves. 15At this time France wasn’t saved by Marne, it was rather defeated and occupied by the Germans, but still France got saved by the Anglo-American forces that invaded and liberated them, bringing the man who actually defined the French strategy. In conclusion the rise of the German unification was brought about by Otto Von Bismarck, the German Chancellor. The process of unification started as a gradual evolution of economic affinity from the industrial revolution. Some of the notable economic growths were like the growth of the railway network, and the formation of the Zollverin custom union. During this period of Germany unification, Germany was under the dominance of the Austrians. It was at this time that the Prussians, led by a rich tycoon family, introduced a trade union that removed all trade barriers, and trade was done freely. The attainment of a unified state is not that easy, Germany was divided into states that were ruled by a king who was loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor. Prussia played a major role in the unification of Germany with the annexes of Holstein and Schleswig, and all the small states in Germany. The Roman Catholic proved it difficult to unify Germany, because they were unwilling to be dominated by the Protestants. Bismarck then decided to get favors from the Russians and the Italians, and as he tried to woe these countries, he also had strategies of how he was going to isolate the Austria, and create war against them. Prussia declared war on Austria, and the Austrians were defeated in a war known as the Austro-Prussian war. The Prussians won this war because they had superior weapons, advanced tactics, and an effective railway network. After French defeat by Germany, the French government decided to work in order to regain France’s position as a powerful nation in Europe. By providing France with a global colonial empire, the government sought. Consequently, France increased its military personnel and equipment and expanded its empire. France also made attempts to expand its culture of Catholicism and the number of people practicing this religion. The nation also formed alliances in order to expand into new markets. Works Cited Endow, Aparajita. France, Germany and the European Union. Delhi: Aakar Books, 2003. Print. Friedman, George. “Frances Strategy.” European Dialogue. 2008. Web. 12 November 2012. Gildea, Robert. Children of the Revolution: The French, 1799-1914. New York: Penguin Group, 2008. Print. Lawrence, K., Brian, R. and DeBevoise.M. B. The Columbia of History of twentieth- century French thought. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print. Lepage, Jean-Denis G. G. 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