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Many European wars had been fought in Germany or by Germany in the centuries before Germany was unified. This was common because of Germany's location in central Europe. The Thirty Years War had ravaged Germany (17th century). The climatic land battle between Britain and France was fought in of all places Bavaria (1704). Napoleon's greatest victory was in the Austrian empire--Austerlitz (1805) followed by Jenna in Prussia (1806). German unification had been decided by war, in fact three wars masterfully orchestrated by Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Unification was a contest between Austria and Prussia. In the end, Prussia which industrialized and Austria which did not won the rivalry for unification. It was in Germany, especially Protestant northern Germany that public education began (18th century). Industrialization gave Prussia the military muscle to defeat Austria (1866). Germany after defeating France unified around the Prussian monarchy--the Hohenzollerns (1871). The king of Prussia became the German emperor (kaiser). Imperial Germany was a new, highly nationalistic state heavily influenced by the Prussian Junker class. This gave the German military tremendous prestige as well as made the use of force acceptable if not ingrained into the German mind. On the other hand, Germany had the largest Socialist movement in Europe with a strong Marxist belief that that war the product of capitalism and imperialism. It was Bismarck of all people, who competing with the Socialists invented the welfare state. He created programs like social security, old age pensions, and sickness insurance. Imperial Germany had a strong national government, but the kaiser was not a dictator. Imperial Germany was dominated by largely Protestant Prussia, but unification added the largely Catholic south. Bismarck's Kulturkampof was largely unsuccessful--a rare Bismarkian failure. Jews who fled oppression in Tsarist Russia became a small minority, but as a result of emancipation came to play an important cultural and economic role, leading to anti-semitism, although it was less pronounced than in France. What was pronounced was the increasing importance of Volkish thought, a reaction to the the huge impact of industrialization on German life. Even before unification, the German states, especially Prussia, were on their way to becoming highly industrialized. Germany led the industrial revolution on the Continent, but pursued a different path than Britain and America. The Prussian/German state played a major role in industrialization, a kind of state-guided capitalism. The railroads which played a huge role in the military victory over Austria (1866) were planned which took into account military uses. The Government also supported industrial expansion with military contracts. Krupp Steel became a major arms producer. Steel production eventually surpassed British, but not American production. Industry developed to the point that Germany was no longer self sufficient in food production. It had to import food as well as the raw materials needed for its industry. Britain was in the same position, but had the Royal Navy to protect its maritime sea life lines. Germany did not have a navy of any consequence. And when with Kaiser Wilhelm II's support for beginning to build one, this along with the Kaiser's bellicose behavior, was seen as highly provocative in Britain. And Germany's steel industry gave the country the ability to compete with Britain. Germany had a rich cultural life. European music was dominated by German composers. Kaiser Wilhelm II was Queen Victoria's grandson. But the Princess of Wales and future queen, Alexandria, was a Danish princess who despised both Bismarck and the Kaiser because of Prussia's invasion of her homeland (1864). Germany did not lead in the early European scientific advances This changed with German industrialization. By the turn of the 20th century, Germany was the world's leading scientific nation which can be seen by Nobel Prize awards. Germany was the leading nation, but Britain and France combined exceed the German awards by a substantial margin and America was becoming an important participant.
Many European wars had been fought in Germany or by Germany in the centuries before Germany was unified. This was common because of Germany's location in central Europe. The Thirty Years War had ravaged Germany (17th century). The climatic land battle between Britain and France was fought in of all places Bavaria (1704). Napoleon's greatest victory was in the Austrian empire--Austerlitz (1805) followed by Jenna in Prussia (1806). German unification had been decided by war, in fact three wars masterfully orchestrated by Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Unification was a contest between Austria and Prussia. In the end, Prussia which industrialized and Austria which did not won the rivalry for unification. It was in Germany, especially Protestant northern Germany that public education began (18th century). Industrialization gave Prussia the military muscle to defeat Austria (1866).
Germany after defeating France unified around the Prussian monarchy--the Hohenzollerns (1871). The king of Prussia became the German emperor (kaiser). Imperial Germany was a new, highly nationalistic state heavily influenced by the Prussian Junker class. This gave the German military tremendous prestige as well as made the use of force acceptable if not ingrained into the German mind. On the other hand, Germany had the largest Socialist movement in Europe with a strong Marxist belief that that war the product of capitalism and imperialism. It was Bismarck of all people, who competing with the Socialists invented the welfare state. He created programs like social security, old age pensions, and sickness insurance. Imperial Germany had a strong national government, but the kaiser was not a dictator. Imperial Germany was dominated by largely Protestant Prussia, but unification added the largely Catholic south.
Bismarck's Kulturkampof was largely unsuccessful--a rare Bismarkian failure. Jews who fled oppression in Tsarist Russia became a small minority, but as a result of emancipation came to play an important cultural and economic role, leading to anti-semitism, although it was less pronounced than in France. What was pronounced was the increasing importance of Volkish thought, a reaction to the the huge impact of industrialization on German life. Even before unification, the German states, especially Prussia, were on their way to becoming highly industrialized. Germany had a rich cultural life. European music was dominated by German composers. German philosophy was highly regarded around the world. A here there was amajor difference with the Englkish speaking people where the leading figures were Jeremy Bentham, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Adam Smith. And were much more influenced by the French phiolsophes, including Baron de Montesquieu, Jean Jacque Rousseau, and M. de Voltaire. Germans turned to Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Immanuel Kan, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche. This made a huge difference in national outlook.
Germany led the industrial revolution on the Continent, but pursued a different path than Britain and America. The Prussian/German state played a major role in industrialization, a kind of state-guided capitalism. The railroads which played a huge role in the military victory over Austria (1866) were planned which took into account military uses. The Government also supported industrial expansion with military contracts. Krupp Steel became a major arms producer. Steel production eventually surpassed British, but not American production. Germany did not lead in the early European scientific advances This changed with German industrialization. By the turn of the 20th century, Germany was the world's leading scientific nation which can be seen by Nobel Prize awards. Germany was the leading nation, but Britain and France combined exceed the German awards by a substantial margin and America was becoming an important participant.
Industry developed to the point that Germany was no longer self sufficient in food production. It had to import food as well as the raw materials needed for its industry. Britain was in the same position, but had the Royal Navy to protect its maritime sea life lines. Agriculture did notbplay a role in the dramatic first year of the War, but as the War coninued and food shortages developed, would play a major role on the War, epecially in Germany.
Germany did not have a navy of any consequence. And when with Kaiser Wilhelm II's support for beginning to build one, this along with the Kaiser's bellicose behavior, was seen as highly provocative in Britain. And Germany's steel industry gave the country the ability to compete with Britain in naval construction--the first county to do so since Trafalgur (1805).
Kaiser Wilhelm II was Queen Victoria's grandson. But the Princess of Wales and future queen, Alexandria, was a Danish princess who despised both Bismarck and the Kaiser because of Prussia's invasion of her homeland (1864).
Clark, Christopher. The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War (2013), 736p.
Darwin, Charles. Origin of the Species (1859).
McMeekin, Sean. July 1914: Countdown to War (2013), 480p.
Snyder, Laura J. William Whewell (Stanford University: 2000).
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