@wittmann:
Don’t worry Worsham. You are very passionate about the subject and I am still learning.
Sorry I did not check and discreetly tell you by PM.
Hope you are having a good weekend. The 4th tomorrow….
Thank you for the kind words.
The Iron Chancellor born today in 1815
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On the 1st April 1815 Otto Von Bismarck was born in Schonhausen, Prussia. Despite hating political parties, he became a master politician and though a Prussian nationalist, he created a unified Germany.
He was a giant at 6 feet 5. He married a noblewoman and became a pious Lutherian.
He was lucky that Moltke was made Chief of Staff and Roon Minister of War, for when Prussia went to war with Austria in 1866, Prussia won quickly. France was next in 1870. They too were defeated very quickly. His king was now Emperor of a Federation of 25 states, with Prussia as first among them. He had been a Count until now, but in 1871 he was made a Prince and Imperial Chancellor. During the next few years he tried to lessen the influence of the Catholic Church, then the Socialist movement, outlawing meetings, organisations and arresting leaders.
He was not interested in gaining Colonies for Germany, thinking the pros would outweigh the gains, but public opinion was all for expansion and he had to give in to pressure. We know from our WW1 game that they gained four territories.
Bismarck was soon retired by the new, arrogant, emperor, Wilhelm II and died in 1898, aged 83.
His greatest feat was undoubtably, the unification of Germany. He also foresaw a European war and warned his emperor of the dangers of a two front war. Once he was gone, Germany, led by the younger Wilhelm, was to lose its way diplomatically with all that WW1 would bring. -
Yep one of the great men of History.
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Blood and Iron.
Besides supporting an awesome mustache, the man was the greatest master politician poker player of history.
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He did have an awesome mustache.
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If he was born in 1900-1915 just think of what he could do.
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@Imperious:
If he was born in 1900-1915 just think of what he could do.
Grow a better mustache?
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Seriously though he probably would of been a very tall Nazi.
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I thought this post appropriate as we are mostly talking WW1 and the CPs inability to win at the moment. He lived in a great time for Germany.
He was born two months before Waterloo and would have grown up in the knowledge how his small nation was instrumental in bringing down a victorious France and fantastic charismatic leader in Napoleon.
I was unaware that he made a treaty with Russia and that it was Wilhelm II who broke it and that he had always tried not to anger Britain by building too strong a navy or even trying to build an overseas empire.
What a great man. -
@wittmann:
I was unaware that he made a treaty with Russia and that it was Wilhelm II who broke it and that he had always tried not to anger Britain by building too strong a navy or even trying to build an overseas empire.
Yes, Germany’s foreign policy under Bismarck was guided by the principles of Realpolitik, whereas under Wilhelm II it shifted to a Weltpolitik approach aimed at making Germany a world power with its own colonial empire (its own “place in the sun”). Willy was also jealous of Granny Victoria’s magnificent fleet, a.k.a. the Royal Navy, so he had no reservations about antagonizing Britain by building up his own navy.
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I have always admired this painting.
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Thanks AB that is a cool painting
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Nice Worsham: any idea where it is and what is the event depicted?
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The painting is of the Bismarck giving birth to the nation of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace after France had been defeated.
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Thank you.
I have probably seen it then, but would have been more than twenty years ago if I did, hence I have forgotten about it.
Al loves Paris; am not sure if she wants to see Versailles though.
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