Military improvements
Bismarck was determined to further strengthen the position of Prussia in Europe by unifying the northern German states under Prussian control. In the 1850s, Bismarck prepared an army that would fight in case a war between them and Australia or other German states broke out. He corrected money through direct taxation, and the money would later be used for military reforms, which included introducing new weapons and an increase in army conscription.
Elimination of Austrian influence
Between 1864 -1866 Bismarck provoked the Danish war and the Austro-Prussian war, which was aimed to strengthen Prussia and weaken Austria and Denmark's position. Bismarck purposefully disagreed with Austria concerning the running of the dominated provinces. Austria dissolved the Austrian-dominated German confederation through the peace treaty, which led to their withdrawal from German affairs. Bismarck treated Austria generously, and he expected to gain friendship in return for the rise of the German state.
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Establishment of the North German confederation 1867
After the Austro-Prussian, some North German States were annexed by Bismarck while the rest were compelled to be included in the North German Confederation, dominated by the Prussian. Although four southern states were not included in the confederation, they were linked to Prussia by a defensive military alliance and Zollverein.
The Franco-Prussian war (1870-1871)
Bismarck weakened France by using diplomacy to keep Russia out of war and ensured that Italy was neutral and could not support France. Bismarck exaggerated the Franco-German hostility by writing the Ems Dispatch telegram. The telegraph was modified and released to the press; the modification appeared that the French envoy was deliberately insulted, William. The hostility created played a significant role in uniting the German states together.
Establishment of the German empire
The four southern German states concurred to the amalgamation with Prussia in the course of the Franco-Prussian war. In 1871 January, William 1 was proclaimed by Bismarck as the emperor of the German empire.
Reference
Hutto, N. S. (2014). German Unification through the Blueprint of Prussian Greatness: A Study of Similarities between the Prussians, Frederick the Great, and Otto von Bismarck. Saber and Scroll , 3 (4), 3.
