Bismarck's Wars - Blood and Iron

Bismarck could have had his long planned for war with Austria in 1865 but he played the peacemaker, for a short while he worked to improve relations with Austria.  In this episode I discuss why he did that when of course in 1866, he would indeed start a war with Austria but he wanted it at his time of choice.

In this episode I look at the weapons that helped make the Prussian Army the powerful forces it was.  The Needle Gun, a breach loaded rifle which gave the Prussian Infantry such a heavy rate of fire compared to the muzzle loaded smoothbore muskets of the Danish and Austrian Army.  The Prussian artillery also the new breach loaded steel cannons.

Following the Prussian victory at Dybbol, the Prussian and Austrian troops occupy Jutland as well as Schleswig.  The Prussian Army crosses the narrow channel and captures the Danish island of Als.  At first the Danish Government refuses to accept any comprise but the Danish King replaces that Government with one that realise the war is lost. 

The Prussian Army launches an attack on the Danish fortress of Dybbol in April 1864.  It is a bloody battle but the Prussian capture the fortress and the Danish Army flees across a narrow channel in retreat.  There were celebrations in Prussia at the victory, Bismarck and his forcing through the taxes to pay for an increased Prussian Army become more popular.  A biography of Prussian War Minister...

The Prussian Army besiege the Danish fortress of Dybbol, after much effort and some time they bring up their artillery and bombard the Danish fortress, causing a great deal of damage to the Danish Gun positions.  A biography of the Prussian Army commander in this battle, Prince Frederick Carl, he takes his time to prepare an attack and this episode takes the battle up to eve of that attack.

The Danish Army defends a defensive line in Southern Schleswig, known as the Dannevirke.  A Prussian Army attack upon it is repulsed but the Austrian Army does manage a break though forcing the Danish Army to withdraw in a very cold retreat, where they lose much of their artillery.  A biography of the Danish Army commander General De Maza.

In 1863, the previous Danish King died, the new King was Christian the Ninth.  Under pressure from his Liberal Government he agreed to unite Schleswig into the Kingdom of Denmark.  This was against a international treaty signed by Denmark and would led to war between Denmark and Prussia and Austria, the Second Schleswig War.

The death of Prussian King Frederick William the Fourth, he is replaced by his brother William as King. The Liberals in the Prussian Parliament keep voting down the taxes needed for the Army reforms.  Otto von Bismarck is summoned by the King to ne Prime Minister.  Otto von Bismarck ignores the Prussian Parliament and bring in the new taxes.  In a speech to the Prussian Parliament in his 'Blood an...

The poor performance of the Prussian Army during the mobilisation of 1850, led to the need for reforms to the Army.  The reservist Landwehr would be reduced in importance.  The size of the Prussian army would be increased and a new Army reserve created, all this would cost money.  A biography of Prussian Army Chief of Staff General Helmut von Moltke. 

Prussia re-joins the Germen Confederation, Otto von Bismarck becomes Prussia's chief delegate.  He is often in conflict with the Austrian delegation.  Back in Berlin, Otto von Bismarck fights a duel. The biography of French Emperors Napoleon the Third, he will play an important role in the history of Germany.  His aggressive foreign policy alarms the Germen states. 

The Prince of Hesse Kassel tries to restore his full right to control his state, the people force him out into exile and the Prince asks Austria for help.  This crises led to a confrontation between Prussia and Austria which seems likely to end in war.  The Prussian Army is mobilised but then the Prussian King backs down, agrees to end the Erfurt Union and re-join the Germen Confederation.

The Prussian Government wanted to expand its influence in Germany, so it sets up the Erfurt Union but not all Germen states join.  Worse still Austria now have defeated the Hungarian revolt, now wishes to regain its influence with the Germen Confederation.  Otto von Bismarck is elected to Erfurt Parliament but he is opposed to the Prussian King's wish for greater Germen unity. 

Prussian troops are used to help other Germen rulers to crush the Liberals such as in Baden, where the Grand Duke flee and asked for Prussian help.  The Prussian Government demand the end of the Liberal Frankfurt Parliament.  The First Schleswig War restarts between the Danish Army and its Germen citizens who call upon Prussian help but once the European powers demand an end to the war at least fo...

In Prussia, the fight back against the Liberals is organised by Otto von Bismarck, with the creation of Conservative Political Clubs and Newspapers.  The Prussian King tried of having to work with the Liberals in the Parliament, uses the Army to supress it.  The King imposed his own written constitution on Prussia.  The Prussian King also refuse an offer by the Liberal Frankfurt parliament to make...

The leaders of the Revolutions through much of Europe had seized power from the old order but they quickly fell out among themselves, there were the Liberals who wanted political reform and the radicals who wanted both political and social reforms.  Then there were the Nationalist divisions, it was not long before Germen Nationalists were conflict with Czech, Polish and Danish Nationalist.  It was...

1848 was the year of revolutions in Europe and it would effect Prussia too.  However the fighting in Berlin would some of the bloodiest of the revolutions, with Prussian troops firing on the city's citizens who then took to the barricades.  The Prussian King Frederick William the Fourth withdrew the army from the City and accept the demands for political reforms from the Liberals at least for now....

A brief history of Prussia between 1806 and 1847.  A biography of the King of Prussia in 1847, King Frederick William the Fourth.  His attempts at some limited reforms but his also his belief that he had a divine right to rule.  Also there is a brief biography of the early years of Otto von Bismarck, who by 1847, he was still a minor figure in Prussian politics but held firmly Conservative views.