Prussia (----)

Outbreak of Revolution

Mar 13, 1848

The public demanded for a unified Germany.

Prussian Foreign Minister

Sep 23, 1862

Bismarck was appointed as the Prussian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Blood and Iron Speech

Sep 30, 1862

Bismarck’s "Blood and Iron" Speech given to the Budget Committee of the Prussian Chamber of Deputies addressed Prussia's political future.

Schleswig-Holstein War

Oct 30, 1864

Bismarck persuaded Austria to join a campaign against Denmark, and the combined forces took over Holstein and Schleswig.

Austro-Prussian War

Jun 14, 1866

The war ended with Prussian victory under the Peace of Prague.

Peace of Prague

Aug 23, 1866

The treaty achieved:
-Exclusion of Austria from German affairs, establishing Prussia as the leading German power.
-Dissolved the old German Confederation
-Prussia annexed Schleswig and Holstein.

Ems Dispatch

Jul 14, 1870

Bismarck published the telegram from Ems that suggested that both nations were ready to go to war – it provoked the Franco-Prussian War.

Franco-Prussian War

Jul 19, 1870

The Franco-Prussian War was a result of the tensions built up over the years. The success of Prussia allowed the unification of Germany.

Rising Prussia

Jan 18, 1871

Bismarck, the "Iron Chancellor", pursued a foreign policy to preserve peace and to give a chance for the new German Empire to develop. He consolidated the state by modernizing administration, law, and education. Bismarck won the support of the business people and the traditional Prussian aristocrats.

German Unification

Jan 18, 1871

Germany was unified at Versailles, 1871, under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm I and Chancellor Bismarck.

Three Emperors' League

Oct 22, 1873

Bismarck feared combined attacks from east and west and tried to keep Germany allied with Russia and Austria-Hungary to ostracize France. The alliance, however, soon broke up due to disputes over the Balkans.

Austro-German Duplice

Oct 7, 1879

Bismarck formed an alliance with Austria.

Triplice Alliance

May 20, 1882

The alliance between Austria, Germany, and Italy led to Germany's involvement in World War I.

Wilhelm II's Reign

Jun 15, 1888

Wilhelm II took over Germany in 1888. His ambitious political goals consisted of the creation of a more influential Germany, establishment of a modern navy to challenge the British naval supremacy. However, his aggressive foreign policies destroyed important foreign relations.

Bismarck's Abdication

Mar 18, 1890

When Wilhelm II pressured Bismarck to resign, on March 18th, Bismarck gave Wilhelm II a choice of following Bismarck's policies or letting him resign. Wilhelm II manipulated the contents to make Bismarck's health concerns the reason of Bismarck's abdication.

Triple Entente

Apr 8, 1904

Russia, France, and Britain joined to form the Triple Entente, which turned against the Triplice of Germany, Austria and Italy. The European powers were now divided amongst the Triple Entente and the Triplice.

World War I

Jul 28, 1914

When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, the alliances declared war against each other, leading to the World War I.