Bismarck - How much did Bismar

Bismarck - How much did Bismarck's success from 1862-70 depend on the errors and misjudgements of others? According to the traditional German view, German unification was achieved in 1871 as a result of the actions of one great man, Otto von Bismarck, the Minister-President of Prussia, who planned the events leading to unification in detail. However, more recent historians have argued that Bismarck had no such ``master plan''. Instead, Bismarck's success was a result of his …

…led Bismarck to conclude peace quickly, strengthening Prussia's position at the expense of France. Later, France's mistakes in the Hohenzollern candidature crisis led to the war which Prussia won, allowing the founding of the German Empire. In each case, others' mistakes created a situation which Bismarck was quick to exploit. Bismarck's ability to exploit these situations was dependent on Prussia's long-term position of military strength, combined with the favourable diplomatic situation for Prussia in Europe.