Bismarck Born: The Architect of German Unification
He was born into minor Prussian nobility with no obvious path to power. Bismarck made his own. Three wars in seven years — Denmark in 1864, Austria in 1866, France in 1870 — each one precisely calibrated to isolate the enemy and prevent a coalition from forming against Prussia. When it was over, he had a united German Empire. And he'd done it without losing a single major battle. The 'Iron Chancellor' retired in 1890, forced out by a young kaiser who didn't want a rival in the room.
April 1, 1815
211 years ago
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