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fall of Napoleon
A new alliance was formed against the weakened France consisting of Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia. On June 1815 opposing forces met at the town of Waterloo. Napoleon was forced to abdicate and go into exile, and he would not return. -
Congress of Vienna
Diplomats and heads of state again sat down at Congress of Vienna. They faced the task of restoring stability and order in Europe after years of war. -
Otto rises to power
Otto succeeded where others failed. Served as a diplomat in Russia and France.King Willian I named him prime minister and wthin a decade he bacame Chancellor. He was a master of Realpolitik, which was based on the needs of the state. -
Bismarck attacks Austria
They both ivaded Denmark and split the spoils. Bismarck created an excuse to attack Austria and the war lasted only seven weeks before prussia took over other north german states.After this war there were only 4 southern German states that remained independent. This war enreaged the French. -
Birth of 2nd Reich
The victory over France delighted the southern independent states causing them to join Bismark's empire. German nationalists celebrated birth of the 2nd reich, they called it that because the considered it a heir to the Holy Roman Empire. -
KulturKampf
Bismark saw the catholic church as a threat because he was Lutheran. Catholics made up 1/3 of the population. His goal was to make Catholics put loyalty to the state over the church. His plan backfired and the faithful rallied behind the church. -
William II
William II succeded his granfather as Kaiser. He asked the dominant Bismarck to resign. Put efforts forth to introduce democratic reforms. He provided social welfare. He lavished funds on the German military machine, which was already the most powerful in Europe.
