Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:00:02-1:00:40

Could Bismarck have chosen Vienna over Berlin?

A German-unification counterfactual runs into Bismarck's Prussian identity and the recent military rivalry between Prussia and Austria.

AustriaCounterfactual HistoryGerman UnificationOtto von BismarckPrussia
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Question

What if Bismarck had preferred Vienna and supported Austria as leader of the German states?

Short answer

It was unlikely because Bismarck was a committed Prussian and Prussia's rivalry and war with Austria were central to his political project.

Notes

The viewer asks what might have happened if Bismarck had preferred Vienna and supported Austria as leader of the German states. That path is implausible because Bismarck was committed to Prussia rather than acting as a detached broker between German capitals. Prussia had also fought Austria for predominance, making an Austrian-led settlement incompatible with the political project he served. Counterfactual possibilities still have to respect an actor's identity, loyalties, and recent conflicts.