... unite the German States - under Prussian leadership. In 1862 Bismarck made his famous speech in which he publicly stated that "the great questions of the day [German unity] will not be settled by speeches and majority decisions - that was the great mistake of 1848 and 1849 - but by blood and iron". This highlighted his determination for expansion and the seizure of power ... Federal Diet to decide the fate of the duchies, a move in breach of the Gastein Convention which had established the current status of the duchies. The war, contrary to international expectations, went the way of Pr...

• Word Count: 1515
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Graduate