<P> Historians debate whether Otto von Bismarck -- Minister President of Prussia -- had a master plan to expand the North German Confederation of 1866 to include the remaining independent German states into a single entity or simply to expand the power of the Kingdom of Prussia . They conclude that factors in addition to the strength of Bismarck 's Realpolitik led a collection of early modern polities to reorganize political , economic , military , and diplomatic relationships in the 19th century . Reaction to Danish and French nationalism provided foci for expressions of German unity . Military successes -- especially those of Prussia -- in three regional wars generated enthusiasm and pride that politicians could harness to promote unification . This experience echoed the memory of mutual accomplishment in the Napoleonic Wars , particularly in the War of Liberation of 1813 -- 14 . By establishing a Germany without Austria , the political and administrative unification in 1871 at least temporarily solved the problem of dualism . </P>
<P> Historians debate whether Otto von Bismarck -- Minister President of Prussia -- had a master plan to expand the North German Confederation of 1866 to include the remaining independent German states into a single entity or simply to expand the power of the Kingdom of Prussia . They conclude that factors in addition to the strength of Bismarck 's Realpolitik led a collection of early modern polities to reorganize political , economic , military , and diplomatic relationships in the 19th century . Reaction to Danish and French nationalism provided foci for expressions of German unity . Military successes -- especially those of Prussia -- in three regional wars generated enthusiasm and pride that politicians could harness to promote unification . This experience echoed the memory of mutual accomplishment in the Napoleonic Wars , particularly in the War of Liberation of 1813 -- 14 . By establishing a Germany without Austria , the political and administrative unification in 1871 at least temporarily solved the problem of dualism . </P>
who was the leader who wanted to unify germany ( prussia )
who was the leader who wanted to unify germany ( prussia )
Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck