Question

What did Otto Von Bismarck mean by the phrase "iron and blood"?

Answer 1

Hint:
- Bismarck was a conservative german statesman who presided over Germany's unification in 1871 and served as the country's first chancellor until 1890, after which period he ruled Europe for two decades.
- He was the first chancellor of the German empire who transformed a group of tiny German states into the German empire.

Complete answer:
- "Iron and Blood," or "Eisen und Blut," is a term from Otto von Bismarck's speech to the Prussian Parliament, in which he pleaded with the legislature to raise the budget allocated to military expenditures. The expression "Blood and Iron" has been often transposed.
- His aim was to convince people that Germany's unification would be accomplished by the might of an iron-clad military and the bloodshed in battle.
-The ‘Blood and Iron' strategy was born out of the German people's psyche, which had been subjugated for centuries by much larger, domineering forces on the continent who used her as a proverbial playground.
- This term was popularised as the more euphonious Blut und Eisen ("Blood and Iron") and became symbolic of Bismarckian Machtpolitik. It was based on a patriotic poem written by Max von Schenkendorf during the Napoleonic Wars ("Power politics").
- The main idea of the speech was military force is more effective than slow political changes and reform.
Note:
- Otto von Bismarck is known by different names in history which included Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg.
- Blood and iron speech was given on 30 September 1862. About the unification of German territories.
- In the German film Bismarck, the speech is recreated (1940 film). The propaganda film creates a close connection between Otto von Bismarck and Adolf Hitler.