Bismarck and Germany 1862-1890 (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

David G. Williamson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0582293219 | ISBN-13: 978-0582293212 | Publication Date: January 23, 1998 | Edition: 2

This study provides students with a concise, up-to-date and analytical account of Bismarck's role in modern German history. Williamson guides readers through the complex events leading to the defeats of Austria and France in 1866 and 1870 and the subsequent creation of a united Germany in January 1871. He then explores the domestic and foreign problems Bismarck faced up to 1890 in consolidating unification.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Seminar Studies in History...provide a means of bridging the gap between specialist articles and monographs and textbooks. They are written by acknowledged experts on the subject who are not only familiar with current thinking but have often contributed to it. Their format, well-tried and effective, combines information, analysis and assessment effectively. The selections of documents, included from the outset of the series when document work was hardly in vogue in schools, not merely illustrates points made in the text but provides an effective medium for discussion on the issues raised. The further reading guide has stimulated countless students to take their interests further. The structure of the series may not have changed through time but the format has, with attractive four-colour covers and larger pages....Seminar Studies are still, despite all the opposition, a market leader.
Teaching History
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The aim of this enormously popular Seminar Study is to provide students with a concise, up-to-date and analytical account of Bismarck s role in German history. Unlike other short studies available the book offers readers a balanced coverage of the period 1862 to 1890, with equal weight given to events before and after 1871. First published in 1986, Longman is delighted to reissue the book as a Second Edition. The author has taken the opportunity of updating the original text in the light of the new research and, in particular, has added new material on the relationship between economics and Bismarck s diplomacy; the social and constitutional history of Germany after 1871; and the historical debate surrounding Bismarck in the 1990s. The bibliography has been brought up-to-date and two new maps have also been added.

The book opens with an introductory section which sets Bismarck s policies to secure Prussian hegemony into the context of German economic and political developments, particularly the German Customs Union (the Zollverein) and the rise of Liberalism in Prussia. Readers are then guided through the complex events leading to the defeats of Austria and France in 1866 and 1870 and the subsequent creation of a united Germany in January 1871. The book then explores the domestic and foreign problems Bismarck faced up to 1890 in consolidating unification. Thus, Bismarck s relations with the Catholics and Socialists, the consequences of the Great Depression and the question of whether there really was a second foundation of the Reich in 1878-9 are all looked at. Chapters on Bismarck s foreign and colonial policies trace his attempts to reconcile Austrian and Russian interests in the Balkans and the reasons for the creation of the German colonial empire in Africa and the Far East.

About the Author

David G. Williamson has written extensively on modern German history and international relations. Among his publications are Poland Betrayed: The Nazi Societ Invasions of 1939 (2009) and The Third Reich (4th edition 2010). Formerly head of History at Highgate School, he is now a writer and freelance lecturer.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 2 edition (January 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582293219
• ISBN-13: 978-0582293212
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to Imperial German history, January 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Bismarck and Germany 1862-1890 (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Newcomers to the exciting story of Germany's war-driven unification process will find this book extremely useful. It assumes no prior knowledge on the part of the reader, but gives enough detail to be considered a decent summary of recent historical research. Older hands will admire the sound judgements and the choice of primary sources. This is one of the best in the excellent Seminar Studies series.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book about complex subject., April 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Bismarck and Germany 1862-1890 (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

The book is well written and organized. It helps to understand the complexity of German policy of the 2nd part of 19th century with maximal simplicity. But it should not be your first book if you know nothing about Bismark or divided Germany

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good book., April 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bismarck and Germany 1862-1890 (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for a person looking to learn more about Otto von Bismarck and his role in Prussia and Germany. It is well written and easy to understand and follow.