Otto von Bismarck: Difference between revisions

{{tropeUseful Notes}}

{{quote| ''"Nicht durch Reden und Majoritätsbeschlüsse werden die großen Fragen der Zeit entschieden -- das ist der große Fehler von 1848 und 1849 gewesen -- sondern durch Eisen und Blut." <ref>"Not by speeches and votes of the majority are the great questions of time decided -- that was the great error of 1848 and 1849 -- but by iron and blood."</ref>''}}

Born to a wealthy [[Prussia|Prussian]]n family in 1815, Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck is most famous for the role he played in creating the [[Imperial Germany|German Empire]], his Blood and Iron speech, and for having been a [[Magnificent Bastard]].

Bismarck had a long career in politics, starting with being appointed as a representative to the Prussian legislature, and eventually becoming [[The Chancellors of Germany|Chancellor of the German Empire]]. It should be said, that while the Chancellor was supposed to be subservient to the Emperor, Bismarck tended to just do what he wanted. He really only kept his position for so long because he was ''just that good'' at running Germany, and was the only one skilled enough to maintain the complicated foreign policy he had set up. Unfortunately for Bismarck (and [[World War OneI|eventually]] Germany) Wilhelm II quickly got fed up with him [[The Chessmaster|having his own agenda]], and got rid of him.

* [[The Dog Bites Back]]: Considering his [[Domestic Abuser|treatment]] of Wilhelm II, the later's sacking of him could well be read as this.

* [[Foreshadowing]]: Famously predicted that "One day the great European War will come out of [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand_of_Austria:Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria|some damned silly thing in the Balkans"]]. [[World War I|He was right.]] He also stated that Germany will collapse twenty years after his death. He died in 1898.

* [[Genghis Gambit]]: Could just as easily be called the Bismarck Gambit.

* [[Hoist Byby His Own Petard]]: During the reign of Wilhelm I, Bismark commonly got what he wanted simply by threatening to resign. He was just that good. However, when he did the same thing under Wilhelm II, the ambitious Emperor was only too happy to oblige. Oops.

{{quote| "Nothing should be left to an invaded people except their eyes for weeping."}}

* [[Out -Gambitted]]: By himself no less! You see, he had taken Wilhelm II under his wing to influence him into going against his father. Though this worked in turning Wilhelm away from his father's policies, Bismark didn't account on Wilhelm's father being Emperor for only 99 days, and thus created a monster (Wilhelm) that he himself couldn't control. Then, Bismark was out -gambitted again by Wilhelm - who managed to out gambit himself by out -gambitting Bismarck, see [[What an Idiot!]] below.

* [[Pet the Dog]]: He originated the modern social insurance system. Ironically- ironically, as a means of reducing worker support for the socialist parties, which he loathed.

* [[Stay in Thethe Kitchen]]: When Prussia faced a revolution in 1848, and King Frederick William IV [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here|decided to leave Berlin for the safety of Potsdam]], Bismarck tried to [[Crazy Awesome|rally the peasants of his estate and march on Berlin in the name of the king]], but was told that he would be more useful providing food for the Army.

* [[What an Idiot!]]: On the part of Wilhelm II. Yeah, ''firing'' the [[Magnificent Bastard]] who put your country together and has been running it for the past twenty years, in the middle of a diplomatic semi-crisis that he instigated and was in the process of resolving, was the [[Sarcasm Mode|best possible thing you could have done]]. Of course, in his eyes, it *was*. Particularly since he calculated (correctly) that Germany could ride the crisis out, *bitterly* resented Bismarck on a personal ([[Domestic Abuser|Very]] [[Freudian Excuse|Personal]] and hardly unjustified level, and was tired of being hemmed in by the Iron Chancellor's power. He just didn't take into account the long term, and the fact that [[Jerkass Has a Point|there might have been a]] [[MagnificantMagnificent Bastard|very good reason]] for keeping [[Royally Screwed -Up|him]] out of the loop.