German unification etc, nationalism| 12.02+04

Summary of Nationalism (1848-1871)

Unification of Italy

  1. Cavour and Northern Italy:

    • Prime Minister of Piedmont-Sardinia (1852), modernized the state, promoted unification.

    • Diplomacy gained support (Crimean War), allied with Napoleon III against Austria.

    • By 1860, most of Northern Italy joined Piedmont voluntarily.

  2. Garibaldi and Southern Italy:

    • Revolutionary nationalist aided Sicily's peasant revolt, conquered Naples (1860).

    • Conceded to Victor Emmanuel II, avoiding conflict over Rome.

    • Kingdom of Italy formed (1861) under Victor Emmanuel, using a 1848 constitution.

Unification of Germany

  1. Prussian Dominance:

    • King Wilhelm I appointed Bismarck (1862) to resolve political deadlock.

    • Bismarck’s Realpolitik emphasized calculated risks and autocracy.

  2. Wars Leading to Unification:

    • Austro-Prussian War (1866): Austria expelled from German Confederation.

    • Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871): Bismarck provoked France; Prussian victory led to German Empire (Second Reich).

Multi-Ethnic Empires

  1. Austrian Empire:

    • Nationalism destabilized the empire; Franz Josef implemented decentralization (1860).

    • Defeat by Prussia (1866) led to the 1867 Dual Monarchy with Hungary, angering other ethnic groups.

  2. Ottoman Empire:

    • Decline intensified by nationalist revolts in Serbia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Bosnia.

    • Treaty of Berlin (1878) granted independence to Bulgaria and placed Bosnia under Austrian control.

Using Nationalism

  1. France:

    • Napoleon III used nationalism to justify authoritarian rule, modernized Paris, and engaged in foreign conflicts (e.g., Crimean War, failed invasion of Mexico).

    • Decline culminated in defeat during the Franco-Prussian War.

  2. Russia:

    • Tsar Alexander II implemented "Great Reforms" (e.g., freeing serfs).

    • Engaged in the Crimean War (1853) but faced internal instability, leading to increased autocracy.

Meanwhile: American Civil War

  • European powers took varied stances:

    • Britain and France remained officially neutral, though some supported Confederacy for cotton.

    • Russia and the Ottoman Empire supported the Union.

    • Immigrants from Europe, particularly Germans and Italians, played a significant role in the Union Army.

Key Takeaways

  • Nationalism was strategically used by leaders to achieve political and diplomatic goals, contrasting with the revolutionary nationalism of 1848.

  • In Germany and Italy, it unified disparate regions against Austria and France.

  • In France and Russia, authoritarian leaders used nationalism to rally support (often unsuccessfully).

  • In Austria and the Ottoman Empire, nationalism threatened foreign rule over ethnic minorities.

  • Nationalism laid the groundwork for New Imperialism and the "Scramble for Africa."