Blood And Iron Book Review
Hoyer's book provides a comprehensive examination of the emergence of modern Germany, with Otto von Bismarck at the forefront of its creation. This book emphasizes how the failure of Kaiser Wilhelm II and his ministers to prevent the nation's slide toward war ultimately led to the devastation of World War I. Hoyer portrays the rise of a "silent dictatorship of the military" in the early 20th century, which effectively sidelined Germany's budding democracy. She also examines the roots of German unity, stemming from defensive nationalism and the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, and the social, cultural, and religious developments under two Hohenzollern monarchs. The emergence of Germans' sense of themselves as a distinct people is also explored, but Hoyer refutes the notion that Bismarck's and his successors' aspirations inevitably led to the rise of Hitler. The new nation's foundations were flawed, built on war and not fraternity. Bismarck's vision of a unified Germany was threatened by Kaiser Wilhelm II's fervent belief in German nationalism and his desire for a strong navy and empire. Wilhelm II's erratic behavior eventually led to diplomatic isolation and economic catastrophe, culminating in the First World War. The passage argues that while there were elements of the Second Reich that survived in modern-day Germany, careless historians should not draw a straight line from Bismarck to Hitler.
