Okiemute Raphael

The essay traces Germany’s rise from fragmented Germanic states to a unified empire under Otto von Bismarck and an expansionist power under Adolf Hitler. Bismarck, appointed in 1862, unified Germany through wars and diplomacy (“blood and iron”), forming a powerful state by 1871. His foreign policy emphasized peace, alliances, and isolating France. After his dismissal, instability and the harsh Treaty of Versailles following World War I devastated Germany’s economy. These conditions enabled Hitler’s rise and the aggressive expansion that led to World War II. Germany’s defeat in 1945 ended its imperial ambitions. In the modern era, Germany has embraced diplomacy and cooperation through the EU, NATO, and peaceful leadership, shifting from militarism to global partnership.