NationStates Jolt Archive

Well was he? He made Germany a nation, started the tradition of kicking Frances ass, and is a political genius. Some of his quotes I find the best :

"A government must not waiver once it has chosen it's course. It must not look to the left or right but go forward." > Bismarck


"A journalist is a person who has mistaken their calling." > Bismarck

"A statesman... must wait until he hears the steps of God sounding through events, then leap up and grasp the hem of His garment" >Bismarck

"An appeal to fear never finds an echo in German hearts" >Bismarck

"Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness" >Bismarck

(the above is so true, ever since the Empires died out, so did manners and politeness)

"I have seen three emperors in their nakedness, and the sight was not inspiring." >Bismarck

(yep rulers are never perfect, too true)

"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made">Bismarck


"Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied". >Bismarck

(A golden rule nowadays)

"People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election." >Bismarck


"Politics is the art of the next best" >Bismarck

"The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood." >Bismarck

(Most famous quote:the above)


"The secret of politics? Make a good treaty with Russia.">Bismarck



"There is a Providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children and the United States of America. ">Bismarck


"When you say you agree to a thing in principle you mean that you have not the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice." >Bismarck


"When you want to fool the world, tell the truth" >Bismarck

"To retain respect for sausages and laws, one must not watch them in the making." >Bismarck


"Fools say that they learn by experience. I prefer to profit by others experience" >Bismarck

(My favorite, hihi)

"Politics is not an exact science.">Bismarck


"You can do everything with bayonets, but you are not able to sit on them">Bismarck

"Politics is the art of the possible"

Also in the offchance you have no idea who he is :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_von_Bismarck

there are some things i wanted to comment on about this, first of all this: He made Germany a nation, started the tradition of kicking Frances ass, is just not true. The tradition of kicking the france's ass was started WAY before bismark was even a mess on his mother's dress.

"There is a Providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children and the United States of America. ">Bismarck
truer words were never spoken.

oh and last but not least, fuck otto. winston churchill is where its at.

Yes. My hero.

He made Germany a nation, started the tradition of kicking Frances ass

Didn't the Romans start it?

Damn strait. Er ist mein Lehrer, und als ein Mit Deutsch, das ich ihm geben muss, zum Vereinen meines Heimatlandes kreditiert

Yeah right. If your German then I'm a mild supporter of the US.

Bismark kicks ass, But I gotta agree...Churchill was better.

Winston Churchill was a drug addict and a gang banger. He doesn't get my respect.

Winston Churchill was a drug addict and a gang banger. He doesn't get my respect.

Whilst I agree Churchill wasn't exactly a brilliant diplomat - I'm unsure as to whether he actually conducted any diplomatic matters - you could perhaps have put this point across better. What are your sources for this alledged addiction and sexual promiscuity?

Winston Churchill was a drug addict and a gang banger. He doesn't get my respect.

Well, considering that your name is german, I wouldn't expect you to really like churchill.

Mind backing that up?

And I changed my mind; FDR is best ever.

the Ems telegram was a hoot, yeah why not

he never wanted a united germany, just a strong prussia

the Ems telegram was a hoot, yeah why not

he never wanted a united germany, just a strong prussia

are you that stupid? he egineered the war with france just to bring in the remaining three states into the fold. He was more of a german fanatic than the kaiser.

the best diplomat and the best german ever.

there will be no debate on this further.

Didn't the Romans start it?
They did, but Germany made a twist on it by slaughtering the Romans at Teutoberger Wald.

Bismarck wasn't a diplomat so much as an international bully. I don't mean that in a bad way, really, it's just his style. A good diplomat is one who can persuade other nations to assist him with feigning negotiations while really getting what he wants anyway. Bismarck just sort of forced other nations into getting what he wanted. To each his own, I suppose.

there will be no debate on this further.

Bah. He was a world class idiot: any moron can start a war, it takes real genius to unite a nation without being the first to resort to violence. Witness how not too long after that first Prussian war, the world tore Germany apart for Fifty years. His so-called "gains" didn't last long.

are you that stupid? he egineered the war with france just to bring in the remaining three states into the fold. He was more of a german fanatic than the kaiser.

the best diplomat and the best german ever.

there will be no debate on this further.

none of Bismarcks policies prior to 1971 were ever intended to unite Germany, more to bring the remainder states under prussian control which is what happened, they joined the Prussian dominated German Reich


but Bismarck was by his own admission a Prussian first and foremost. he cared only about the propserity of Prussia, and Prussias interests would have been best served by being at the helm of a united Germany.

He was an admirable statesman and one hell of a general. He should have been Kaiser, not Wilhelm II.

He was an admirable statesman and one hell of a general.
I don't think Bismarck ever even did Armed Service. You're thinking of Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (http://www.germannotes.com/hist_helmuth_moltke.shtml).

He should have been Kaiser, not Wilhelm II.
He would've been appalled. I read his Memoirs, and they make a pretty clear point of his committment to serve the Hohenzollern House, not to become head of it.

I don't think Bismarck ever even did Armed Service. You're thinking of Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (http://www.germannotes.com/hist_helmuth_moltke.shtml).


He would've been appalled. I read his Memoirs, and they make a pretty clear point of his committment to serve the Hohenzollern House, not to become head of it.
He made the military plans that Germany followed though, no?

He was too subserviant to the Kaiser.

He made the military plans that Germany followed though, no?
Not really. The planning and leading was done by Moltke. Bismarck was usually there alongside him, but he didn't actually have any command, nor was he a strategist.
Bismarck was the civilian arm, Moltke the military one.

Not really. The planning and leading was done by Moltke. Bismarck was usually there alongside him, but he didn't actually have any command, nor was he a strategist.
Bismarck was the civilian arm, Moltke the military one.
Why did the Kaiser dismiss Bismarck?

FDR is best ever.

Must...resist...urge...to strangle...life...out of you...



Bismark was good but I also prefer Moltke. Both the younger, and Moltke the elder had excellent minds.

You may not like the man, but you can't argue with the 'stache.

http://www.historyplace.com/specials/calendar/docs-pix/otto-bismarck.jpg

Hah, I like him. He was awesome.

Why did the Kaiser dismiss Bismarck?
Well, Bismarck got along pretty well with Wilhelm I., King of Prussia, who only took on the title of Emperor as a last resort.
Wilhelm had a son (Friedrich), who took over the throne in 1888...but due to illness he died only 99 days later. So he didn't do much ruling.

Then came in Friedrich's son, Wilhelm II. He was arrogant, slightly delusional and rather militaristic.
But first and foremost he despised Bismarck's policy of keeping Germany neutral, not to claim much and never to offend anyone.
Wilhelm felt that it was quite necessary to offend others in order to get the place in the sun he felt Germany deserved.

So they didn't get along well (Bismarck also forever representing Prussia - Wilhelm II. seeing himself as a German Emperor first and foremost). Another issue was that Bismarck always tried to keep Socialism small, while the Wilhelm II. thought he'd be more popular by lifting all sorts of anti-Socialist laws.

In the end it was Bismarck resigning rather than being kicked out.

How about Armand Jean Du Plessis, Cardinal et Duc de Richelieu as a greater.

Anyone who is a hero of Hitler's is an enemy of mine. (In Mein Kampf, Hitler praised Bismarck for destroying German federalism and highly centralizing the state, while at the same time mildly criticizing Bismarck for not going nearly far enough)

Bah, Bismark? What about Talleyrand? There is a classy individual for you, maybe Metternich too.

Well, Bismarck got along pretty well with Wilhelm I., King of Prussia, who only took on the title of Emperor as a last resort.
Wilhelm had a son (Friedrich), who took over the throne in 1888...but due to illness he died only 99 days later. So he didn't do much ruling.

Then came in Friedrich's son, Wilhelm II. He was arrogant, slightly delusional and rather militaristic.
But first and foremost he despised Bismarck's policy of keeping Germany neutral, not to claim much and never to offend anyone.
Wilhelm felt that it was quite necessary to offend others in order to get the place in the sun he felt Germany deserved.

So they didn't get along well (Bismarck also forever representing Prussia - Wilhelm II. seeing himself as a German Emperor first and foremost). Another issue was that Bismarck always tried to keep Socialism small, while the Wilhelm II. thought he'd be more popular by lifting all sorts of anti-Socialist laws.

In the end it was Bismarck resigning rather than being kicked out.
What an utter shame. Bismarck also advocated a klein Deutschland I believe, whilst the Kaiser wanted a German empire with all its colonies. Bismarck's line of thinking was to have a small, extremely powerful nation rather than a huge, unmanageable empire. Had Bismarck remained though, I believe Germany would have achieved its empire, albeit much slower.

What an utter shame. Bismarck also advocated a klein Deutschland I believe, whilst the Kaiser wanted a German empire with all its colonies. Bismarck's line of thinking was to have a small, extremely powerful nation rather than a huge, unmanageable empire. Had Bismarck remained though, I believe Germany would have achieved its empire, albeit much slower.

Wasn't Wilhelm II maimed at birth? Didn't he have a withered hand that led him to be egotistical?
Yeah Bismarck was the best ever. Certainly better than Neville Chaimberlain any day! :D

By the way, Hitler idolized all memeber of the final Reich. That doesn't mean we should forget one of the greatest if not short-lived countries in Europe at the time.

Wasn't Wilhelm II maimed at birth? Didn't he have a withered hand that led him to be egotistical?
Yeah Bismarck was the best ever. Certainly better than Neville Chaimberlain any day! :D

By the way, Hitler idolized all memeber of the final Reich. That doesn't mean we should forget one of the greatest if not short-lived countries in Europe at the time.
Not too sure, but he was a weird child and grew up to be a psychopath. He wasn't an ugly guy though :p

Agreed. Simply because Hitler liked/said something, doesn't strip it of its merit.

Not too sure, but he was a weird child and grew up to be a psychopath. He wasn't an ugly guy though :p

Agreed. Simply because Hitler liked/said something, doesn't strip it of its merit.

I meant he kept his arm hidden. Things happen to your brain when that happens.

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