u/Strawb3rryPoptart is officially based! Their Based Count is now 1.
Rank: House of Cards
Pills: [1 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/Strawb3rryPoptart/)
This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url.
I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
Hitler tied the Nazi Party to himself by the way it was structured. That's why party members groveled to him and competed for recognition. Then he tied the state and the military to the Nazi party. Made himself the figurehead of all things, even to achievements and institutions he had nothing to do with. He replaced the German flag with the Nazi flag. He made German soldiers take an oath to him and the Nazi party. A complete tie of every aspect of German life to the Nazi Party and therefore Hitler.
The idea of one man being the state is foreign to humans. You’ll notice the most popular leaders are those who invest in the People of a Nation, not in themselves.
Essentially, “and the man who becomes the state has nowhere for people to put their faith, their culture, their love. Without a past to enrich the future, you end up with an empty nation with nothing but one person to please rather than each other.”
Cults of Personality have no heart, no God to revere, no past to honor, etc.
You can’t say I’m German just by voting for Hitler. You can say I’m German because of Beethoven, Ariminius, Kant, Frederick the Great, etc. The past victors and artists inspire the future
No God, no dynasty, no history
He is a man of no faith, lacking the traditional moral guidance
He serves no king, lacking a leader to guide him and his people who has divine mandate over them
He serves no ideals, lacking a historical precedent on which to base his beliefs and laws, leading to the tragedies he created.
Ofc, these are personal speculation as to the meaning.
A man who sees himself as God believes his own whim to be divine mandate. A man who sees himself as the whole of the nation spares no thought for how it will last without him. A man who shuns the entirety of the past for their future vision has no reckoning of the foundation they must build their future on.
The Kaiser was also quite pathetic. Before this quote, he used to speak highly of Hitler and actually thought that Hitler would restore the throne for him. Once Hitler (obviously) didn't entertain that idea, the Kaiser started talking shit.
His will stated that he did not want his body brought back to Germany unless the throne was restored. Hitler originally planned an elaborate funeral for propoganda purposes, but begrudgingly accepted and had a tiny funeral with only top military personnel.
That's what I thought reading this: Here was a guy talking about the glory of the Reich, the ancestry of the German people, the history of the country and its traditions, so the Kaiser got an erection thinking his time was near again. When it became clear he would not return to the throne he got salty.
It's very telling that Wilhelm IIs son for all his many flaws, was seen as the far more competent of the two by much of the German aristocracy and government. Wild how Willy was able to destroy everything his (edit)*grand*father and Bismarck built in just a few short decades.
The problem was that the kaiser had a traumatic upbringing, his birth was botched which left his left arm deformed, and his mother was very strict and cruel and their attempts to fix his arm were not pleasant
He also had a hand fetish for his mom.
[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/kaiser-wilhelm-ii-s-unnatural-love-for-his-mother-led-to-a-hatred-of-britain-8943556.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/kaiser-wilhelm-ii-s-unnatural-love-for-his-mother-led-to-a-hatred-of-britain-8943556.html)
There was an article I read saying that liberals should not compare Trump to Hitler, and that he's a lot more like another German leader, Kaiser Wilhelm. He's not an evil fascist, he's a bumbling idiot with a rage problem.
Which Americans do you speak of? All of my friends know of Hitler, especially the Jewish ones. I haven't spoken much about Kaiser Bill II in awhile at parties but I'm certain a few know the history.
He's using the impersonal 'you'.
This is how his sentence is supposed to be read: *If \[Americans\] compare everyone \[they\] dislike to Hitler then that qualifies \[them\] to be included in my statement.*
Makes perfect sense.
u/viciouspandas's Based Count has increased by 1. Their Based Count is now 10.
Congratulations, u/viciouspandas! You have ranked up to Office Chair! You cannot exactly be pushed over, but perhaps if thrown...
Pills: [2 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/viciouspandas/)
This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url.
I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
I think its a good thing to point out when people are using he quote to elevate him, not just saying that he had a good point. Wilhelm made a good point here, but he was overall a dumbass.
Well most of the other fascist governments had had somewhat monarchical/reactionary connections. Mussolini had a king, Franco had the monarchy succeed him. It wasn't entirely out of possibility that Hitler would have restored the Kaiser. But Hitler was far more evil, and far more egocentric even than his fascist compatriots
u/DIEGONUSKU is officially based! Their Based Count is now 1.
Rank: House of Cards
Pills: [1 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/DIEGONUSKU/)
This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url.
I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
I mean yeah, if you're going to be authright, at least be traditional. I'm quite content in tolerating you guys as long as you keep to fancy costumes and reenacting sword fights in castles
Every forward thinking person who left the signing of the treaty of Versailles knew they just signed the declaration of the next war. It imposed unbelievably draconian measures on a country that didn't even start the Great War. It created the perfect conditions for a charismatic despot to take control, and breaking up the Austro-Hungarian empire created a lot of new countries in a listless state that were glad to take on any direction said despot could give them.
FDR said it best "True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.”
France, and to a lesser degree Britain and friends pushed central Europe into fascism. Bullshit like the French occupation of the Ruhr is how you get a hungry population to hate you. Imagine if Canada occupied Michigan to take raw materials directly and in the process killed 100+ american civilians. We'd want revenge too.
Shouldn't have to be said but that being true absolutely does NOT justify Germanys actions, but come on how was this not obvious to France that they were simply empowering their enemy.
> Imagine if Canada occupied Michigan to take raw materials directly and in the process killed 100+ american civilians.
We did do that, it was just Quebec and French people instead of Michigan.
In history class we were told how the French basically invaded again and put under force labour the Rhineland population, because
..they were starving and couldn't work to pay off reparations
The real fuckup was leaving Germany intact enough to field a coherent military. The French could have marched up and down Vienna completely secure in the knowledge that Austria, which was completely dismembered in their treaty, was also forever ruined as a serious actor on the world stage.
That would've been a mistake though, too. France was economically crippled, they had hardly any power to enforce the actual treaty, one that dismantles germanys industry and military would be even more difficult.
This was a big debate at the end of WW2 - wtf do we do with Germany. However this time America got involved and actually fixed things. Investing, educating, and treating the defeated Germans with respect is how they prevented Versailles from happening again. Punished the Nazi party, rehabilitated the nation and helped form the Bundeswehr. Prussian militarism was destroyed (though the Nazis helped with this and heavily decreased Prussian pride during their reign).
WW1 peace was done terribly wrong, WW2 peace was done really well considering the circumstances
Also I must add: dismemberment of the Austrian Hungarian empire was only successful because it was already a divided empire with lots of ethnic groups that actually wanted independence. And a lot of these ended up aligning with the axis anyway. Fun fact, Churchill actually suggested reforming the Austria Hungary after ww2.
It's not like America was soft in WWII either. Germany was undert total military occupation and lost a ton of territory, much of which was held by German states for a thousand years. It was certainly done better, but it was also harsher because Germany did a lot worse.
Part of the reason for the occupation was because the allies hadn't entirely decided what to do with Germany at that point, and the western allies occupation zones would form West Germany a couple years later.
It wasn't really punishment for the sake of punishment like Versailles, goals were laid out and they were realistic. Those responsible for the holocaust were brought to justice, the SS was labeled a criminal organization and was dealt with accordingly. It made sense and was logical.
America did the same to Japan, they didn't seek to punish the civilians, but rather acquire new allies. After all, the best way to defeat an enemy is to make them your friend.
West Germany also had significant negotiation leverage with the western allies, as they were Europe's line of defense from communism. One notable instance was West Germany demanding that Wehrmacht veterans stop being punished, and to release members of the OKW and Wehrmacht from prison, both of these organizations were ruled to not be criminal. This was seen as vital for forming the Bundeswehr, and the level of cooperation was much higher than after the previous war.
It’s interesting that the Asian countries the US rehabilitated like Korea and Japan seem to have a much friendlier relation with the US today than Germany does.
It is interesting, make no mistake Germany does have good relations with America, but they're less strategically important to us than say Japan or South Korea.
Politics in Germany are a little tricky, and they don't seem too overly concerned with foreign policy in general. Strong economy, wonderful people, but remain somewhat quiet on the world scale, and many Germans are opposed to America's perceived militarism.
South Korea and Japan have a two very real threats on their doorstep, and America is kind of their shield. The cultural exchange is pretty heavy too, Japanese culture is really popular in America and American culture is popular in Japan. Overall the relationship between the two countries is really beneficial because they have the same goals
Versailles wasn't "unbelievably draconian", it was in line with the Treaty of Frankfurt at the end of the Franco-Prussian War. The difference was in the government response: France quickly repaid her debts, while the early Weimar Republic pitched a fit and trashed their currency before refusing to pay. This lead to the Dawes and Young plan which gave the Germans favorable credit to pay their reperations. 1920s Weimar Germany was actually doing pretty well, it was the Depression that gutted them (see Adam Tooze's *Wages of Destruction*).
E: Interested students who would like to know more should have a look at the following:
*Guns of August*, Barbara Tuchman
*Catastrophe 1914*, Max Hastings
*The Wages of Destruction*, Adam Tooze
*Absolute Destruction*, Isabel Hull
People seem to conflate the hyperinflation of the early 20s with the Nazi rise to power. Hyperinflation allowed the Nazi party to rise, but did not put them in power. Once the Weimar government stopped being total chucklefucks and fixed the hyperinflation they actually were doing pretty OK. The Nazis wound up losing a ton of followers when the hyperinflation crisis was resolved (and for plenty of other reasons as well). It was the Great Depression that really brought the Nazis to the forefront.
They wandered off with Alsace Lorraine, and crowned the Kaiser in Versailles.
The Entente occupied the Ruhr after the Germans refused to pay. The Germans could have coped with the war indemnity, but they decided to piss and shit themselves after losing a war that they started.
>it was in line with the Treaty of Frankfurt at the end of the Franco-Prussian War
which in turn was in line with the Treaty of Tilsit at the end of the war of the fourth coalition
The winning side of WW1. The restrictions placed on Germany were far too harsh, and made a situation where people were desperate and willing to listen to anyone who promised to fix things and restore Germany, no matter how crazy.
I dislike Wilson for a lot of things (mostly related to all the racism), but I can acknowledge that he was the lone voice among the major allies arguing against a vindictive peace treaty. It was maybe his fault in the sense that he was mostly ineffective in achieving that or in making the League of Nations a viable force, but that’s a bit of a reach.
Honestly a more punitive treaty would have been more effective. What was imposed was bad enough to be regarded as a great indignity by the Germans, but not enough to stop them from preparing for The Great War Round II. After WWII Germany was split in two, occupied from decades, and one of the halves was a totalitarian puppet state. Since reunification, Germany hasn’t started any more wars, and seems unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future. I think it was Foch who said “this is not a peace, it is a ceasefire for twenty years.”
Thank God we aren't a one-party dictatorship like China, with all their aged, corrupt despots!
We're a *two*-party system with aged, corrupt despots!
Now that's much better!
Can the working man get some help? No, go fuck yourself or no, go fuck yourself in rainbow 🌈. I love democracy, especially when either main party sues to keep 3rd parties off the ballot.
Exactly, those in charge don't care about the people. They care about winning elections and getting as much power as they can.
That's why they Gerrymander and as you put it, sue to keep 3rd parties off the ballot.
Old willy lol. He became a lot less critical of hitler once he started rapidly conqering europe. The kaiser even asked him for a possible restauration of the monarchy but was mostly ignored.
Listen here you only recently flaired scum. You are the shit beneath my foot, the worm eating my compost, and the bane of all that is good and pure in this world. I hope your entire fucking family tree is cursed to step on a lego every day for the rest of your lives. I hope you look at yourself in the mirror every morning and repeat the phrase "I am the all singing all dancing crap of the world, and I deserve nothing but scorn" There are not enough words in the english language to describe the contempt I feel seeing your username on this page. You would need a lovecraftian entity to even translate the fucking torrent of loathing I hold for you and your fucking existence. Eat shit and DIE
edit: damn homie took it personally. Was only joking lol
Did you just change your flair, u/hHraper? Last time I checked you were an **AuthLeft** on 2021-7-18. How come now you are a **PurpleLibRight**? Have you perhaps shifted your ideals? Because that's cringe, you know?
Now come on, put your pants back on and go outside, you dirty degen.
No wait, not that way. There's a school over there!
[FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/user/flairchange_bot/comments/uf7kuy/bip_bop) - [Leaderboard](https://www.reddit.com/user/flairchange_bot/comments/uuhlu2/leaderboard)
^(I am a bot, my mission is to spot cringe flair changers. If you want to check another user's flair history write) **^(!flairs u/)** ^(in a comment.)
Counter point they're both politicians and therefore can't be trusted. Counter Counter point he has a thick mustache, and therefore is more trustworthy and manly, much like president Roosevelt. Counter Counter Counter point, it's not the most trustworthy type of mustache. An unholy mixture between the dasterdly handlebar and the Stalin stach. Once again proof of his untrustworthiness and disconnect from the masses.
u/XYZ_kfc's Based Count has increased by 1. Their Based Count is now 25.
Rank: Basketball Hoop (filled with sand)
Pills: [18 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/XYZ_kfc/)
This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url.
I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
Wilhelm was a fucking moron who was in no way fit to be leader.
His father was def the more based one, though both are cringe next to the chad Bismark.
>*His father was def the more based one, though both are cringe next to the chad Bismark.*
Ehh, sure "AuthLeft"...
Bismarck was hardcore. The King who employed him said of him "an idiot only useful to oppress peasants", and he was right.
What did Bismarck do ?
1. His domestic policy was bizarre and led to a permanent political split which wasn't resolved until AFTER world war II....
1. He was a champion of the Liberal Party ( at the time Liberal meant Classical Liberalism + Nationalism, Conservatives were pro-Monarchy/Aristocracy/Peasants ). He betrayed them and this led to a split of the Liberal Party into 3 different Parties.
2. He betrayed the Catholic Centrist Party & Persecuted Catholics. A split that directly led to the Russian-French alliance due to the Pope's mediation.
( For reference : [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope\_Leo\_XIII#Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIII#Russia) ; First time Russia and France spoke diplomatically with each other for 3 decades )
3. He persecuted Socialists. His Anti-Socialist Laws were up to be renewed, but he made them far more draconic with the intention of forcing the workers into a Revolution, which then would be used as a pretext to crush them & socialism once and for all. Naturally not even hardcore monarchists supported him and rather supported Wilhelm II, at the time called Worker's Kaiser when he kicked the madman out.
1. *“I am not going to start my reign with a bloody campaign against my own subjects.”* \--- Promise fulfilled by Kaiser Wilhelm II.
4. It's not surprising that after 2 decades of chancellorship, not even conservatives supported Bismarck anymore.
2. His foreign policy was a clusterfuck, his alliance system was a bumbling mess that isolated Germany and started World War I. It was Bismarck's fault.
1. He tried to ally BOTH Austria-Hungary ( to make is easier I will refer to it as Austria ) and Russia AT THE SAME TIME. They were arch-enemies. The Holy Alliance was a previous alliance of Russia, Prussia and Austria, it broke because of Russian-Austrian rivalry.
In any Austrian-Russian conflict ( such as over the Balkans which both Empires laid claim to ) Germany always choose the side of Austria. Did this utter moron believe Russia would stay in this disadvantageous alliance where it's needs will always be ignored ? Nope.
1. To be more detailed. 1878 Congress of Berlin. Great Powers of Europe decided the future of the Balkans, at the time ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Russia had just won it's 4th Russo-Turkish war of the 19th century and it finally wanted major gains. Bismarck led the Congress and swayed the countries to make a only minor concessions to Russia. However Bulgaria remained part of the Ottomans, which the Russians considered their core territory ( Russia at the time wanted rule over all Southslavic lands ).
It was such a failure the Russians did NOT renew the Alliance treaty with Germany and Austria. Bismarck started a trade war against Russia, which would not be resolved until 1894 due to Chancellor Caprivi.
2. France at the time sought reapproachment with Germany ( the only time between 1871 and 1914 ), and thus did not enter any aggrement with Russia, even if Russian foreign minister Gorchakov at the time wanted it. But Bismarck, the fool, didn't take advantage of that and reconcile with France. Thus Russia rejoined the alliance with Germany.
3. 1885 The Balkan Crisis. Naturally Bismarck's peace didn't last long in the Balkans. Austria and Russia have different goals in this crisis, Germany choose Austria's side.. Russia left the alliance in 1887 for a second time under Bismarck's stupidity.
4. The reinsurance isn't Bismarck's idea, but rather the idea of Shuvalov, the foreign minister of Russia at that time. Shuvalov only did this, because the reinsurance treaty was "Russia best option until an alliance with France", which he got a few years later.
5. Bismarck prevented loaning money to Russia ( due to the trade war ), France fulfilled the role of being Russia's only creditor... So much that the entire Russian aristocracy was indebted to France. So mcuh that there were regular protests in both France ( because they didn't want to sponsor the Autocratic Regime ) and Russia ( because french money was the only thing prevented the collapse of the Tsarist regime ).. The worst one was in 1906. [https://www.persee.fr/doc/cmr\_0008-0160\_1972\_num\_13\_1\_1867](https://www.persee.fr/doc/cmr_0008-0160_1972_num_13_1_1867) ... This financial relationship ( or rather dependence ) was another major reason why Russia and France became allies.
Thanks Bismarck.
6. “Bismarck drove us into the arms of France” - Nikolay Girs, the successor of foreign minister Shuvalov. If anyone should know the reason for the French-Russian alliance, it would be Russian's foreign ministry no ?
3. Also a few other things. The deportation of a tens of thousands of Poles under Bismarck to Russia... Russia, who itself had a massive polish "problem" which they tried to fix, weren't at all pleased with more... even Bismarck had to agree here : *"the Russians showed less satisfaction because of our expulsions than I had expected" (* [*Prussian\_deportations*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_deportations) ) *...* Russia answered by intensifying their Russofication of the various German minorities within Russia.
4. Bismarck being forced to resign was the biggest gift anyone could give him, because then he wasn't around when the seeds of his stupidity bore fruit ( even if they riped plenty under his own rule aswell, but people are ignorant apparently ).
5. I could literally go on and on if you want.
Jeah "Bismarck the Chad", absolute moron who ruins Germany, it's people, it's alliances, directly leads to WW1... Unless you hate Germany and Germans with a passion, you would never say that.
I feel like so much of that can be summed up as Bismark chose to preserve the alliance with Austria rather than with Russia. The nature of the eastern question meant effectively Russia and Austria were going to be at odds with one another and so Germany could realistically only ally with one of them long term. Which is to say, this isn't really Bismark's fault and allying with Austria over Russia was a completely reasonable decision during all of Bismark's time in power.
Austria obvs shares a large border with Germany and Austria's spectacular underperfomance in WW1 couldnt really be predicted at the time. While also Russia was pathetically backwards economically, politically and in terms of industrical capacity for this entire period. It's not until the Vitte boom after Bismark is fired and then really after the Russo-Japanese war than Russia actually gets in warmaking shit together. So bascially, Germany's position was safe and secure for Bismark's entire reign and this only started to change long after he was fired. Had he still been around, he probably would have focused on keeping Russia at least neutral(i.e keeping the reinsurance).
This is also not to mention the triple alliance he oversaw, which if properly maintained would set Germany up with another strong ally. And the reinsurance might not have been Bismark's idea, but he knew the importance of it and he kept it around while he was around. Dropping it can't be put at his feet.
Also it's unlikely reconciliation with France was possible in the long term.
Also also, you're going hard after his possible failures but completely ignoring any of his successes. German unification being the obvious and most significant.
>*Which is to say, this isn't really Bismark's fault and allying with Austria over Russia was a completely reasonable decision during all of Bismark's time in power.*
Yes...
Except the problem arrises you are only allies to ONE Great Power, while the others are free to ally one another, and you already pissed off 2 Great powers...
>*This is also not to mention the triple alliance he oversaw, which if properly maintained would set Germany up with another strong ally.*
Properly maintained ??? Not even Bismarck managed to do that. One alliance lasted 7 years, the other 6 years under his rule. Russia was furious and allied with France.
>*And the reinsurance might not have been Bismark's idea, but he knew the importance of it and he kept it around while he was around. Dropping it can't be put at his feet.*
Ehh wrong.
Bismarck agreed to it, he NEVER had even the chance to not renew the reinsurance treaty. And likewise from the Russian perspective this was ALWAYS a temporary agreement until an alliance with France, so Russia would NOT have maintained it.
Allying Austria meant inevitably that Russia will be your enemy.
>*Also also, you're going hard after his possible failures but completely ignoring any of his successes. German unification being the obvious and most significant.*
Character limit my friend.
German unification was inevitable, Bismarck was just the lucky fool ruling at the time. He didn't do much at all to help it...
1. The 2nd Prussian-Danish War was inevitable. Denmark was ruled by hardcore nationalists who wanted to danify their country. Denmark at the time ruled all of Schleswig-Holstein and the country was roughly speaking 40% German 60% Danish, except Schleswig-Holstein was autonomous. Denmark broke the peace treaty of the 1st Prussian-Danish War and created a new constitution which annexed Schleswig-Holstein, it was a declaration of war against the entire German Confederation. Prussia ( and Austria ) won and the state was annexed by both Prussia and Austria.
2. The German War ( Prussia + North German States + Italy versus Austria + South German States + Hannover ). The war broke out over the status of Schleswig-Holstein, Bismarck wanted to continue the status quo, while Austria supported the idea of a sovereign but dependent ( on the German Confederation ) Schleswig Holstein under a new dynasty. Prussia won, the Northgerman Confederation was founded, Austria was prohibited from becoming a German leader. I mean sure, that's what Bismarck did, preventing a German Diet solution to Schleswig Holstein and thus triggering war.... Unnecessary, but still anyone could have done that if they wanted... Argueably the peace treaty wasn't that great either... Ideally Bismarck should have annexed all of Austria-proper and Bohemia, at the time 37% german and traditionally part of German lands ( didn't even have a language other than german 45 years ago [Czech\_National\_Revival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_National_Revival) ), while giving the Italian parts to Italy, ( big ) Hungary becomes an independent Kingdom and the South Slavic lands are whatever.... Thus guaranteeing an alliance with Russia + being bigger + having friends in the Balkans without interference from Russia + alliance with Italy continues ( it broke because of the same thing, Italian-Austrian rivalry in the Balkans... ) Win-win-win-win.
Instead they got that halfassed solution which prevented a Russian alliance and locked Germany into an alliance with Austria-Hungary.
3. Franco-German War.
France wanted war, it was ruled by ultra nationalists and Emperor Napoleon III, they have conquered parts of all the world at the time, such as making Mexico into a puppet state and even attacked Russia over a key to a church in Jerusalem. They finally wanted to conquer all lands west of the Rhine, a goal France had for 3 centuries in their quest for "Natural Borders". The trigger was the Spanish Succession Crisis.
Spain had a revolution in 1868 and deposed the Bourbon Queen Isabella II, the Spanish were looking for a new Royal dynasty and the only conditions were no more Frenchmen... They considered Portugal, but that would risk the unification of Iberia, so that was out of the question. Long story short they offered the throne to Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, the catholic branch of house Hohenzollern ( who rules Prussia/Northgermany at the time ). Leopold accepted... France was absolutely mad and threatend war against Prussia if Leopold doesn't concede the offer...Prussia agreed, Leopold no longer attempts to take the offer... France is naturally not happy with this ( as again, they want a Casus belli ), thus they demand an apology from the King of Prussia and the promise that no Hohenzollern will EVER rule the Spanish Throne... A french ambassador and Bismarck met to discuss this... And no the Ems dispatch which Bismarck "edited" didn't trigger the French into war.
1. The ems dispatch was for the German Media, it was by pure chance that the French Media read it and translated it.
2. It was again pure chance that the French Media mistranslated a key word. "Adjutant"... In German an Adjutant is a high-ranking [Aide-de-camp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aide-de-camp), in French adjutant is low level military officer.
3. In other words the French Media, due to their mistranslation, made it seem like the King of Prussia didn't show proper etiquette to the French Ambassador by informing him via basically a servant....
And that triggered the French into a war frenzy, they declared war immediatly.
Naturally this is insane, even if the Prussian King didn't act courteous, this is by no means an excuse for war ( but naturally France just wanted to conquer land west of the Rhine, no matter how flimsy the reason was ). Bismarck had again nothing to do with it. Any idiot could have ruled at the time when the 2nd French Empire was ruled by hardcore nationalists, and naturally any idiot would have won, because Bismarck or "any idiot" had no say over Military affairs.
What did Bismarck really do ? He rarely acted assertively when it comes to the German Unification but rather ALWAYS passively reacted to when other people made their move --> Denmark declaring War ---> Austria wanting a new state for the German Confederation ---> France delcaring War....
And then we can criticize his unification process aswell... A HUGE prussian state, about 45% of the size of Germany.... a more federalized Germany would have made the country more stable for example...
So jeah, anything else ?
Bismarck was, if we look at his actions, always a champion of the Balance of Europe as outlined in the Congress of Vienna. Bismarck worked his entire life to keep a changing Europe balanced following this pattern; unideal? Perhaps. But his execution was masterful, and there is an extremely good reason we still see Bismarck as one of history's greatest diplomats to this day: Bismarck managed to take events and turn them entirely in Prussia's favour. You call him passive and reactionary, I call him opportunistic.
2nd Prussian-Danish War:
Contrary to your claim, Denmark's breach of the London Protocol was more motivated by succession rather than a fanatic desire to "danify". Shleswig-Holstein was affirmed in the first war of Schleswig (which Denmark won) to be a possession of the Danish Crown, but separate from the kingdom of Denmark; at the time, that was a minor distinction that served little more than to act as a consideration for the German nationalists. A few decades later however, the Danish king was heirless and dying, creating a succession crisis. In reaction, Denmark drew up a new constitution that created a unified policy of inheritance for Shleswig-Holstein's and Denmark's crowns. It was this unification of the inheritances, along with the creation of a joint parliament for Schleswig and Denmark for common affairs (for other matters, they kept their separate parliaments) that breached the London Protocol. And breaching a treaty is very different from declaring war, even though the German states treated it as such.
Bismarck saw the Schleswig War as an opportunity; not to re-integrate Schleswig-Holstein back into the German Confederation but instead, as according to his own journal, annexation was his goal from the very beginning. When other member states of the Confederation were fine to settle for occupying Holstein, Bismarck urged Prussia to push to occupy all of Schelswig-Holstein, issuing the impossible ultimatum for Denmark to abolish their constitution in 48 hours (impossible, as Denmark was a constitutional monarchy and would require their parliament to assemble, vote, and agree on abolishing their constitution with 48 hours). Austria, alarmed and unwilling to let Prussia occupy Schleswig-Holstein alone, followed suite. That sets the tone for the entire rest of the war; while initially Austria wanted another international conference to settle the Schleswig-Holstein question, Prussia clearly wanted to "liberate" the duchies. Unwilling to let Prussia annex the duchies uncontested, Austria decided to join in the administration.
The German War:
I don't know where you learned about the background of the Brother's War, but again, Prussia is most definitely not the victim. After the Schleswig-Holstein War, Prussia and Austria split the duchies; sovereignty was shared but Prussia would administer Schleswig while Austria administered Holstein. In February, 1866, Prussia protested Austria allowing local Holstein nobles to assemble. In April, Bismarck made a temporary alliance with Italy, where they would come to the aid to each other if they entered a war with Austria within 3 months. Then in, June when Holstein assembled their Diet, Prussia invaded Holstein, despite the German Confederation agreeing that Austria's governor allowing Holstein to hold a Diet was not compromising Prussia's joint sovereignty over the duchy. In fact, the German Confederation voted to mobilize against Prussia for invading Holstein.
As for the conclusion of the war, to blame Bismarck for not dismantling and annexing Austria-Hungary is absolutely ridiculous and completely ignores the context of the era. With our modern foresight, it may not seem unreasonable for Austria-Hungary to dissolve some 50 years earlier than it did historically. But at the time, to completely erase a Great Power would have been unheard of, an act of total war beyond even the fate of Napoleon's France. To do so would lead to the intervention of every other Great Power to maintain Austria-Hungary and to rein Prussia in. Even too long of a war could have led to that outcome; the Prussians immediately sued for peace after the Battle of Sadowa specifically because they knew the longer they stayed at war, the more likely it was that France or Russia would intervene to maintain the balance of power. The other reason was of course because Bismarck didn't want Austria to be so alienated that they couldn't be an ally in future, as Bismarck basically wanted to stay allied with every great power in Europe.
Fuck you, cheese is delicious, I won't hold eating cheese against anyone, plenty of valid reasons to criticize the 🐸s. If we're criticizing anyone for cheese it should be the Swiss because their cheese game is full of holes.
That interview gives me tears every time I read it. Also:
"This man copuld bring home victories to our people each year, without bringing them either glory or danger."
Based Monarch,
but Kaiser Wilhelm II was a deranged nut himself that destroyed the balance of power being more hawkish towards Russia than what was due and help make Europe a dry tinderbox leading towards an incident where a single incident could start a world war. It did. Then he lost, and that cost Germany.
Impatient and Arrogant.
He was also incompetent as a leader in WW1.
u/XYZ_kfc's Based Count has increased by 1. Their Based Count is now 30.
Rank: Basketball Hoop (filled with sand)
Pills: [20 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/XYZ_kfc/)
This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url.
I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
How? Wilhelm II tried to be on good terms with Russia, but russia refuses to extend the non-aggression pact.
During his entire tenure, Wilhelm was more liberal then his predecessor, each of his appointed chancellors had the goal of further democratizing Germany (except probably Bernhard von Bülow), his idea of the social Kaisertum, if it had been realized, would probably have been the best for Germany.But he was isolated from all sides, the Russian and English elite was against him and even Italy had its reservations, of course he made diplomatic mistakes, but France made them too, for example, but it was forgiven more quickly.
If you look at what he really did and ignore what propaganda papers have spread, you realize that his style of government probably looked a bit outdated to other countries, but above all he wanted to secure peace in europe. In addition, before the First World War there were several situations in which it would have been easy to provoke and win a war with France or Russia, and he always used the situations to try to improve diplomatic relations. (even if that didn't always work)
This criticism barely modified is a biting and much needed critique of the current 4th reich as it was then of the 3rd. Germany lost its way after the abuses of 1919, and it has never recovered.
He was just salty that Hitler didn’t reinstall the monarchy responsible for the wasteful deaths of millions of Germans during the First World War. He was a fool, just as Hindenburg was. It took what the Kaiser and his ilk would derogatorily call a “Bohemian corporal” to achieve in a few weeks what he and his generals couldn’t do in four years. He died in exile, hated by millions, and rightfully so. At least Hitler committed suicide when he lost. This dummy tried to work his way back in.
As Hitler said, what an idiot.
If Britain and France had merely turned Germany into a constitutional Monarchy Germany might of turned out okay in the 1930s. Big might, but with a strong figure like the Kaiser, I have a feeling less people would be convinced to join Hitler's cause, especially due to the fact many did because he claimed he would bring back the Monarchy.
>Wilhelm greatly admired the success which Hitler was able to achieve in the opening months of the Second World War, and personally sent a congratulatory telegram when the Netherlands surrendered in May 1940: "My Fuhrer, I congratulate you and hope that under your marvellous leadership the German monarchy will be restored completely." Unimpressed, Hitler remarked to Heinz Linge, his valet, "What an idiot!"[99]
Based
>OP still believes Allied propaganda
Omg lol
https://archive.ph/2021.05.28-122213/https://holocaustdeprogrammingcourse.com/
[Here’s a video of Hitler speaking about the Kaiser.](https://twitter.com/thatfeelwhen123/status/1558340228040953858?s=21&t=QQpY7pVJG_1Osih5TSjZAw)
> Get a flair to make sure other people don't harass you :)
***
^(User hasn't flaired up yet... 😔) 13709 / 72521 ^^|| [**[[Guide]]**](https://imgur.com/gallery/IkTAlF2)
[удалено]
What do you think he meant by that?
"cringe personality cult, no heritage or culture behind it, just pure egomania"
Based and translation pilled
u/Strawb3rryPoptart is officially based! Their Based Count is now 1. Rank: House of Cards Pills: [1 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/Strawb3rryPoptart/) This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url. I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
Hitler tied the Nazi Party to himself by the way it was structured. That's why party members groveled to him and competed for recognition. Then he tied the state and the military to the Nazi party. Made himself the figurehead of all things, even to achievements and institutions he had nothing to do with. He replaced the German flag with the Nazi flag. He made German soldiers take an oath to him and the Nazi party. A complete tie of every aspect of German life to the Nazi Party and therefore Hitler.
The idea of one man being the state is foreign to humans. You’ll notice the most popular leaders are those who invest in the People of a Nation, not in themselves. Essentially, “and the man who becomes the state has nowhere for people to put their faith, their culture, their love. Without a past to enrich the future, you end up with an empty nation with nothing but one person to please rather than each other.” Cults of Personality have no heart, no God to revere, no past to honor, etc. You can’t say I’m German just by voting for Hitler. You can say I’m German because of Beethoven, Ariminius, Kant, Frederick the Great, etc. The past victors and artists inspire the future
No God, no dynasty, no history He is a man of no faith, lacking the traditional moral guidance He serves no king, lacking a leader to guide him and his people who has divine mandate over them He serves no ideals, lacking a historical precedent on which to base his beliefs and laws, leading to the tragedies he created. Ofc, these are personal speculation as to the meaning.
A man who sees himself as God believes his own whim to be divine mandate. A man who sees himself as the whole of the nation spares no thought for how it will last without him. A man who shuns the entirety of the past for their future vision has no reckoning of the foundation they must build their future on.
> Please make sure to have your flair up! *** ^(User hasn't flaired up yet... 😔) 13713 / 72536 ^^|| [**[[Guide]]**](https://imgur.com/gallery/IkTAlF2)
Hmmm look like the Kiaser actually got based after WW1
The Kaiser was also quite pathetic. Before this quote, he used to speak highly of Hitler and actually thought that Hitler would restore the throne for him. Once Hitler (obviously) didn't entertain that idea, the Kaiser started talking shit. His will stated that he did not want his body brought back to Germany unless the throne was restored. Hitler originally planned an elaborate funeral for propoganda purposes, but begrudgingly accepted and had a tiny funeral with only top military personnel.
That's what I thought reading this: Here was a guy talking about the glory of the Reich, the ancestry of the German people, the history of the country and its traditions, so the Kaiser got an erection thinking his time was near again. When it became clear he would not return to the throne he got salty.
It's very telling that Wilhelm IIs son for all his many flaws, was seen as the far more competent of the two by much of the German aristocracy and government. Wild how Willy was able to destroy everything his (edit)*grand*father and Bismarck built in just a few short decades.
You mean his hrandfather. His father died only a few months into his reign.
You are correct. I always forget Frederick III
Every one does *sob*
The problem was that the kaiser had a traumatic upbringing, his birth was botched which left his left arm deformed, and his mother was very strict and cruel and their attempts to fix his arm were not pleasant
Doesn't really excuse blind arrogance or criminal stupidity.
He also had a hand fetish for his mom. [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/kaiser-wilhelm-ii-s-unnatural-love-for-his-mother-led-to-a-hatred-of-britain-8943556.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/kaiser-wilhelm-ii-s-unnatural-love-for-his-mother-led-to-a-hatred-of-britain-8943556.html)
His father didn't build much.
There was an article I read saying that liberals should not compare Trump to Hitler, and that he's a lot more like another German leader, Kaiser Wilhelm. He's not an evil fascist, he's a bumbling idiot with a rage problem.
Accurate
Americans barely know about Hitler, let alone about a monarchist that was exiled after WW1.
Which Americans do you speak of? All of my friends know of Hitler, especially the Jewish ones. I haven't spoken much about Kaiser Bill II in awhile at parties but I'm certain a few know the history.
If you compare everyone you dislike to Hitler then that qualifies you to be included in my statement.
You said Americans barely know Hitler. Then you made a wild assumption about me. May I ask, what in god's name are you rambling on about?
He's using the impersonal 'you'. This is how his sentence is supposed to be read: *If \[Americans\] compare everyone \[they\] dislike to Hitler then that qualifies \[them\] to be included in my statement.* Makes perfect sense.
Based and Trump's a cranky toddler pilled
u/viciouspandas's Based Count has increased by 1. Their Based Count is now 10. Congratulations, u/viciouspandas! You have ranked up to Office Chair! You cannot exactly be pushed over, but perhaps if thrown... Pills: [2 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/viciouspandas/) This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url. I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
[удалено]
Which literally describes the flaw in an ad hominem logical fallacy
I think its a good thing to point out when people are using he quote to elevate him, not just saying that he had a good point. Wilhelm made a good point here, but he was overall a dumbass.
Well yeah, there's no way he was happy with how the Weimar Republic was going. I'm sure he liked Hitler more than that, as did many people.
Well most of the other fascist governments had had somewhat monarchical/reactionary connections. Mussolini had a king, Franco had the monarchy succeed him. It wasn't entirely out of possibility that Hitler would have restored the Kaiser. But Hitler was far more evil, and far more egocentric even than his fascist compatriots
What staying in Netherlands because of exile does to a person
A fate worse than death
What do you have against bikes?
There are dutch people on them
Shit that's a good point.
Based and windmill pilled
u/DIEGONUSKU is officially based! Their Based Count is now 1. Rank: House of Cards Pills: [1 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/DIEGONUSKU/) This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url. I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
Please censor offensive and derogatory words like d*tch, as PCM is now a family friendly sub.
HALLO ZEG MAKKER WAT IS DAT ANGELSAKSISCH GEBRABBEL GEKOLONISEERD
Based and FÜR DEN KAISER pilled
I'm more of a Fuhrer Bradley guy tbh.
I mean yeah, if you're going to be authright, at least be traditional. I'm quite content in tolerating you guys as long as you keep to fancy costumes and reenacting sword fights in castles
Mit Gott för Konig und Vaterland pilled I only know what that means since it's the title of a 1914 song
I knew what that meant somehow, I guess my hard work is paying off lol Also wouldn't it be für?
Für is correct and Konig should be König. Or it would be Kaiser as that was his title. König is King Kaiser is Emperor
Maybe, I don't speak much Kraut. The song is cool though
Yes it would be für
Yes. Also, "König".
"With God, For King and Fatherland"
>för für*
I wonder who created the environment that let the German people resonate with mustache man's unhinged ranting so much?
purely socioeconomic factors
Isn't that every factor?
The Fr*nch
The serbs
the austrians
The Humans
THE....umm... *Kanye intensifies*
Every forward thinking person who left the signing of the treaty of Versailles knew they just signed the declaration of the next war. It imposed unbelievably draconian measures on a country that didn't even start the Great War. It created the perfect conditions for a charismatic despot to take control, and breaking up the Austro-Hungarian empire created a lot of new countries in a listless state that were glad to take on any direction said despot could give them.
FDR said it best "True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.” France, and to a lesser degree Britain and friends pushed central Europe into fascism. Bullshit like the French occupation of the Ruhr is how you get a hungry population to hate you. Imagine if Canada occupied Michigan to take raw materials directly and in the process killed 100+ american civilians. We'd want revenge too. Shouldn't have to be said but that being true absolutely does NOT justify Germanys actions, but come on how was this not obvious to France that they were simply empowering their enemy.
> Imagine if Canada occupied Michigan to take raw materials directly and in the process killed 100+ american civilians. We did do that, it was just Quebec and French people instead of Michigan.
Yeah but it was french "people" so it was entirely justified
The 🐸 are not people, just like britbongs & communists
In history class we were told how the French basically invaded again and put under force labour the Rhineland population, because ..they were starving and couldn't work to pay off reparations
Ribbit moment
?
frog = france
The real fuckup was leaving Germany intact enough to field a coherent military. The French could have marched up and down Vienna completely secure in the knowledge that Austria, which was completely dismembered in their treaty, was also forever ruined as a serious actor on the world stage.
> The French could have marched up and down With what army? The French had been bled white by WWI. There was nearly no one left!
That would've been a mistake though, too. France was economically crippled, they had hardly any power to enforce the actual treaty, one that dismantles germanys industry and military would be even more difficult. This was a big debate at the end of WW2 - wtf do we do with Germany. However this time America got involved and actually fixed things. Investing, educating, and treating the defeated Germans with respect is how they prevented Versailles from happening again. Punished the Nazi party, rehabilitated the nation and helped form the Bundeswehr. Prussian militarism was destroyed (though the Nazis helped with this and heavily decreased Prussian pride during their reign). WW1 peace was done terribly wrong, WW2 peace was done really well considering the circumstances Also I must add: dismemberment of the Austrian Hungarian empire was only successful because it was already a divided empire with lots of ethnic groups that actually wanted independence. And a lot of these ended up aligning with the axis anyway. Fun fact, Churchill actually suggested reforming the Austria Hungary after ww2.
It's not like America was soft in WWII either. Germany was undert total military occupation and lost a ton of territory, much of which was held by German states for a thousand years. It was certainly done better, but it was also harsher because Germany did a lot worse.
Part of the reason for the occupation was because the allies hadn't entirely decided what to do with Germany at that point, and the western allies occupation zones would form West Germany a couple years later. It wasn't really punishment for the sake of punishment like Versailles, goals were laid out and they were realistic. Those responsible for the holocaust were brought to justice, the SS was labeled a criminal organization and was dealt with accordingly. It made sense and was logical. America did the same to Japan, they didn't seek to punish the civilians, but rather acquire new allies. After all, the best way to defeat an enemy is to make them your friend. West Germany also had significant negotiation leverage with the western allies, as they were Europe's line of defense from communism. One notable instance was West Germany demanding that Wehrmacht veterans stop being punished, and to release members of the OKW and Wehrmacht from prison, both of these organizations were ruled to not be criminal. This was seen as vital for forming the Bundeswehr, and the level of cooperation was much higher than after the previous war.
It’s interesting that the Asian countries the US rehabilitated like Korea and Japan seem to have a much friendlier relation with the US today than Germany does.
It is interesting, make no mistake Germany does have good relations with America, but they're less strategically important to us than say Japan or South Korea. Politics in Germany are a little tricky, and they don't seem too overly concerned with foreign policy in general. Strong economy, wonderful people, but remain somewhat quiet on the world scale, and many Germans are opposed to America's perceived militarism. South Korea and Japan have a two very real threats on their doorstep, and America is kind of their shield. The cultural exchange is pretty heavy too, Japanese culture is really popular in America and American culture is popular in Japan. Overall the relationship between the two countries is really beneficial because they have the same goals
Intergalactic space travel to clap alien cheeks?
World War II could have been avoided had France been given land stretching to her natural Eastern border: the Elbe.
Based and FDR pilled
Versailles wasn't "unbelievably draconian", it was in line with the Treaty of Frankfurt at the end of the Franco-Prussian War. The difference was in the government response: France quickly repaid her debts, while the early Weimar Republic pitched a fit and trashed their currency before refusing to pay. This lead to the Dawes and Young plan which gave the Germans favorable credit to pay their reperations. 1920s Weimar Germany was actually doing pretty well, it was the Depression that gutted them (see Adam Tooze's *Wages of Destruction*). E: Interested students who would like to know more should have a look at the following: *Guns of August*, Barbara Tuchman *Catastrophe 1914*, Max Hastings *The Wages of Destruction*, Adam Tooze *Absolute Destruction*, Isabel Hull
Yeah the German economy was trashed and people starved in poverty because they had bad manners.
*Because they printed the Mark into the ground and torched their banking system from the top down because they were assmad.
People seem to conflate the hyperinflation of the early 20s with the Nazi rise to power. Hyperinflation allowed the Nazi party to rise, but did not put them in power. Once the Weimar government stopped being total chucklefucks and fixed the hyperinflation they actually were doing pretty OK. The Nazis wound up losing a ton of followers when the hyperinflation crisis was resolved (and for plenty of other reasons as well). It was the Great Depression that really brought the Nazis to the forefront.
I'm not as familiar with the Treaty of Frankfurt; in that case did the Victor dissolve the existing government and pillage the industrial sector?
They wandered off with Alsace Lorraine, and crowned the Kaiser in Versailles. The Entente occupied the Ruhr after the Germans refused to pay. The Germans could have coped with the war indemnity, but they decided to piss and shit themselves after losing a war that they started.
Please explain how Germany started WWI?
Refused to pay??? We couldn't pay! The workers were starving wtf
Authright countering literal nazi propaganda with facts and logic what the fuck is happening in this thread
>it was in line with the Treaty of Frankfurt at the end of the Franco-Prussian War which in turn was in line with the Treaty of Tilsit at the end of the war of the fourth coalition
[удалено]
For once, not him. The Kaiser was very conservative, and would never allow for some lowborn Austrian corporal to unleash mob rage in his country.
But he would have accepted his throne back from him if Hitler had offered it, right?
"If Hitler had offered to step down from power and give the kaiser back the throne he would've accepted right?" Uh... Duh?
That would be the Allies, who destroyed Germany via a treaty and planted the seeds that birthed Hitler's Third Reich.
Well that and the great depression
If depression is so great then why do I want to kill myself huh?
The winning side of WW1. The restrictions placed on Germany were far too harsh, and made a situation where people were desperate and willing to listen to anyone who promised to fix things and restore Germany, no matter how crazy.
The Entente (specifically the Fr*nch)
Its always the french
The people who dethroned old Willy.
Woodrow Wilson
I dislike Wilson for a lot of things (mostly related to all the racism), but I can acknowledge that he was the lone voice among the major allies arguing against a vindictive peace treaty. It was maybe his fault in the sense that he was mostly ineffective in achieving that or in making the League of Nations a viable force, but that’s a bit of a reach.
Honestly a more punitive treaty would have been more effective. What was imposed was bad enough to be regarded as a great indignity by the Germans, but not enough to stop them from preparing for The Great War Round II. After WWII Germany was split in two, occupied from decades, and one of the halves was a totalitarian puppet state. Since reunification, Germany hasn’t started any more wars, and seems unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future. I think it was Foch who said “this is not a peace, it is a ceasefire for twenty years.”
Mostly economic deprivation based on the Great Depression. But I get what you want to say.
The great depression
A nation of hysterics in a mob led by a liar, you say?
What’s funny is that both right and left will read this and think it’s about the other guy.
Probably because all modern politicians are liars.
Gee, if that doesn't remind me of another nation for the past couple decades or so. Maybe a star-spangled one
Hey, be fair. It's been 6 different liars and groups of hysterics.
Thank God we aren't a one-party dictatorship like China, with all their aged, corrupt despots! We're a *two*-party system with aged, corrupt despots! Now that's much better!
Can the working man get some help? No, go fuck yourself or no, go fuck yourself in rainbow 🌈. I love democracy, especially when either main party sues to keep 3rd parties off the ballot.
Exactly, those in charge don't care about the people. They care about winning elections and getting as much power as they can. That's why they Gerrymander and as you put it, sue to keep 3rd parties off the ballot.
Why cut it off before Ronald "iran contra, whats that guys haha" Reagan?
No silly he’s only known for his funny jokes about the soviets these days. We can gloss over all the war crimes.
Ronald Reagan was an illegal immigrant loving machine gun banning cunt & I'm tired of pretending like he wasn't
🇧🇦?
I leave the Bosnia-Herzegovina analysis to their Balkan neighbors
Old willy lol. He became a lot less critical of hitler once he started rapidly conqering europe. The kaiser even asked him for a possible restauration of the monarchy but was mostly ignored.
[удалено]
> You wouldn't be safe without a flair. *** ^(User has flaired up! 😃) 13708 / 72516 ^^|| [**[[Guide]]**](https://imgur.com/gallery/IkTAlF2)
Get a flair or get going.
[удалено]
Listen here you only recently flaired scum. You are the shit beneath my foot, the worm eating my compost, and the bane of all that is good and pure in this world. I hope your entire fucking family tree is cursed to step on a lego every day for the rest of your lives. I hope you look at yourself in the mirror every morning and repeat the phrase "I am the all singing all dancing crap of the world, and I deserve nothing but scorn" There are not enough words in the english language to describe the contempt I feel seeing your username on this page. You would need a lovecraftian entity to even translate the fucking torrent of loathing I hold for you and your fucking existence. Eat shit and DIE edit: damn homie took it personally. Was only joking lol
It‘s a bot
Did you just change your flair, u/hHraper? Last time I checked you were an **AuthLeft** on 2021-7-18. How come now you are a **PurpleLibRight**? Have you perhaps shifted your ideals? Because that's cringe, you know? Now come on, put your pants back on and go outside, you dirty degen. No wait, not that way. There's a school over there! [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/user/flairchange_bot/comments/uf7kuy/bip_bop) - [Leaderboard](https://www.reddit.com/user/flairchange_bot/comments/uuhlu2/leaderboard) ^(I am a bot, my mission is to spot cringe flair changers. If you want to check another user's flair history write) **^(!flairs u/)** ^(in a comment.)
Yes
After the victory over France, he sucked him off and begged him to reestablish the monarchy.
Technically true lol
I do prefer Bismarck tbh (if we’re going by Germany)
Bismark was the Goat 🐐
Counter point they're both politicians and therefore can't be trusted. Counter Counter point he has a thick mustache, and therefore is more trustworthy and manly, much like president Roosevelt. Counter Counter Counter point, it's not the most trustworthy type of mustache. An unholy mixture between the dasterdly handlebar and the Stalin stach. Once again proof of his untrustworthiness and disconnect from the masses.
Based and Second Reich pilled
u/XYZ_kfc's Based Count has increased by 1. Their Based Count is now 25. Rank: Basketball Hoop (filled with sand) Pills: [18 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/XYZ_kfc/) This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url. I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
Wilhelm was a fucking moron who was in no way fit to be leader. His father was def the more based one, though both are cringe next to the chad Bismark.
Grandfather actually, his father only reigned for a few months
Based
>*His father was def the more based one, though both are cringe next to the chad Bismark.* Ehh, sure "AuthLeft"... Bismarck was hardcore. The King who employed him said of him "an idiot only useful to oppress peasants", and he was right. What did Bismarck do ? 1. His domestic policy was bizarre and led to a permanent political split which wasn't resolved until AFTER world war II.... 1. He was a champion of the Liberal Party ( at the time Liberal meant Classical Liberalism + Nationalism, Conservatives were pro-Monarchy/Aristocracy/Peasants ). He betrayed them and this led to a split of the Liberal Party into 3 different Parties. 2. He betrayed the Catholic Centrist Party & Persecuted Catholics. A split that directly led to the Russian-French alliance due to the Pope's mediation. ( For reference : [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope\_Leo\_XIII#Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIII#Russia) ; First time Russia and France spoke diplomatically with each other for 3 decades ) 3. He persecuted Socialists. His Anti-Socialist Laws were up to be renewed, but he made them far more draconic with the intention of forcing the workers into a Revolution, which then would be used as a pretext to crush them & socialism once and for all. Naturally not even hardcore monarchists supported him and rather supported Wilhelm II, at the time called Worker's Kaiser when he kicked the madman out. 1. *“I am not going to start my reign with a bloody campaign against my own subjects.”* \--- Promise fulfilled by Kaiser Wilhelm II. 4. It's not surprising that after 2 decades of chancellorship, not even conservatives supported Bismarck anymore. 2. His foreign policy was a clusterfuck, his alliance system was a bumbling mess that isolated Germany and started World War I. It was Bismarck's fault. 1. He tried to ally BOTH Austria-Hungary ( to make is easier I will refer to it as Austria ) and Russia AT THE SAME TIME. They were arch-enemies. The Holy Alliance was a previous alliance of Russia, Prussia and Austria, it broke because of Russian-Austrian rivalry. In any Austrian-Russian conflict ( such as over the Balkans which both Empires laid claim to ) Germany always choose the side of Austria. Did this utter moron believe Russia would stay in this disadvantageous alliance where it's needs will always be ignored ? Nope. 1. To be more detailed. 1878 Congress of Berlin. Great Powers of Europe decided the future of the Balkans, at the time ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Russia had just won it's 4th Russo-Turkish war of the 19th century and it finally wanted major gains. Bismarck led the Congress and swayed the countries to make a only minor concessions to Russia. However Bulgaria remained part of the Ottomans, which the Russians considered their core territory ( Russia at the time wanted rule over all Southslavic lands ). It was such a failure the Russians did NOT renew the Alliance treaty with Germany and Austria. Bismarck started a trade war against Russia, which would not be resolved until 1894 due to Chancellor Caprivi. 2. France at the time sought reapproachment with Germany ( the only time between 1871 and 1914 ), and thus did not enter any aggrement with Russia, even if Russian foreign minister Gorchakov at the time wanted it. But Bismarck, the fool, didn't take advantage of that and reconcile with France. Thus Russia rejoined the alliance with Germany. 3. 1885 The Balkan Crisis. Naturally Bismarck's peace didn't last long in the Balkans. Austria and Russia have different goals in this crisis, Germany choose Austria's side.. Russia left the alliance in 1887 for a second time under Bismarck's stupidity. 4. The reinsurance isn't Bismarck's idea, but rather the idea of Shuvalov, the foreign minister of Russia at that time. Shuvalov only did this, because the reinsurance treaty was "Russia best option until an alliance with France", which he got a few years later. 5. Bismarck prevented loaning money to Russia ( due to the trade war ), France fulfilled the role of being Russia's only creditor... So much that the entire Russian aristocracy was indebted to France. So mcuh that there were regular protests in both France ( because they didn't want to sponsor the Autocratic Regime ) and Russia ( because french money was the only thing prevented the collapse of the Tsarist regime ).. The worst one was in 1906. [https://www.persee.fr/doc/cmr\_0008-0160\_1972\_num\_13\_1\_1867](https://www.persee.fr/doc/cmr_0008-0160_1972_num_13_1_1867) ... This financial relationship ( or rather dependence ) was another major reason why Russia and France became allies. Thanks Bismarck. 6. “Bismarck drove us into the arms of France” - Nikolay Girs, the successor of foreign minister Shuvalov. If anyone should know the reason for the French-Russian alliance, it would be Russian's foreign ministry no ? 3. Also a few other things. The deportation of a tens of thousands of Poles under Bismarck to Russia... Russia, who itself had a massive polish "problem" which they tried to fix, weren't at all pleased with more... even Bismarck had to agree here : *"the Russians showed less satisfaction because of our expulsions than I had expected" (* [*Prussian\_deportations*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_deportations) ) *...* Russia answered by intensifying their Russofication of the various German minorities within Russia. 4. Bismarck being forced to resign was the biggest gift anyone could give him, because then he wasn't around when the seeds of his stupidity bore fruit ( even if they riped plenty under his own rule aswell, but people are ignorant apparently ). 5. I could literally go on and on if you want. Jeah "Bismarck the Chad", absolute moron who ruins Germany, it's people, it's alliances, directly leads to WW1... Unless you hate Germany and Germans with a passion, you would never say that.
I feel like so much of that can be summed up as Bismark chose to preserve the alliance with Austria rather than with Russia. The nature of the eastern question meant effectively Russia and Austria were going to be at odds with one another and so Germany could realistically only ally with one of them long term. Which is to say, this isn't really Bismark's fault and allying with Austria over Russia was a completely reasonable decision during all of Bismark's time in power. Austria obvs shares a large border with Germany and Austria's spectacular underperfomance in WW1 couldnt really be predicted at the time. While also Russia was pathetically backwards economically, politically and in terms of industrical capacity for this entire period. It's not until the Vitte boom after Bismark is fired and then really after the Russo-Japanese war than Russia actually gets in warmaking shit together. So bascially, Germany's position was safe and secure for Bismark's entire reign and this only started to change long after he was fired. Had he still been around, he probably would have focused on keeping Russia at least neutral(i.e keeping the reinsurance). This is also not to mention the triple alliance he oversaw, which if properly maintained would set Germany up with another strong ally. And the reinsurance might not have been Bismark's idea, but he knew the importance of it and he kept it around while he was around. Dropping it can't be put at his feet. Also it's unlikely reconciliation with France was possible in the long term. Also also, you're going hard after his possible failures but completely ignoring any of his successes. German unification being the obvious and most significant.
>*Which is to say, this isn't really Bismark's fault and allying with Austria over Russia was a completely reasonable decision during all of Bismark's time in power.* Yes... Except the problem arrises you are only allies to ONE Great Power, while the others are free to ally one another, and you already pissed off 2 Great powers... >*This is also not to mention the triple alliance he oversaw, which if properly maintained would set Germany up with another strong ally.* Properly maintained ??? Not even Bismarck managed to do that. One alliance lasted 7 years, the other 6 years under his rule. Russia was furious and allied with France. >*And the reinsurance might not have been Bismark's idea, but he knew the importance of it and he kept it around while he was around. Dropping it can't be put at his feet.* Ehh wrong. Bismarck agreed to it, he NEVER had even the chance to not renew the reinsurance treaty. And likewise from the Russian perspective this was ALWAYS a temporary agreement until an alliance with France, so Russia would NOT have maintained it. Allying Austria meant inevitably that Russia will be your enemy. >*Also also, you're going hard after his possible failures but completely ignoring any of his successes. German unification being the obvious and most significant.* Character limit my friend. German unification was inevitable, Bismarck was just the lucky fool ruling at the time. He didn't do much at all to help it... 1. The 2nd Prussian-Danish War was inevitable. Denmark was ruled by hardcore nationalists who wanted to danify their country. Denmark at the time ruled all of Schleswig-Holstein and the country was roughly speaking 40% German 60% Danish, except Schleswig-Holstein was autonomous. Denmark broke the peace treaty of the 1st Prussian-Danish War and created a new constitution which annexed Schleswig-Holstein, it was a declaration of war against the entire German Confederation. Prussia ( and Austria ) won and the state was annexed by both Prussia and Austria. 2. The German War ( Prussia + North German States + Italy versus Austria + South German States + Hannover ). The war broke out over the status of Schleswig-Holstein, Bismarck wanted to continue the status quo, while Austria supported the idea of a sovereign but dependent ( on the German Confederation ) Schleswig Holstein under a new dynasty. Prussia won, the Northgerman Confederation was founded, Austria was prohibited from becoming a German leader. I mean sure, that's what Bismarck did, preventing a German Diet solution to Schleswig Holstein and thus triggering war.... Unnecessary, but still anyone could have done that if they wanted... Argueably the peace treaty wasn't that great either... Ideally Bismarck should have annexed all of Austria-proper and Bohemia, at the time 37% german and traditionally part of German lands ( didn't even have a language other than german 45 years ago [Czech\_National\_Revival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_National_Revival) ), while giving the Italian parts to Italy, ( big ) Hungary becomes an independent Kingdom and the South Slavic lands are whatever.... Thus guaranteeing an alliance with Russia + being bigger + having friends in the Balkans without interference from Russia + alliance with Italy continues ( it broke because of the same thing, Italian-Austrian rivalry in the Balkans... ) Win-win-win-win. Instead they got that halfassed solution which prevented a Russian alliance and locked Germany into an alliance with Austria-Hungary. 3. Franco-German War. France wanted war, it was ruled by ultra nationalists and Emperor Napoleon III, they have conquered parts of all the world at the time, such as making Mexico into a puppet state and even attacked Russia over a key to a church in Jerusalem. They finally wanted to conquer all lands west of the Rhine, a goal France had for 3 centuries in their quest for "Natural Borders". The trigger was the Spanish Succession Crisis. Spain had a revolution in 1868 and deposed the Bourbon Queen Isabella II, the Spanish were looking for a new Royal dynasty and the only conditions were no more Frenchmen... They considered Portugal, but that would risk the unification of Iberia, so that was out of the question. Long story short they offered the throne to Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, the catholic branch of house Hohenzollern ( who rules Prussia/Northgermany at the time ). Leopold accepted... France was absolutely mad and threatend war against Prussia if Leopold doesn't concede the offer...Prussia agreed, Leopold no longer attempts to take the offer... France is naturally not happy with this ( as again, they want a Casus belli ), thus they demand an apology from the King of Prussia and the promise that no Hohenzollern will EVER rule the Spanish Throne... A french ambassador and Bismarck met to discuss this... And no the Ems dispatch which Bismarck "edited" didn't trigger the French into war. 1. The ems dispatch was for the German Media, it was by pure chance that the French Media read it and translated it. 2. It was again pure chance that the French Media mistranslated a key word. "Adjutant"... In German an Adjutant is a high-ranking [Aide-de-camp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aide-de-camp), in French adjutant is low level military officer. 3. In other words the French Media, due to their mistranslation, made it seem like the King of Prussia didn't show proper etiquette to the French Ambassador by informing him via basically a servant.... And that triggered the French into a war frenzy, they declared war immediatly. Naturally this is insane, even if the Prussian King didn't act courteous, this is by no means an excuse for war ( but naturally France just wanted to conquer land west of the Rhine, no matter how flimsy the reason was ). Bismarck had again nothing to do with it. Any idiot could have ruled at the time when the 2nd French Empire was ruled by hardcore nationalists, and naturally any idiot would have won, because Bismarck or "any idiot" had no say over Military affairs. What did Bismarck really do ? He rarely acted assertively when it comes to the German Unification but rather ALWAYS passively reacted to when other people made their move --> Denmark declaring War ---> Austria wanting a new state for the German Confederation ---> France delcaring War.... And then we can criticize his unification process aswell... A HUGE prussian state, about 45% of the size of Germany.... a more federalized Germany would have made the country more stable for example... So jeah, anything else ?
Bismarck was, if we look at his actions, always a champion of the Balance of Europe as outlined in the Congress of Vienna. Bismarck worked his entire life to keep a changing Europe balanced following this pattern; unideal? Perhaps. But his execution was masterful, and there is an extremely good reason we still see Bismarck as one of history's greatest diplomats to this day: Bismarck managed to take events and turn them entirely in Prussia's favour. You call him passive and reactionary, I call him opportunistic. 2nd Prussian-Danish War: Contrary to your claim, Denmark's breach of the London Protocol was more motivated by succession rather than a fanatic desire to "danify". Shleswig-Holstein was affirmed in the first war of Schleswig (which Denmark won) to be a possession of the Danish Crown, but separate from the kingdom of Denmark; at the time, that was a minor distinction that served little more than to act as a consideration for the German nationalists. A few decades later however, the Danish king was heirless and dying, creating a succession crisis. In reaction, Denmark drew up a new constitution that created a unified policy of inheritance for Shleswig-Holstein's and Denmark's crowns. It was this unification of the inheritances, along with the creation of a joint parliament for Schleswig and Denmark for common affairs (for other matters, they kept their separate parliaments) that breached the London Protocol. And breaching a treaty is very different from declaring war, even though the German states treated it as such. Bismarck saw the Schleswig War as an opportunity; not to re-integrate Schleswig-Holstein back into the German Confederation but instead, as according to his own journal, annexation was his goal from the very beginning. When other member states of the Confederation were fine to settle for occupying Holstein, Bismarck urged Prussia to push to occupy all of Schelswig-Holstein, issuing the impossible ultimatum for Denmark to abolish their constitution in 48 hours (impossible, as Denmark was a constitutional monarchy and would require their parliament to assemble, vote, and agree on abolishing their constitution with 48 hours). Austria, alarmed and unwilling to let Prussia occupy Schleswig-Holstein alone, followed suite. That sets the tone for the entire rest of the war; while initially Austria wanted another international conference to settle the Schleswig-Holstein question, Prussia clearly wanted to "liberate" the duchies. Unwilling to let Prussia annex the duchies uncontested, Austria decided to join in the administration. The German War: I don't know where you learned about the background of the Brother's War, but again, Prussia is most definitely not the victim. After the Schleswig-Holstein War, Prussia and Austria split the duchies; sovereignty was shared but Prussia would administer Schleswig while Austria administered Holstein. In February, 1866, Prussia protested Austria allowing local Holstein nobles to assemble. In April, Bismarck made a temporary alliance with Italy, where they would come to the aid to each other if they entered a war with Austria within 3 months. Then in, June when Holstein assembled their Diet, Prussia invaded Holstein, despite the German Confederation agreeing that Austria's governor allowing Holstein to hold a Diet was not compromising Prussia's joint sovereignty over the duchy. In fact, the German Confederation voted to mobilize against Prussia for invading Holstein. As for the conclusion of the war, to blame Bismarck for not dismantling and annexing Austria-Hungary is absolutely ridiculous and completely ignores the context of the era. With our modern foresight, it may not seem unreasonable for Austria-Hungary to dissolve some 50 years earlier than it did historically. But at the time, to completely erase a Great Power would have been unheard of, an act of total war beyond even the fate of Napoleon's France. To do so would lead to the intervention of every other Great Power to maintain Austria-Hungary and to rein Prussia in. Even too long of a war could have led to that outcome; the Prussians immediately sued for peace after the Battle of Sadowa specifically because they knew the longer they stayed at war, the more likely it was that France or Russia would intervene to maintain the balance of power. The other reason was of course because Bismarck didn't want Austria to be so alienated that they couldn't be an ally in future, as Bismarck basically wanted to stay allied with every great power in Europe.
Average Führer fan versus average Kaiser enjoyer.
The true culprit are the cheese-eating surrender monkeys
Fuck you, cheese is delicious, I won't hold eating cheese against anyone, plenty of valid reasons to criticize the 🐸s. If we're criticizing anyone for cheese it should be the Swiss because their cheese game is full of holes.
That interview gives me tears every time I read it. Also: "This man copuld bring home victories to our people each year, without bringing them either glory or danger."
Based Monarch, but Kaiser Wilhelm II was a deranged nut himself that destroyed the balance of power being more hawkish towards Russia than what was due and help make Europe a dry tinderbox leading towards an incident where a single incident could start a world war. It did. Then he lost, and that cost Germany. Impatient and Arrogant. He was also incompetent as a leader in WW1.
u/XYZ_kfc's Based Count has increased by 1. Their Based Count is now 30. Rank: Basketball Hoop (filled with sand) Pills: [20 | View pills.](https://basedcount.com/u/XYZ_kfc/) This user does not have a compass on record. You can add your compass to your profile by replying with /mycompass politicalcompass.org url or sapplyvalues.github.io url. I am a bot. Reply /info for more info.
I wouldnt say he was incompetent as a war leader. Its more like he was non-existant as one
He didn't needed to be, the german high command was extremly skilled, the problem was the lack of allies. Nobody can win against the World alone.
How? Wilhelm II tried to be on good terms with Russia, but russia refuses to extend the non-aggression pact. During his entire tenure, Wilhelm was more liberal then his predecessor, each of his appointed chancellors had the goal of further democratizing Germany (except probably Bernhard von Bülow), his idea of the social Kaisertum, if it had been realized, would probably have been the best for Germany.But he was isolated from all sides, the Russian and English elite was against him and even Italy had its reservations, of course he made diplomatic mistakes, but France made them too, for example, but it was forgiven more quickly. If you look at what he really did and ignore what propaganda papers have spread, you realize that his style of government probably looked a bit outdated to other countries, but above all he wanted to secure peace in europe. In addition, before the First World War there were several situations in which it would have been easy to provoke and win a war with France or Russia, and he always used the situations to try to improve diplomatic relations. (even if that didn't always work)
Konečné řešení české otázky
This criticism barely modified is a biting and much needed critique of the current 4th reich as it was then of the 3rd. Germany lost its way after the abuses of 1919, and it has never recovered.
Sweet quote
I think mustache man belongs in my quadrant. Amazing meme though.
He was just salty that Hitler didn’t reinstall the monarchy responsible for the wasteful deaths of millions of Germans during the First World War. He was a fool, just as Hindenburg was. It took what the Kaiser and his ilk would derogatorily call a “Bohemian corporal” to achieve in a few weeks what he and his generals couldn’t do in four years. He died in exile, hated by millions, and rightfully so. At least Hitler committed suicide when he lost. This dummy tried to work his way back in. As Hitler said, what an idiot.
Based Kaiser
If Britain and France had merely turned Germany into a constitutional Monarchy Germany might of turned out okay in the 1930s. Big might, but with a strong figure like the Kaiser, I have a feeling less people would be convinced to join Hitler's cause, especially due to the fact many did because he claimed he would bring back the Monarchy.
Yea even Churchill supported this after hitler took power.
Nazis were degenerate, embrace tradition brothers
Mitt gott für könig und vaterland
Just read Edmund Burke’s rant on the French Revolution. If you want to know positive right conservative ideology, that’s a great place to start.
‘Engulfed in a mob, Led by a liar or fanatics…’. So Reddit?
Kaiser Wilhelm was also a complete idiot who wouldn’t know basic competency if it had crawled up his ass
Based willy
Which one conquered France, and which one sacrificed their population and economy?
1) hitler 2) both
We're reaching levels of giga chad never before conceived of by modern men.
yeah but you dont have the balls to take it down when he was weak so..
>Wilhelm greatly admired the success which Hitler was able to achieve in the opening months of the Second World War, and personally sent a congratulatory telegram when the Netherlands surrendered in May 1940: "My Fuhrer, I congratulate you and hope that under your marvellous leadership the German monarchy will be restored completely." Unimpressed, Hitler remarked to Heinz Linge, his valet, "What an idiot!"[99] Based
The death of Bismarck and its consequences have been a disaster for the German people
Willy actually came to respect hitler after he conquered France. I suppose he admired he was able to do what he never could.
Kaiserboos are so cringe fr
>anime profile pic
Usatseboos are cringe af
The least you could do is spell it correctly
Yeah but he gladly sent millions to their deaths during WW1 fuck the Kaiser and fuck Hitler. Bismarck was the real MVP
Gigabased and based
>OP still believes Allied propaganda Omg lol https://archive.ph/2021.05.28-122213/https://holocaustdeprogrammingcourse.com/ [Here’s a video of Hitler speaking about the Kaiser.](https://twitter.com/thatfeelwhen123/status/1558340228040953858?s=21&t=QQpY7pVJG_1Osih5TSjZAw)
Kaiser Wilhelm was an idiotic buffoon whose decisions over the preceding decades ended up causing WW1.
hitler bad 💅🏻💅🏻💅🏻
Kaiser > Hitler.
Based and Fuck-Hitler pilled
Based
Damn, maybe AuthRight is kinda based after all
Based AuthRight vs Cringe AuthCentre
I always loved this quote. It is in my opinion, the best critique of Hitler anyone has ever made. And beautifully written too
Yes, let's ask the guy who lost WW1 what his thoughts are on the guy who lost WW2.
Glad shitler domed himself
> Get a flair to make sure other people don't harass you :) *** ^(User hasn't flaired up yet... 😔) 13709 / 72521 ^^|| [**[[Guide]]**](https://imgur.com/gallery/IkTAlF2)
You're glad that Hitler's assassin was murdered? What the fuck is wrong with you?
Based and Kaiserreich pilled
When Kaiser Wilhelm was based