Europe were entangled in a mess of military treaties and political agreements. The German states however, were stuck in the middle.
             Without any strong ties with one another, the German states were nothing more then a median between two superpowers: France and Russia. These countries, if war broke out, would trample through the German states without giving it a second thought. The states were weak, undeveloped, disorganized, and begging for some type of guidance. This leadership would come from Prussia, with Otto von Bismarck at the wheel.
             Once appointed Chancellor of Prussia, Bismarck immediately took an arbitrary role in the government by dismissing the chamber, imposing taxes, and setting himself to the task of reorganizing and strengthening the Prussian army. With many of the liberals in Prussia upset by the actions that Bismarck took, he went to the task of taking their views off of Prussia's internal affairs, and to the external. Not only was he able to turn their attention outside of Prussia, but actually support his action
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