When Diplomacy Fails Podcast

Want to access these episodes all at once? Patreon is where you go my history friend!What were my five favourite moments from this series? Read this new blog post to find out...Episode 5 – Power at Last: 1861-62.Years of struggle and disappointment had finally led to this moment. On 22 September 1862, a fatalistic and hesitant King Wilhelm finally did it, he finally agreed to appoint Otto von Bismarck as Prussian Minister President, or Prime Minister. It was a decision which Wilhelm felt forced to take in the heat of the moment, what with those darned liberals still refusing to relent and give Prussia the military reforms she needed. Yet it was a decision which was to have profound consequences for Prussians, Germans, and the world. Bismarck’s career was made that day, but as we’ll see in this episode, it took some time for the nightmare to be over, and for confirmation of this appointment to filter into Bismarck’s anxious mind. As he waited for news, throughout late 1861 and much of 1862, Bismarck sought to