Imperial Germany, 1871-1918

About this book

"The German Empire was founded in 1871, not only on the basis of Otto von Bismarck's 'blood and iron' policy but also with the support of liberal nationalists. Under Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany became the military and economic dynamo of Europe; its science and technology, education, and municipal administration were the envy of the world; and its avant-garde artists reflected the ferment in European culture. But Germany also played a decisive role in precipitating the cataclysm of the First World War, eventually leading to the empire's collapse in military defeat and revolution in 1918." "With contributions from an international team of twelve leading experts, this volume offers an ideal introduction to this crucial era, taking care to situate Imperial Germany in the larger sweep of modern German history, without suggesting that Nazism or the Holocaust were inevitable endpoints to the developments charted here."--Jacket.