During the period 1850-1871, Germany was unified under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Germany at the time. Bismarck, known as the "Iron Chancellor", used both diplomacy and the strength of the Prussian army to achieve his goals. Germany, under the chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck, was unified through Bismarck's aggression and strength, persevered in war and reforms, and finally achieved with the strong power of the Prussian army. Otto von Bismarck, born into a Junker family, inherited the ideas and political principles of the Junker class. “'I was born and raised an aristocrat,” (Spielvogel 653). As a student, Bismarck read extensively about German history. Bismarck attended the University of Göttingen and studied law. However, he spent most of his time drinking and got a job in the Prussian civil service, but soon grew tired of the same administrative routine and retired to help his father manage his country estates. In 1847, he became absorbed in the idea of ​​having more enthusiasm and power than he could find in the country, so he soon re-entered public life. In 1849 he was elected to the Prussian Chamber of Deputies and moved with his family to Berlin. “He never left anyone in doubt that he was a Prussian patriot, not a German nationalist” (www.ohio.edu). At this point he was far from being a German nationalist. "He said to one of his conservative colleagues: 'We are Prussians, and Prussians we will remain... We do not wish to see the kingdom of Prussia obliterated in the putrid mixture of cozy southern German sentimentality'" (Brittanica). Bismarck, in 1851, began to build a base of diplomatic experience as a Prussian delegate to the parliament of the German Confederation. "This, combined with its... means of paper... for the better led and organized Prussian forces. The southern German states honored the alliance with Prussia and joined them in the war against France. The Prussian the French army entered France and, at Sedan, on September 2, 1870, an entire French army and Napoleon III were captured. However, the war was not over and after four long months of bitter resistance, Paris finally capitulated on January 28. 1871, and in May an official peace treaty was signed. France had to pay an indemnity of five billion francs. Bismarck thought this would cripple the French for many years and keep them out of European affairs in the short span of three years. , however, the French had to cede the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine to the new German state. This deeply angered the French and left them impatiently waiting for revenge.