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Temujin
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Topic: Your Favourite Diplomats Posted: 04-Oct-2004 at 16:50 |
in my opinion you all have a very idealistic view of Bismarck, Bismarck was a warmonger, there's not the least question about that, secondly he was a man formed by the Napoleonic age, he did not understand the importance of colonies and the connection to the rising industrial power, thus leading to Imperialism.
in the late 19th century, only an Imperial power was a real power, and to become an Imperial power one has to have a huge fleet, Wilhelm II understood this, and thus alienated britain, unfortunately...but ultimately I wouldnt blame him for destroying the alliance with Russia, it was Russia herself that destroyed it by conflicting with Austria-Hungary for control over the Balkans, and the Germany-Austria alliance that dragged Germany into WW1 was ultimately formed by Bismarck. Italy also had differences with Austria-Hungary back from the time Austria was controlling northern Italy, thus they violated the alliance they had with the central powers.
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Mosquito
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Posted: 04-Oct-2004 at 17:31 |
Stalin ! he took from the western allies everything he wanted, without any war. They already behaved like not the allies but defeated enemies who gave the victor (Stalin-USSR) everything what he demanded from them.
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Kapikulu
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Posted: 05-Oct-2004 at 01:51 |
One of my favorites is Swedish diplomat RAOUL WALLENBERG
He saved thousands of Jews in Hungary from German extermination by giving them Swedish passport, and had done all this under a fascist administration.Nazis couldnt kill them as they carried a neutral country's passport. Later, Soviets caught and executed Wallenberg
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We gave up your happiness
Your hope would be enough;
we couldn't find neither;
we made up sorrows for ourselves;
we couldn't be consoled;
A Strange Orhan Veli
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TheDiplomat
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Posted: 09-Nov-2004 at 05:53 |
Originally posted by Temujin
Originally posted by Berosus
Though he often gets a bad press today (in part because of the "Blood and Iron" speech), Bismarck was definitely a better leader than Kaiser Bill, because he knew when to stop.
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he was not itnerested in Germany at all, we was itnerested in prussia.
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Agreed with you pal.
He was neither a liberal nor a nationalist.He was before all else a Prussian.
he institutied domestic reforms,because he did so NOT he thought he favoured of this or that particular group.But he believed that this policy he pursued would make Prussia more united,and hence a more powerful P-r-u-s-s-i-a.
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ARDA:The best Turkish diplomat ever!
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TheDiplomat
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Posted: 09-Nov-2004 at 06:05 |
Originally posted by Tobodai
definately Metternicht |
His father was also an ambassador!
He was obsessed with the hatred of political and social change.Plus fear of russia.Therefore i would not call him ''definately''..Although the system established at the congress of vienna did work and metternicht seems to number 1 of this congress,it was also incomplete,Tobadai.
1-Near East question.Russia and Austria both directed to expand towards the Ottoman Empire.A Balance of Power established in Europe but the Ottoman Empire omitted from even being discussed?
Russian and Austrian interets were to stem a conflict for sure.And it happened in the end..which led to World War I and the final end of the Vienna System
2-National borders werent exactly drawn.The Poles remained in Prussia,Austria lands as well as Russia..The divideness of Poland lasted during the 19.Century.
Edited by TheDiplomat
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ARDA:The best Turkish diplomat ever!
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Genghis
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Posted: 09-Nov-2004 at 21:01 |
Originally posted by Temujin
in my opinion you all have a very idealistic view of Bismarck, Bismarck was a warmonger, there's not the least question about that, secondly he was a man formed by the Napoleonic age, he did not understand the importance of colonies and the connection to the rising industrial power, thus leading to Imperialism.
in the late 19th century, only an Imperial power was a real power, and to become an Imperial power one has to have a huge fleet, Wilhelm II understood this, and thus alienated britain, unfortunately...but ultimately I wouldnt blame him for destroying the alliance with Russia, it was Russia herself that destroyed it by conflicting with Austria-Hungary for control over the Balkans, and the Germany-Austria alliance that dragged Germany into WW1 was ultimately formed by Bismarck. Italy also had differences with Austria-Hungary back from the time Austria was controlling northern Italy, thus they violated the alliance they had with the central powers.
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Bismarck didn't want war for war's sake, he only wanted it when it was useful. After 1871, he worked harder for peace than anyone else.
And he did understand the power of industry, he new that was important in making Prussia powerful and the nucleus of a new German state. Germany's rapid growth as an industrial state second only to the United States is evidence of that.
And again, the calamities formed by the Alliance system were the cause of people like Kaiser Wilhelm II, Caprivi, Blow, and others.
Bismarck always said that he would not support Austria-Hungary in a dispute with Russia over the Eastern Balkans, which he considered a Russian sphere of influence. The Dreikaiserbund, and then later the Dual Alliance and Reinsurance Treaty were meant to keep Germany on good terms with Austria and Russia so that Germany could work to prevent a war between them. It was only after Kaiser Wilhelm refused to renew the Reinsurance Treaty that Russia was pushed out of Germany's circle of sympathetic nations into the arms of Republican France. So in the end, it was only after a total destruction and demolition of Bismarck's alliance system that Europe was set on the course to war. Someone with the will to preserve instead of destroy the Bismarckian system would have been able to prevent World War by keeping France isolated from Britain and Russia.
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Temujin
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Posted: 10-Nov-2004 at 12:21 |
Originally posted by Genghis
Bismarck didn't want war for war's sake, he only wanted it when it was useful. After 1871, he worked harder for peace than anyone else. |
no, someone interested in peace doesn't start ANY war first fo all. second, he only restrained from waging more wars just because the european powers would have regarded Prussia as an expansionist power which it was. the three wars of Bismarck brought only minor territorial changes for Prussia itself, whcih was Hosltein in the Danish war and Alsace-Lorraine in the French war. but the ultimate reason for all three wars was to form a new German Empire, which suceeded after the French war 1871. thus his main goal was achieved and thereafter everythign he sought for was consoldiation of his achievements by creatign a strogn defensive alliance.
And he did understand the power of industry, he new that was important in making Prussia powerful and the nucleus of a new German state. Germany's rapid growth as an industrial state second only to the United States is evidence of that. |
well, the real breaktrough only came after Wilhelm II took over the throne and had kicked Bismarck out of office.
Bismarck always said that he would not support Austria-Hungary in a dispute with Russia over the Eastern Balkans, which he considered a Russian sphere of influence. The Dreikaiserbund, and then later the Dual Alliance and Reinsurance Treaty were meant to keep Germany on good terms with Austria and Russia so that Germany could work to prevent a war between them. It was only after Kaiser Wilhelm refused to renew the Reinsurance Treaty that Russia was pushed out of Germany's circle of sympathetic nations into the arms of Republican France. So in the end, it was only after a total destruction and demolition of Bismarck's alliance system that Europe was set on the course to war. Someone with the will to preserve instead of destroy the Bismarckian system would have been able to prevent World War by keeping France isolated from Britain and Russia. |
OK, it was a bad move not to renew the alliance with Russia, but Wilhelm was naive enough to believe that blood bondage alone would keep the alliance intact and peace secured, that was his only fault. and in fact Wilhelm did not destroy the alliance system, it were its neighbours that became scared and jealous by Germanys fast rise to become the new superpower, central europe hadn't been a major power since Karl V. times. and unlike Bismarck he was not a Prussian, he did believe in federalism and did not regard the other German countries as vassals but equals of Prussia. I don't know why but Wilhelm get's a lot of bad press by people but he was much better than Bismarck or later Hindenburg. not to forget that hardly anyone talks about Wilhelm I. because he was a weak king/emperor being totally dominated by Bismarck, Wilhelm II was the first and last strong ruler of Prussia since Frederick II.
Edited by Temujin
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Gubook Janggoon
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Posted: 10-Nov-2004 at 19:12 |
Well Bismark was "evil" in the sense that he caused all the blood shed
and such...but what truly makes him great in my eyes was that he knew
where to stop. Now that is true genius...
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TheDiplomat
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Posted: 19-Nov-2004 at 04:08 |
i believe that in Diplomacy we can mention about an English Ecol,a French Ecol,an Austrian Ecol but not a German Ecol...Germany is not very good at diplomacy like they are at military or being engineer..
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ARDA:The best Turkish diplomat ever!
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Temujin
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Posted: 19-Nov-2004 at 11:25 |
with German you mean Prussian? BTW, it's Ecole
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honeybee
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Posted: 22-Nov-2004 at 15:53 |
Shang Yang of Qin, he was a master of treachery.
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warlord
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Posted: 25-Nov-2004 at 02:07 |
Originally posted by Tobodai
The advisor Kautilya to the Mauryan empire, he was a genious though theres no direct evidence of diploimacy-making.
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Kautilya was brilliant. After he helped Chandragupta takeover Magadha, he also managed to get Amaatya Raakshas, a very intelligent Prime Minister of the defeated Nandas , to become Prime Minister of the Mauryans as well.
This is remarkable, since Kautilya and Amaatya were on opposite sides during the war.
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Winterhaze13
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Posted: 08-Dec-2004 at 11:31 |
I feel that Bismarck is somewhat misunderstood, especially in this forum. Having read A.J. P Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman, it is clear that he was no different than many other diplomats of the 19th century, including Clemens Von Metternich. Bismarck provoked some wars in order to put Prussia in a better position on the European continent and that is something that every nation wants.
So, he cannot be blamed for it. Sure, he began some wars, but he detested war and he wanted it over just as soon as it began. Yes, he was a dispicably shrewd and manipulative man, but he was a very capiable diplomat at the same time and deserves his place in history.
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Genghis
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Posted: 08-Dec-2004 at 20:08 |
Originally posted by Winterhaze13
I feel that Bismarck is somewhat misunderstood, especially in this forum. Having read A.J. P Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman, it is clear that he was no different than many other diplomats of the 19th century, including Clemens Von Metternich. Bismarck provoked some wars in order to put Prussia in a better position on the European continent and that is something that every nation wants.
So, he cannot be blamed for it. Sure, he began some wars, but he detested war and he wanted it over just as soon as it began. Yes, he was a dispicably shrewd and manipulative man, but he was a very capiable diplomat at the same time and deserves his place in history.
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I can't believe we both agree on this.
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Gubook Janggoon
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Posted: 08-Dec-2004 at 20:13 |
Bismark was great for one reason, he knew where to stop.
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Winterhaze13
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Posted: 09-Dec-2004 at 14:46 |
Originally posted by Genghis
Originally posted by Winterhaze13
I feel that Bismarck is somewhat misunderstood, especially in this forum. Having read A.J. P Taylor's Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman, it is clear that he was no different than many other diplomats of the 19th century, including Clemens Von Metternich. Bismarck provoked some wars in order to put Prussia in a better position on the European continent and that is something that every nation wants.
So, he cannot be blamed for it. Sure, he began some wars, but he detested war and he wanted it over just as soon as it began. Yes, he was a dispicably shrewd and manipulative man, but he was a very capiable diplomat at the same time and deserves his place in history.
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I can't believe we both agree on this.
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Well, let's savour this moment it doesn't happen very often. All I am saying is that in a historical context Otto Von Bismarck deserves his place in history. Yes, he was a cunning and manipulative politician but he is the founding father of the Modern German state.
Edited by Winterhaze13
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Genghis
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Posted: 09-Dec-2004 at 18:40 |
Well, let's savour this moment it doesn't happen very often. |
Mmm, that's a tasty moment.
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