Otto Von Bismarck's contribution to the unification of Germany lay mainly in his aggressive foreign policy; however, it was the other political, idealistic and economic factors which were the basis for Bismarck to create a unified Germany by 1871. While many would argue that Bismarck was the driving force of the unification, it is the contention of A.J.P. Taylor, Graham D. Goodlad and Werner Mosse that Bismarck's diplomatic achievement was much more ordinary than many have thought. They also argue that Bismarck never had a clear plan for German unification, but was focussed more on ensuring Prussian dominance over the other German states. Whether or not his main interest was with Prussia or a united Germany is irrelevant as in either case, he still played a key role in Germany's unification by 1871. To analyse Bismarck's impact upon unification, it is essential to examine how he influenced the...