Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/672

 General History of Europe speeches and votes of majorities but by blood and iron." So he went on with his plan of strengthening the army without waiting for legal appropriations. 917. The Danish War of 1864. Bismarck found the following excuse for attacking Austria. There were two provinces, Schleswig and Holstein, south of Denmark which had for centuries been TERRITORY SEIZED BY PRUSSIA IN 1866 ruled by the Danish king, although they were largely inhabited by Germans and were not considered a part of Denmark. In 1863, in spite of the outcry in Germany, the king of Denmark decided to incorporate the provinces into his kingdom. Bismarck induced Austria to join Prussia in a war with Denmark (1864) and easily forced the Danish ruler to cede the provinces to his assailants jointly. Bismarck then proposed that the new territories be practically annexed to Prussia. When Austria protested he formed an alliance with the new kingdom of Italy and arranged that if Prussia went to war with Austria, Italy should also attack her, with the hope of gaining Venetia. The plan was carried out.