was forced turn over Schleswig-Holstein to Prussia and Austria. After the war was over Prussia and Austria had to decide what to do with Schleswig-Holstein. Austria wanted it to become another separate German State, while Prussia wanted to annex all the territory. In a compromise, Prussia received Holstein and Austria received Schleswig. The war with Denmark had brought Prussia and Austria together, but Schleswig-Holstein would either be a step to a peaceful German unity or a step closer to a war between the German Powers. A war that was to decide the fate of the Germanic people for some time.Prussia needed a war with Austria in order to convince the German states to unify under Prussia’s leadership instead of Austria’s. This war presented itself with Schleswig-Holstein, and Prussia used the tense situation to goad Austria into a war . There would be a war that would not only give Prussia control of Schleswig-Holstein but also would destroy Austrian control in German affairs.Prussia wanted a war with Austria, but believed it wasn’t strong enough to fight both Austria and an ally. So Prussia sought to isolate Austria politically leaving her without an ally. To do this Prussia received a promise from France to stay out of a war between Prussia and Austria, and made a secret alliance with Italy against Austria giving Italy Venetia if they won the war. Russia was plagued with internal problems and wouldn’t interfere and Britain practiced a pacifist policy and would also remain neutral. When the war began Prussia had Italy and a few northern German states as allies while Hanover, Electoral, Hesse, Nassau, Saxony, Baden, Wurttemberg, and Bavria joined Austria against Prussia .Prussia mobilized its army and was able to quickly move by using the railroads. The armies from Hanover, Saxony, and Hesse were caught off guard by how quickly the Prussian army arrived that the Saxon and Hesse armies retreated and Hanoverian ...
