Otto von Bismarck and Klemens von Metternich were both statesmen who dominated European politics during their years in power. Both were very conservative, and were also involved in German confederation. In his early career, Bismarck appealed to more liberal views but later became an extreme conservative, to the point in which he could not easily appeal to the liberal Parliament in 1863. Even though Bismarck had supported a strong monarchy, he unified Germany and also worked for over 15 years to keep its peace. Metternich remained a conservative and wanted Austria to dominate the German Confederation and influence Europe. The foreign policy goals and achievements of Metternich and Bismarck both strived towards a unified peace, with a few differences in going about achieving this peace and separate legacies.
Bismarck and Metternich had a few similar goals towards foreign policy. A goal that the both of them had in common was to create alliances with countries in order to remain at peace. An example of a specific foreign policy of Bismarck's was to have good relations with Russia and Austria. Russia could have been allied with France, which had become heavily weakened due to its loss in the recent war. Bismarck feared France's gaining an ally and rising to power, realizing that he needed to be on good terms with Russia and Austria in order to prevent a two-front war that could happen in the future. Metternich weakened France through the Congress of Vienna. He didn't want to completely leave France powerless, but he wanted to make sure there was a balance of powers among the weaker countries around France. Another foreign policy that they had in common was for the ideas of liberalism and revolution to be removed. .
However, Bismarck and Metternich also had foreign policy goals that differed. Both had differences on how Germany should be divided, and how liberalism and nationalism should be handled.
