Bismarck

Otto Eduard Leopold Fürst von Bismarck aka the Iron Chancellor. Prussian prime minister who managed to join with Germany and appoint himself Chancellor. Strongly conservative, aristorcratic leader who , while supressing democratic groups, created old age pensions and accident health-care insurance, the first to take such steps to the extent he did. Through wars and propaganda, Bismarck managed to unite with Germany creating a very powerful nation that defeated France. Kaiser Willhelm II ascended the throne in 1890, and Bismarck's political enemies were gaining ground on him. He resigned and died in 1898, not long enough to see Kaiser Willhelm undo his work with world war I. Both Bismarck, North Dakota and the infamous battleship were named in his honour. In preparation for World War II, a 42,600 ton displacement battleship Called Bismarck was created. Bismarck was a fearsome vessel that faced the British navy's Hood and Prince of Wales, sinking the Hood. Enraged at the sinking of this major battleship, the British Navy sent a large number of battleships after the Bismarck, and when aircraft carrier victorious got within range, it launched its attack with a torpedo plane. The Bismarck survived. When aircraft carrier Ark Royal caught up with the Bismarck, she torpedo'd the rudder, turning the feared battleship into a sitting target, which was bombarded by a number of ships until it was inevitable she would lose. Over 300 shells and 6 torpedos had hit the Bismarck, before the crew sunk it themselves to avoid the British gaining control. Only a fraction of the crew surivived. The wreckage was dicovered and examined in the 1980's.