The North German Confederation -LRB- -RRB- , came into existence in August NUMBER@1 as a military alliance of NUMBER@2 states of northern LOCATION@1 with the LOCATION@2 as the leading state .

The North German Confederation -LRB- -RRB- , was a military alliance of NUMBER@2 states of northern LOCATION@1 . It started in August NUMBER@1 , and the Kingdom of LOCATION@3 was the leading state .
