answersLogoWhite

0

French-German relations have been time and again tested throughout history. Ever since the 18th century, the two states have had a mutual distrust, constantly fearing an attack from one another. In the Napoleonic Wars, France (the continental European superpower at the time) invaded Prussia (what was then Germany), occupying the area and eventually continuing on to Russia. Although le bleu were stopped by a bitter Russian winter, pushed out of Russia, and eventually out of Prussia, a deep-seated distrust developed between the French and the German states. Later that century, in 1870, the cunning Prussian prime minister Bismarck engineered a unification of the German states by goading France into a declaration of war. Shocking the world, the advanced Prussians smashed the cocky French in the Franco-Prussian War. Reluctantly, France ceded the famous Alsace-Lorraine territory to Prussia. Immediatley after the war, however, the French pledged themselves to getting back their lost territory. They developed Plan XVII, a scheme to take back Alsace-Lorraine from the hated Germans if war should ever break out. In 1882, Germany formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary. France, feeling understandly threatened from the two emerging powers to their east, formed an alliance with Russia in early 1900. These two opposing alliances, along with the desire to create an empire and rising nationalism, led to an incredibly intriguing and costly arms race in Europe. Hundreds of battleships were built; armies were in the millions. Even Great Britain was brought out of its splendid isolationism (Britain had 49 battleships to Germany's 29 at the end of the race). The kindling was there--France wanted to exact revenge and get Alsace Lorraine back while Germany wanted an empire--it just needed a spark. After World War I, in which the French fought gallantly and proudly (for all you French military haters) Germany ceded Alsace-Lorraine back to France in the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was incredibly harsh on the Germans, another factor which caused the Germans to despise their western neighbor. However, despite the French victory in the Great War, Le Bleu remained wary and suspicious of a German attempt to regain the territory. The memory of France's horrific losses in WWI were still fresh in French minds, and they remained acutely aware of the fact that their population was smaller than the Germans, and thus every man lost was far more costly. This caused France to build the Maginot Line, which heightened the rivalry and distrust between the two collosi.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

How did imperialism contribute Germany increasing anger with Britain and France?

The amount of lands owned by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who had entered the scramble to aquire colonies late and only had small area of Africa.


How did imperialism contributed towards Germany's increasing with Britain and France?

The amount of lands owned by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who had entered the scramble to aquire colonies late and only had small area of Africa.


How did imperialism contribute towards Germany's anger increasing with Britain and France?

The amount of lands owned by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who had entered the scramble to aquire colonies late and only had small area of Africa.


How did the imperialism contribute towards Germany increasing anger with Britain and France?

The amount of lands owned by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who had entered the scramble to aquire colonies late and only had small area of Africa.


How did imperialism contribute towards Germany increasing anger with Britain France?

The amount of lands owned by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who had entered the scramble to aquire colonies late and only had small area of Africa.


What rivalry caused tension that led to world war 1?

A: Japan and Russia both claimed the same territory in northern Asia B: Britain, France, and Germany competed for colonies in Africa and Asia C: Germany feared the rise of communism in Russia and France D: Britain and Germany each wanted to gain control of France.


Why were France and Germany enemies in World War 1?

WWI occurred as a result of secret alliances. Once the first declaration of war was made, the dominoes began to fall. Germany's Schlaffen Plan called for a rapid envelopment through Holland and Belgium, hoping to catch France off guard before it could fully mobilize its forces. France was still looking for an opportunity to redeem itself after losing the two Franco-Prussian Wars.


Which European nations were involed in a rivalry in the early 1900s?

Germany and Great Britain were involved in a naval rivalry in the early 1900s.


What imperial rivalries does Britain have with Germany in Africa?

Zach Sinclair was the imperial rivalry of Britain and germany.


Is France in Germany or near Germany?

France and Germany are two different countries in Europe. France and Germany are near eachother, but both are pretty big countries.


What historic place can you visit in Germany?

Berlin


Intense rivalry among competing miners often led to what?

Intense rivalry among competing miners often led to violence. Mining of stone and metal has been done since pre-historic.