Five Brothers and a War

History—1800 to 1900 AD

The war demonstrated a number of things to the world, and to Germany. First, that the German tactics were far superior to the French. Second, that a unified Germany quickly overthrew the existing powerhouse of the day, the French. Third, that the balance of power within Europe had permanently changed, and fourth that a system of alliances was needed to keep all of the various interests in check. Aside from the indignity of having Prussia defeat France, what added to the humiliation was the speed of that defeat. Napoleon III had to surrender, along with 120,000 troops. The victory parade rubbed salt into the gaping wound. The French territories of Alsace and Lorraine were lost to Germany. On top of that, France was forced to pay reparations. Bismarck insisted on 5,000,000,000 gold francs, which was 25% of the annual GDP of France (including Alsace and Lorraine). In real economic terms, that would represent more than $4 trillion dollars if applied to the 2014 United States economy. Bismarck kept his occupying army in France until the payments were completed, which France accomplished early to rid themselves of the occupiers. The pain to France was profound.

When the tables were turned at the end of World War I, where France was victorious (or at least on the victorious side), and Germany was vanquished, the score was settled. Bismarck used a tried-and-tested tactic of gaining unity through the fighting of a common enemy. Nothing galvanizes a nation like finding someone to hate together. Even after the extraordinarily contentious United States elections of 2000, by the time the September 11, 2001 attack occurred less than a year later, the nation came together (albeit briefly).

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Five Brothers and a War

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