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The historical feud between France and Germany

To talk about Germany and France, in a Chinese saying, they are “rooted from the same root”. There is a Charlemagne in European history. If you are not familiar with him, you can buy a pair of poker. The prototype of the king of hearts is him. You don’t need to know about his deeds, just understand that he built an empire that stretched from the Elbe and Danube to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Pyrenees and Italy to the south, and the North Sea to the north.

However, after his death, three of his grandsons signed the Treaty of Verdun in 843, dividing the empire. These three parts later formed Germany, France and Italy. Of course, this is something. At that time, Germany was not yet unified, it was still a federation.

Germany and France are less like a family, more like rivals. Let’s talk about the “Thirty Years War” first. This war can be described as a mess. European hegemony and religious differences have made it a mess anyway. In this war, the protagonists are Britain and France. At that time, the German states were allied with Great Britain, and of course France would attack the German states.

Later, during the French Revolution, the German state joined the anti-French alliance. If you still can’t figure it out, then just figure out one thing. At the Battle of Waterloo, the Prussian marshal was called Lücher, and he was with the British commander Wellington. After defeating Napoleon, France suffered a major blow.

Is the grievance between the two not over yet? After France suffered a loss, it was Germany’s turn to be proud, and the “Iron Chancellor” Bismarck completed the unification of Germany. Don’t forget that German unification was accomplished in Versailles, France. The French are deeply ashamed.

Further back, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Germany and France both transitioned to imperialism. During this period, coal and steel became the main resources and materials. It happened that Germany and France had both on the border. It seems that the grievances between the two want to end. no. The largest iron ore mine in Europe at that time was the Lorraine region, which was in France. The most abundant coal-producing region in Europe, the Ruhr region, is Germany.

Both want access to each other’s resources. Germany moved first, and Bismarck launched the Franco-Prussian War. France is also really unsatisfactory. In the Battle of Sedan, the French Emperor Napoleon III and Marshal McMahon, 39 generals, 300 officers and 86,000 soldiers became German prisoners. There is no other way, France can only suffer from Alsace and Lorraine to Germany. Isn’t this adding hot coal to the trains developed in Germany? Germany has the resources to take stimulants, and in the early 20th century it jumped to the first place in Europe and the second place in the world. France is losing both face and rib, and its resources are gone.

France’s chance for revenge has come. In 1914, World War I broke out. Germany and France are the Allies and the Allies respectively. Everyone knows the ending. This time Germany was defeated and France turned over. France is ready to roll up its sleeves and be embarrassed. “Down with Germany and set foot on 10,000 feet” is a faithful portrayal of France. Never give Germany a chance to turn over.

At the Paris Peace Conference, France asked Germany to pay huge compensation and took back the Alsace-Lorraine region. This is not over, France also wants the Ruhr region of Germany. France sent troops to the Ruhr area, but Germany played “passive resistance”, and France did not get the Ruhr area due to the intervention of Britain and the United States.

Of course, this action still had an effect – an effect that France did not want to kill – the rise of German fascism.

During the Second World War, Germany and France, who were constantly grumbling, were once again mixed up. France played at a normal level again, being beaten by Germany in less than a month. The Arc de Triomphe in Paris witnessed the entry of German soldiers into Paris.

Of course, in the end World War II was over. Germany was defeated again. But this time was different. Insightful politicians in Germany and France began to reflect on history. This is also the beginning of European integration.