Also, without the conquest of Alsace, would the German unification have actually happened?
I was always under the impression that the whole unification momentum was something of a 'wave', culminating in Versalies. Without the comprehensive defeat of France, the wave would have a bit less momentum, which might leave the German minors feeling no real reason to join the empire.
On the other hand, letting France keep A-L gives Baden a very good reason to join a united Germany. No small nation wants a border with a pissed off France.
It does seem that most of the tensions between the two countries would ahve been avoided in the long term, though. It's difficult to underestimate just how upset the French were at losing A-L.
I was always under the impression that the whole unification momentum was something of a 'wave', culminating in Versalies. Without the comprehensive defeat of France, the wave would have a bit less momentum, which might leave the German minors feeling no real reason to join the empire.
On the other hand, letting France keep A-L gives Baden a very good reason to join a united Germany. No small nation wants a border with a pissed off France.
It does seem that most of the tensions between the two countries would ahve been avoided in the long term, though. It's difficult to underestimate just how upset the French were at losing A-L.