Franco German detente pre 1914

is there anything that could make those two powers fear each other less and be less inclined to war.

As I see it France's involvement was essential to making the 1914 conflict the great war.

I also think fear of France was a big factor in making sections of the German establishmetn actively welcome the prospect of war.

I imagine a Germany not actively wanting war would have been happy to see Serbia humiliated -as it deserved, but not ceasing to exist, which seemed to have been Austria's objective.
 
WAR

Im going to have to agree with those people who say no.

I say no because before 1914, both Germany and France both knew that they would have to fight over Alsces-Lorraine. In the end Franc won,and Germany and France moved together in the 50's and 60's. That was only because it was clear to Germany that they would not be getting A-L back.

Had Germany won the 1st world war, and presumably a 2nd world war, it is likely there would be a France/German detente. That would only happen because France would realize that they were not getting A-L back.

To sum up what I said for a France/Germany detente, you need to have one side militarily beaten in a war so bad that they realize they will never recover A-L. After that nation gives up trying to gain A-l by force, then both France and Germany can move closer together.

Wishing you well, his majesty,
The Scandinavian Emperor
 
Quite. Germany wanted to 'break out' to the top tier of power. The only way to do that was over France and the UK.

I'd limit that to France, as Britain definitely was at the top tier of power and Germany wanted merely a comparable state.

Anyway, this doesn't help with the underlying question, as it still requires Germany to fight France.


As you did not mention a POD, there are plenty of occasions during the 19th century which could have resulted in a German-French alliance. After Alsace-Lorraine is German it is pretty much impossible. Even if the Germans made Alsace-Lorraine a republic and a full member state of Germany with autonomy even regarding the French language, and even if the Alsaciennes in turn would fully integrate into Germany, that wouldn't appease France at all. Even if you held repeated referendums on whether Alsace-Lorraine should be French or German and the Germans always won with overwhelming majority (which requires at the very least aforementioned changes in German politics regarding the Reichsland) that wouldn't necessarily impress France.

The easiest thing IMHO would be making Alsace-Lorraine an independent princedom at the congress of Vienna. They might join some sort of Germany later, a successful 1848 being probably the best chance, they might become a neutral buffer between these two. In either case the hatred is limited.
 
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