I don't think so. France was beaten in 1815 and didn't try to come back. Why would it without any beef with Germany ? The most probable enemy is Britain due to colonialism. Also, between 1815 and 1870, France really wasn't warlike. Only two major wars (Mexican Intervention and Crimea) were fought.
That didnt prohibit another Napoleon to become Emperor again. You really believe that the "Grande Nation" would be satisfied with playing second fiddle on the continent, or even third? Doubtful. As for not warlike, the enmity between Germany and France didnt came out of thin air.
Everyone warred in Germany, almost since the dawn of time,
Mostly France as it saw the HRE as his main opponent on the continent and later as a weak victim to expand easily. Before Germany unified and the German question was solved, the german question for the last centuries was to deny possible adversaries the resources which central europe could provide (most of times this meant Germany/HRE as a battling ground and peripheral powers as the invaders).
and even when it unified, we didn't see everyone gang up on it.
Bismarck tried its best to prevent exactly that. And later exactly that happened. I admit that is more to blame at little Willy, but nevertheless it did happen for a reason. France felt reduced to a second tier power, Germanys power potential was to big for being satisfied with what it had achieved. So my argument still stands, with or without AL, the outcome and the politcal, social and strategic situation is not changed at all.
States have other reasons than history for their alliance. Without the annexation of Alsace-Moselle, there wouldn't be any reason to to fight Germany except for colonies (France had abandonned any of being a continental hegemon at that point).
Sure, there are other reasons for war. AL was just a really good reason to fight for France. If not that, it would have been another one.
No one cared about the Rhine left bank except a few nuts (yes Adolphe Tiers was a nut, and no one would have followed him in actually claiming it).
Enough people cared to nearly spark a war between the German Confederation and France.
With this i agree. The UK would be the the major rival of both France and Germany in a TL without the annexation of AL, as their wouldn't be a lot of revanchism in France, and German insecurities about France would be lifted by the victory.
Could be, must not be. Germany still overshadows the "Grande Nation" and the victory in the Franco-Prussian war was so overwhelming and so surprising that it would still left some revanchism in France.
No, France wasn't resigned to the loss of AL. Almost all the French diplomacy after the Franco-Prussian war was finding allies to fight Germany and to get AL back. There was a lot of nationalist propaganda about AL between 1871 and 1914
Sometimes this feeling reminds me of the loss of the eastern provinces in Germany after ww1. Loosing land which you consider essential to a foe which you regard lower than you is hard to swallow.
France was beaten by the UK in 1815, the UK had a bigger industry and still France didn't try to fight the UK after 1815. Nations don't fight other nations because they are bigger. If Germany and France don't try to steal each others colonies, then they would be natural partners against the UK.
The UK is not the evil barbarian from the wrong side of the Rhine. The perception of each other is determining, too.
Greetz, Haaki