QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; You commented briefly when you stepped off the stage at the door that the likelihood of war between France and Germany would rise again but not until 2032. Might you elaborate on that for a moment please.
KD
ANSWER: In modern times, there have been three times that war between France and Germany have erupted – 1870, 1914, and 1940. These were as follows:
- The 1870 Franco-Prussian War, Prussians invaded France when tensions rose Prussia’s influence in central Europe.
- The 1905 there was the Schlieffen Plan (German Empire’s plan for a two-front war against France and Russia).
- The 1914 Battle of the Marne, the Schlieffen Plan implemented at the outset of World War I.
- The May 1940 Battle of France, Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Ardennes and the Low countries.
The cyclical forces of this conflict is building once again but it is not likely to reach a peak until 2032. The risk of war on this level will increase after 2032 and this may have more of a connection to the refugee crisis than anyone suspects. Keep in mind that Southern Germany still celebrate its war with Prussia as well.
