Timeline

French Revolution - Monarchies aghast at Republicanism

Napoleonic Wars - Napoleon beats Prussians like a drum...eventually loses to them.

1848..????

1870 Prussians get their revenge, take back some "German" provinces that Napoleon had stripped from "Germany"

1914 WW I - Germany loses said provinces back to France.

1939 WW II - Germany attempts to regain said provinces.


I think there is a strong case that WW II basically stems from the French Revolution/Napoleon.