If Franco-German rivalry shaped the era between 1870 and 1920, it was the conflict with Russia that defined the next 70 years. That conflict was forgotten for two decades after the end of the Cold War, because Russia’s internal travails and Germany’s desire to demonstrate its post-unification harmlessness kept both powers from flexing their muscles.
这就引出了俄罗斯-德国对峙的一个仍在萌芽状态但已清晰可辨的信号。如果说法德对峙决定了1870—1920年，那么与俄罗斯的冲突就决定了此后的70年。冷战结束后，这一冲突被忘记了二十年，因为俄罗斯出现了内部问题，而德国渴望证明它重新统一后不会构成威胁，这让两大列强有所收敛。