after the Franco-Prussian War

这是在普法战争之后
in which the big issue was they took Alsace-Lorraine from the French

普鲁士逼迫法国割让阿尔萨斯-洛林两省
and annexed it to Germany,

归属德国领土
but at the same time they did not so harm France

另一方面又心慈手软
that France could never again be a menace.

不能防止法国再次对普鲁士构成威胁
But they could be sure that for the foreseeable future,

他们都知道在可预见的将来
and who knows maybe forever,

或是永远
the French would be angry and dissatisfied

法国必会怒火升腾
and determined to recover Alsace-Lorraine,

决意收回领土
even if it meant war.

即使是战争也在所不惜
That was true, to a degree, although we need to be aware

某种程度上的确如此我们要注意的是
that the best evidence we have is that

最好的证据就是