Basically the French couldn’t stand that there was a new kid on the block.
“Basically the French couldn’t stand that there was a new kid on the block.”
More that the French didn’t think there was anyone who could give them a problem. They had been mainland Europe’s chief military power since the 1600s. And under Napolean circa 1812 they came close to conquering everything in Europe including Russia.
Bismarck began unifying the German states under Prussian rule in the 1860s. When France attacked his North German Confederation they ran into a much tougher opponent than they expected.