Nobody is more militaristic than a dominant European power, so keep your eyes on the EU. After Brussels takes control of the armed forces of its formerly-sovereign member nations, we'll see what a 21st Century fascist state looks like. There is a reason Brussels pressed EU and NATO expansion all the way to Russia's borders, and it has nothing to do with friendship and trade. Buffers help prevent wars from starting, and the old frontier buffers are gone.
I wouldn't be lulled into thinking that militarism is a thing of the past. Trade is as old as warfare; if trade could make great wars obsolete, it would have done so long ago. Things change, and they can turn on a dime. Human nature has not changed one bit.
I agree in part. We’ll see what Brussels governance bring forth. You may be right. No, it’s never been my contention that trade would stave off a war. Germany was getting fairly good trade prior to WWII. Didn’t stop them.