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In that case, one could say that the Battle of Puebla (it's still Cinco de Mayo in this time zone) showed up France as being weaker than under Napoleon I.

Okay, at least if Hitler/Tojo knew about it. Anything that adds to the 'we can get away with it' calculation contributes to aggression. Despite all the wishful thiking of appeasing liberals, the history of humanity has shown that strength is the best and only reliable deterrent to war. Of course, that's only been known since Marcus Aurelius.

Your example does point out a case that demonstrates real strength is a matter of will, not just of mechanisms. Fanatic determination can overcome a shortage of conventional combat power. Which leads to the second root cause for war - a feeling that there is nothing to lose.

I think it's interesting that the United States has been the most magnanimous nation in victory of any civilization in history (with the notable exception of our internal war against the American aborigines, and - though demeaning - even there the reservation 'solution' represents a value in billions of current dollars given to the defeated enemy). That can be a weakness, too, because it leads to the 'nothing to lose' decision as parodied in, "The Mouse That Roared." It's a careful balance that we certainly haven't always gotten right, though I believe we've done pretty well overall.