History does not repeat itself, not even as farce. Yet the history and geography, the political structures, and the economy of a region, a nation or a continent make up what one might call its situation, which usually contains security problems. Thus, France and Germany went to war three times in seventy years, and although they were very different wars, they were all rooted in the countries’ situation. The new German state wished to expand across Europe and the older French state sought to block it. Both thought they should rule Alsace-Lorraine. That is not to say that any of these wars was inevitable. Indeed, the third one might have been avoided, or so at least one French spokesman felt, if France had been as generous towards the democratic German governments as it was towards Adolf Hitler who had exploited their failures in order to come to power.2 The situation comprises elements that change as well as others that are lasting, although not of course eternal. Outside forces exert an influence, while actors in a country make choices within a range of options. For example, as from the Risorgimento, Italy felt the lack of an empire and it was Benito Mussolini who was prepared to use greater force and make more enemies in order to acquire one.