[Mlller]

“[…] not so because they were sold on Bismar[c]k's theater.” Actually they were sold, and it wasnʼt just theater (‘this man means what he says’), but of course it was indeed the cold calculus of self-interest – that was one of the things Bismarck took into account in his complex calculus. And maybe we can even call it “theater”: in the sense a tightrope walk is, with which Bismarck compared the art of politics.

To be clear: I agree with your main point regarding the present war; I just think that specifically the “Einigungskriege” are not a good analogy, that they are quite unlike Putinʼs war, even before the question of defeat or victory comes into play.

You have shifted the focus to WW1, and I think your analysis of the power relations before WW1 is completely convincing (given the usual allowances due to brevity). (Nitpick: 1872 → 1871)