[skywal_l]

If we have to be pedantic, France declared war over Prussia. Germany did not exists at the time.

And because Prussia mobilized much more effectively, it attacked France first.

[guimplen]

You are being nitpicky about the names while missing the substance. The first battle was the French capture of Saarbrucken. So no, Prussia did not "attacked first".

[skywal_l]

I am sorry you feel I am being nitpicky.

You are right that behind words like "attack" or "Germany" they are complex human interactions that are hard to understand in retrospect, but I fell obligated to push that discussion a little further: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ems_Dispatch

Have a good day.