Well, France wanted Alsace back. They really wanted Alsace back.
I want to thank Jim’s Son for the reference to G.J. Meyer’s book which I found both an excellent narrative of the war, and full of useful background information.
I also want to thank Samod for the link to the German ‘White Book’ which I have now read.
On page 15 (of the original page numberings, not the electronic page #), it claims that Russia crossed the German frontiers before the Germans declared war. This is a pertinent fact that I have not heard before. Does it have any basis in reality?
From what Iread, russia started off the war with good success-under Gen. Rennekampf (german family) the Russian Army was making good progress toward capturing Vienna. Then came the demand (from the french) to help take pressure off the Western front. The result was the Masurian lakes disaster-in which the Russians lost most of their good troops.
Rennekampf was on the Prussian front, not the Galician front, and by the time of the Battle of the Masurian Lakes, the Russians had already lost the Battle of Tannenburg, which more or less destroyed the Russian Second Army.
The Russians did have some victories against the Austrians, culminating in the successful siege of Przemyśl, but they never got close to Vienna.