Bismarck slowly walked up to Favre, his face expressionless, and said, word by word, "France started this war, and the responsibility should be borne by the French government."
Prussia paid too high a price for this war; money alone could not heal the wounds in the hearts of the Prussian army and people.
If your government is unwilling to cede territory and pay reparations, that's fine; we can discuss it further in Paris.
Favre was well aware of the hidden threat in Bismarck's words. The polite way of saying it was to negotiate in Paris was, in reality, that if the French government did not agree to cede territory, the Prussian army would continue its attack on Paris.
Once the French capital fell, it wouldn't be so easy for the French government to refuse to cede territory and pay repa
