The Franco-Prussian/Franco-German war ended about eight years earlier, in which France lost territory to Germany (Alsace-Lorraine). Germany was very much ascend

The Franco-Prussian/Franco-German war ended about eight years earlier, in which France lost territory to Germany (Alsace-Lorraine). Germany was very much ascendant at the time, unified and having recently besieged Paris itself, so that's not exactly a crystal-ball prediction Verne was making.