Most of European history until 1871 is pretty mcuh "OK, how do we keep the french from fucking us over?" (then it becomes "OK, what about those germans?")
Seriously. That's THE issue of european politics. And the thing is, most of the time it's basically France Vs. Everyone Else, and then they fight to a draw, or a minor victory for one side and the other, and do it again ten years later.