Final answer:
Prussia desired political unification and pursued the Franco-Prussian War to consolidate German states under its control, leading to the establishment of the German Empire in 1871.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Franco-Prussian War and Prussia's Motivations
Prussia was anxious to go to war with France in 1870 because it desired political unification. The leadership under Otto von Bismarck aimed to consolidate and strengthen the German states under Prussian control. The Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71 was a brief conflict that had long-lasting effects, leading not only to Prussia's victory but also to the unification of the German Empire. The defeat of France and the subsequent annexation of Alsace-Lorraine was a diplomatic and territorial gain that cemented Prussia's leadership in the newly unified state, ensuring its emergence as a major European power.
Prussia's ambitions were focused on building a powerful state and removing foreign political influences to achieve cultural and linguistic unity within German-speaking regions. Bismarck's strategic military campaigns against Austria, Denmark, and then France were directed towards German unification, a goal realized with the formation of a unified Germany in 1871. The aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War laid the groundwork for escalating tensions that would later contribute to the greater conflict of World War I.