For three years after the war of 1870, La Meuse was occupied by German troops, to assure their victory would last. France was forced to pay expensive war reparations to get back these occupied territories. Could this be why France demanded reparations from Germany after its defeat after WWI? That and the fact that 73% of France's military were killed, wounded or missing. And this area is where so many battles were fought, so many French, British, & Americans were killed, with hardly any territory won.