[2] Bainville argued that the treaty's debts bound German states closer to Prussia and weakened neighbors to the South and East (principally Austria-Hungary) that might be willing and able to contain it.

[4] His other written works included Histoire de France as well as political columns for a number of newspapers and editing La Revue Universelle for Maurras.

[5] His Histoire de deux peuples (1915) underlined the importance for France of German weakness and sought a return to the pre-Franco-Prussian War status of Germany.

Preoccupied by the need to contain Germany, he was initially an admirer of Italian fascism and when early reports came through about violent acts by Benito Mussolini's fascio in 1921, he praised them as proof that Italy was regaining her strength.

[5] Bainville's funeral proved a further source of controversy when socialist Prime Minister Léon Blum was set upon and nearly lynched by a crowd of mourners during the procession.