There are dozens of wars in Europe. Some are old, others are modern. One of the main causes of European wars was religion. There were also conflicts over the Soviet Union's threat. These wars occurred in Asia and Europe. Learn more about them in the following article.
Europe's main cause of war was religion
The history of war and religion goes back to early modern times. Europe is a country where religion was the main focus of war. Religious conflicts attracted the attention of the public and were closely followed, leading to the creation a variety of publications that provide live coverage.
Many times, wars of religion were fought between neighbouring countries or between foreign powers. They caused enormous collateral damage and targeted entire populations. The victims of such conflicts were generally common people. During the Thirty Year's War, for example mercenary soldiers pillaged and destroyed villages.
Transatlantic cooperation
The United States and Europe used to be allies. However, recent terrorist attacks have shown that their transatlantic relationship is less secure. Europe will find its military relevance diminished in Washington's primary focus on international terrorism. In this environment, Europe will need to make significant changes to remain a reliable and influential partner in the United States.
To avoid another war in Europe, a more constructive transatlantic collaboration is needed. Washington and Europe are committed to maintaining the transatlantic partnership, despite their differences. Transatlantic cooperation can only be effective when current allies see eye to eye on critical global issues. Europeans may be wary, however, of Washington's willingness and ability to constructively criticize.
Soviet threat
The Soviet threat to Europe's wars is real. It should not be taken lightly. Since the Cold War, the Soviet Union has developed its nuclear capability significantly, outnumbering NATO's equivalent in both numbers and range. In fact, NATO is nearly three times more powerful than the Soviets in anti-tank guns, artillery, and air defense system. The Soviets are the leading player in European conventional war. Moreover, the Soviet Union has developed its mobile SS-20 missile, which has a range of 5,000 kilometers and is capable of hitting any corner of Europe within minutes.
During Cold War, the USSR was polar opposites to the United States, and they had mutual distrust of each other. However, Soviet-American leaders started to negotiate and signed strategic arms limitations agreements in the 1970s. Brezhnev in 1973 declared that peaceful coexistence was the norm but warned that wars would still erupt in the Third World.
The impact of nuclear arms
In a world of increasing threat from nuclear war, it is crucial to understand what the nuclear weapons have on Europe's safety. The consequences of their use can be devastating. As the Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference draws near, policy-makers try to keep up with rapidly evolving nuclear threats. The number of nuclear-weapon states is increasing. For example, Iran is said to have a breakout period of less than one month. The threat has been heightened by the US president's decision not to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement.
Many European countries were open to the idea of building nuclear weapons following the Second World War. Some even began nuclear weapons programmes, including Sweden. Recent research has revealed that the country is now closer to possessing nuclear weapons than people believed. Germany's government was also open to the possibility of building a European bomb with France and Italy. In reality, Germany's defence Minister Franz Josef Strauss secretly signed a contract with his counterparts Paris and Rome.