Question

Respond to the following statement: World War II fundamentally changed the way that Europeans understood themselves. In the second half of the 20th century, the experience of the war led people on both sides of the Iron Curtain before 1989, and throughout Europe after, to redefine what it meant to be European. By the end of the century, nations throughout the continent built an identity on a vision of unity and tolerance of everyone living in Europe. Support, refute, or refine this statement.

Answer 1

Europeans waged World wars to gain territory or do right of what was done wrong in their respective point of views. During that period colonization and procuring countries which would prove strategically important was common. It is ultimately true that nations throughout the continent united after they suffered a lot of adversity after the wars. Essentially the concept of United Nations also emerged which acted as a deterrent to invade other countries. European nations wealth in the later 20th century was less in resources and more as human capital. Nuclear power also helped nations to unite, as they realised that it could be destructive to the entire continent if one of the nations wages a nuclear war. The European union was also created to unite the continent. Thus it is true that World war II changed Europeans mindset to unite, and I fully support this statement, they wanted peace after the loss they suffered and peace looked like the best alternative which could increase their wealth in entirety and as waging war started to look more and more expensive.