6. Introduction

Since the above mentioned events are too recent, a historical perspective on them is yet to emerge. After the years of the Second World War, Europe was caught in a mood of futility. The mood faded soon enough but it surfaced in the decades of the nuclear crisis. Perhaps it was this that indirectly led to the forging of a new sense of community. The Council of Europe (1949) and the EEC (1956) contributed in no mean measure to the unification process. With the advent of the Cold War, the division between East and West Europe widened. It was only after the collapse of the Soviet Union became evident that the idea of the European Union really took hold. At present, Germany continues to dominate the European front on the basis of its economic strength. There is a possibility of the eastward expansion of NATO as well as the European union although Russia is not very interested in this.

Index

6.0 - Introduction
6.1 North Atlantic Treaty Organization
6.2 The Collapse of Communism in Russia
6.3 Decolonization
6.4 European Monetary Union
6.5 The Re-Unification of Germany
6.6 Points to Remember

Chapter 1