There are many different wars going on in Europe. Some are ancient while others are newer and more modern. Religion was one of the major causes of European wars. There were also conflicts that arose from the Soviet Union's threat. These wars took place in both Europe and Asia. You can read more about them here.
The primary reason for wars in Europe was religion
The history of religion and war dates back to the early modern era. Europe is a country where religion was the main focus of war. Religious conflicts were a major focus of public attention. This led to the creation of many publications to provide coverage in real time.
Many times, wars of religion were fought between neighbouring countries or between foreign powers. They often took aim at entire populations, and caused a lot of collateral damage. These conflicts generally affected the common man. During the Thirty Year's War, for example mercenary soldiers pillaged and destroyed villages.
Transatlantic cooperation
While Europe and the United States have always been allies, the recent terrorist attacks has shown that the transatlantic relationships are less stable. Europe will struggle to maintain its military relevance in Washington, as the United States is primarily focused on international terrorism. The United States will be looking to Europe as a reliable, influential and trustworthy partner in this new environment.
To avoid a new conflict in Europe, we need to work together more constructively across the Atlantic. Washington and Europe are committed to maintaining the transatlantic partnership, despite their differences. Transatlantic cooperation can only succeed if allies have a common view on critical global issues. However, Europeans may be wary of Washington's openness to constructive criticism.
Soviet threat
The Soviet threat to Europe's wars is real. It should not be taken lightly. Since the Cold War, NATO's equivalent has been outnumbered by the Soviet Union in terms of both range and numbers. 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 the Cold War, the USSR and the United States were polar opposites, with a mutual distrust and suspicion toward each other. However, Soviet-American leaders started to negotiate and signed strategic arms limitations agreements in the 1970s. In 1973, Brezhnev announced that peaceful coexistence was the norm, but he warned that wars would still break out 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. Their misuse can have severe consequences. The Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference is fast approaching. Policy-makers are trying hard to keep up the pace with the rapidly changing nuclear threat. The number of nuclear-weapon states is increasing. Iran, for example, is estimated to have a breakout time of less than a month. The threat is only increasing with the US President's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal.
Many European countries began to consider building nuclear weapons after World War II. Some even began nuclear weapons programmes, including Sweden. Recent research has shown that the country was closer to nuclear weapons ownership than many thought. Germany's government also considered building a European bomb alongside France and Italy. In fact Franz Josef Strauss, Germany’s defence minister, secretly signed an accord with his counterparts at Paris and Rome.