Nationalism-Related Events in Western and Eastern Europe

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History Essay
Introduction
Today's Europe continent results from history and events that helped shape it. The history essay paper will feature events between the 1870s and 1990s in Western and Eastern Europe to reflect the short-term changes within long-term continuity for the Europe continent. These events are in the context of nationalism, which was prevalent during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Europe. The events covered for the specific timeframe are the Franco-Prussian War, World War II, and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Nationalism-Related Events between the 1870s and 1990s in Western and Eastern Europe
           The Franco-Prussian War encompassed a battle that involved the North German confederation headed by the Prussian kingdom and the empire in France. The conflict happened for close to a year. Specifically, the war started in July 1870 and ended in January the following year. Other names that described this war were the German-Franco war, while other individuals within France called it the War of 1870s. France's efforts to re-establish its central position in the European region were the primary trigger that stimulated the battle between the two sides, hence leading to war. It had lost its position after Prussia outdid Austria in the mid-19th century. Some historical sources reveal that Otto Bismarck, a former chancellor in Prussia, was responsible for provoking the French to fight Prussia. The main driver for the war decision against Prussia was to consider self-governing German states – Bavaria, Darmstadt, Baden, and Wurttemberg to be part of the North German Confederation. Other historical facts inform that Bismarck utilized the situations as they disclosed. However, there is no disagreement that the former chancellor acknowledged the possibility of emergent German coalitions, provided the condition in its entirety. France organized an army for the war, resulting in North German Confederation reacting to its army deployment later. The parliament in France voted and approved the war on 16 July 1870 against Prussia, and France attacked German territory the following month on the 2nd.
           After World War I ended in 1918, the instability created an opportunity for World War II's emergence. The global conflict erupted almost twenty years later, resulting in even more irreversible effects. Adolf Hitler, a Nazi Party founder, rose to power in Germany when it was still unstable regarding political and economic dimensions. The leader equipped the country with war tools and signed treaties alongside Japan and Italy to increase his global domination objectives. When Hitler led Poland's invasion in 1939, France and Britain proclaimed war on Germany. Therefore, World War II officially commenced on 1 September 1939 and lasted for six years because it ended in 1945. This was transformative in the twentieth century. Mainly, it led to a decline in the world's human population due to the deaths recorded. For example, approximately 39 million individuals lost lives; half were civilians. The prolonged battle period led to extensive home and property destructions; hence, losses for the p...