World War II was a global conflict that involved many of the world’s countries which created two alliances: the Axis Powers and the Allies. World War II lasted 6 years and killed an estimated sixty to eighty million people. The majority of the fighting was found in Europe, notably with a swift capture of France in 1940 and Operation Barbarossa resulting in the capture of much of European Russia by the Axis Powers before being turned back by the winter.

This nationwide upheaval, which brought the idea of democracy to Europe, was driven by a widespread disliking of the French monarchy, the aristocracy, and economic policies by commoners. These discomforts sent France into a panic, and were the cause of different horrors such as the storming of Bastille,and a period of violence and execution. The revolution left the country with new political features such as a new government, the National Assembly, as well as the abolishment of the monarchy.

Of all continents, Europe was the most affected by this recent once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. More than 243 million cases were confirmed and over 2 million died. The first confirmed case was in Bordeaux, France on January 24, 2020, and the most affected country was Italy.

The Soviet Union, one of the most influential global superpowers of the twentieth century and key player in many major wars, was a communist state encompassing most of northwest Asia, modern Russia, and most of Eastern Europe. It was dissolved on December 26, 1991, marking the end of a major era in post-WWII Europe by abolishing communism on the continent and creating a new era both for the EU and Europe as a whole.