On November 1, 1952, the United States of America tested the most devastating weapon known to man up to that point: the first thermonuclear weapon, more commonly known as the H-Bomb. This type weapon is the most devastating weapon ever developed, and is feared throughout the world. As with many other countries, the US currently holds approximately 4,670 H-Bombs, while the rest hold only 10,000 total nuclear weapons.

In 1993, the European Union was officially put into place and the countries of Great Britain, France, Germany, the Irish Republic, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Austria, Finland, and Sweden became members of the EU in 1995. This plan was originally named the “Maastricht Treaty.” The Maastricht Treaty was drafted in 1991 by delegates from the European Community meeting at Maastricht in the Netherlands and was signed in 1992. The agreement called for a strengthened European Parliament, the creation of a central European bank, and common foreign and security policies.

In 1914, the major countries of Europe were engrossed in a “War To End All Wars” or basically the first World War. On November 1, an uncommonly know naval battle, known as the Battle of Coronel, took place off the shore of the neutral country of Chile. This battle was between the German’s Pacific Ocean war fleet and a group of Australian and British ships. This battle ended with a decisive German victory; it turned to be the worst British naval battle in almost a century with the loss of 1,600 British sailors.

With all this in mind, I can’t help but think about the current situation in Europe. With the Catalonia secession conflicts, and Scotland considering to leave the UK, it seems that the old countries of Europe are beginning to fall apart into their separate factions. Now this could be a good thing at the moment, people gaining independence or more equality in these countries, but this will leave Europe in tatters and civil war. What would stop a theoretical Russian invasion, however unlikely? The European Union, in order to survive this new age of revolution, must band together. Because, if they don’t, there will be no telling what political system the countries of Europe will fall into, because, if history doesn’t lie, they will not go down without a fight.