Basic HTML Version
I
T IS
the spring of 1945.
T he fighti ng in Europe is
over.
Never has war been more
destructivc. The human and
material losses are incalcu lable.
The staggering enormity of the
tragedy gradually becomes clear.
The appalling cost in human lives
totals more than
40
million civilian
and military deaths.
Europe lies in ruins. Germany in
particular has been hard hit. Many
wonder whether war-torn Germany
will
ever
rise again.
Europe has hit bottom.
It
has
been the pattern of
European history: ca-
tastrophe, followed by
reviva(, followed by
catastrophe.
The war-ravaged
Continent slowly be–
gins to pick up the
pieces. The suffering
and destruction of
World War
11
prompt
many to ask how such a
catastrophe might be
avoided in the future.
Many wonder: ls Eu–
rope
doomed
to oscil–
late between order and
e haos, between power
and ignominy? Or
might a new path
toward peace and sta–
bility be found?
Age-old Ideal
1
n a celebrated speech at Zurich,
Switzerland, in September 1946,
Winston Churchi ll suggests a pos–
sible solution: "We must build a
kind of United States of Europe."
Once again, an age-old ideal
resurfaces.
The devastation of two world
wars has made the limitations of
national sovereignty painfully evi–
dent. lf Europe's individual nation–
alisms could be submerged within
the context of European
suprana–
tionalism, many feel that future
continental connagrations could be
averted. lf Europe could become
one fami/y
of nations, historie
enmitics could be put to rest.
The plan has highly significant
overtones. For centuries, statesmen
have advocated the union of Euro–
pean nations. Now, a fresh move-
32
THE
HISTORY
OF
EUROPE
&
THE
CHURCH
PARTTEN
THE
FINAL
UNION
by
Keith W. Stump
Editor's Note: This article concludes
our series examining rhe centuries–
long relationship berween Europe and
the Church.
ment toward unity arises from the
devastation of World War
11.
But how to begin?
It
is Churchill, among others,
who again suggests a course: " The
first step in the re-creation of the
European family must be a partner–
ship between France and Germa–
ny."
The reconciliation of these two
age-old enemies is widely viewed as
the essential cornerstone of peace
in postwar Europe. 1n cssence- the
re-creation of the Empire of Char–
Jemagne!
How, specifically, might this be
achieved?
Flrst Steps Toward Unity
A scheme is devised to unite France
and Germany within a common ven–
tu re designed to bind their economic
destinies so tightly together that
another intra-European war could
not occur. The result is the European
Coal and Steel Community
(ECSC), created by the Treaty of
Paris in April 1951.
The ECSC is
a
first step toward
European integration.
It
creates a
common transnational authority to
pool French and German iron, coal
and steel resources. T he project is
extended to include l taly, Belgium,
the Netherlands and
Luxembourg.
T he wheels of Euro–
pean industry have be–
gun to turn again. Mas–
sive U.S. aid in the form
of the Marshall Plan has
helped spu r European
recovery. And the
ECSC has shown Euro–
peans the advantages of
cooperation.
Now, a further step is
taken on the road
toward integration.
IndividuaJiy, the na–
tions of Western Eu–
rope- fragmented by
interna! barriers-are
merely secondary in–
fluences in world af–
fairs. But united, many
come to realize, their
joint economic strength
could allow them to recover sorne of
their lost inftuence and give them a
major voice in the global arena.
The signing of the Treaty of
Rome on March
25, 1957,
creates
the European Economic Communi–
ty (EEC), or Common Market. Its
six charter members are the same
countries associated in the ECSC.
(By 1981, the number of members
will have grown to
1
O- see map.)
The EEC's initial goal is to
remove trade and economic bar–
riers between its members and uni–
fy their economic policies. But the
ultimate hope is that the organiza–
tion will be able to bring about the
even tual
politica/ unification
of
Europe. Many hail the EEC as the
nucleus of a future "United Statcs
of Europe."
1n short order the EEC becomes
The PLAIN TRUTH
... ...