Central Europe's ancient civilizations have long been dominated by empires: The Roman Empire, the Habsburg Empire, based in Austria, and more recently, the Soviet Communists.

Germany is historically one of the most important of all nations. Since emerging from its days as a Roman province, Germany (including Prussia) has had a central role in European affairs.

The lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea contain some of the oldest cultures on Earth. Italy and the other countries of Europe and North Africa have played a central role in various expanding empires, and also in shrinking fortunes.

Ralph Raico is professor of European history at Buffalo State College and a specialist on the history of liberty...

Recent events have made it clear that the Soviet Union is not a monolith; it’s a collection of nationalities, many with serious objection to union.

By the turn of the twentieth century, the United States had evolved from a colony into an international power. As a result of the Spanish-American War, America acquired colonies in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. She also acquired a taste for international politics.

President Woodrow Wilson called World War I “a war to make the world safe for democracy.” But the conflict did not result in democracy or safety.