Part 3/10:
Historically, conscription was a common practice across Europe, with nearly every country requiring military service during the Cold War and into the 1990s. However, post-2000, many nations phased out mandatory service, transitioning to volunteer-based military models. This major shift led to a significant reduction in troop numbers: EU military personnel declined from approximately 3.5 million in 1995 to under 2 million by 2020. Countries like Germany and Italy saw particularly dramatic decreases, with their armies shrinking by 85% and 66%, respectively.