Part 2/10:
Looking back, during the Cold War, many European nations such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands allocated around 3-4% of their GDP to defense. Yet, following the Cold War's conclusion, these countries redirected their military budgets towards social welfare programs, collectively saving approximately €1.8 trillion since 1991. By 2006, most NATO allies spent less than 2% of their GDP on military expenditures, further curtailed by the 2008 financial crisis.