It was 1940 all over again. One by one, each of Britain’s allies was overawed, intimidated or steamrolled. Seventy-one years later, the British stand alone once more against a German-dominated Europe. But this time, instead of Panzer tank barrels and V-2 rockets being aimed at the isles, it is the accusing fingers of Europe’s most powerful leaders. But that does not make the threat to Britain any less dangerous.

On December 8 and 9, the heads of state for Europe’s 27 Union members met to resolve the future of Europe. It may be remembered as the day Europe finally decided to part ways with Britain.

In hindsight, it should not have been a shock. Great Britain historically opposed the various European powers attempting to dominate the Continent: the Habsburgs, Napoleon, Bismarck. To do this, it has always cultivated various continental allies to stand against would-be European kings.

But following its latest battle for survival—against Hitler’s Germany in World War ii—the United States and other nations pressured Great Britain into something radically different. Instead of teaming up with the underdog to oppose tyrants who were determined to unite the Continent, Britain signed up to a continental unification project. It ultimately abandoned its far-flung—and God-ordained—Commonwealth and bound itself to Europe, reversing what four centuries of British blood was spilled to oppose.

Today, a vindicated Margaret Thatcher is probably watching this spectacle with great sadness. “In the end, my friends, you’ll find it will not work,” she had said. The same is true of another vindicated news forecaster (if he were still alive), as we will talk about in a minute.

But as the meetings began on Thursday last week, to the casual observer there was little hint of the explosive detonations to come. When David Cameron strode confidently into that Brussels boardroom, he genuinely believed that, in return for British support for a new treaty, he could negotiate safeguards for British sovereignty, especially its treasured banking industry. He was sadly mistaken.

According to Reuters, he was ambushed. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso began by lecturing Europe’s leaders. “What I expect from all,” he said, “is that they don’t come saying what they cannot do, but what they will do for Europe.”

It went downhill from there.

When it was Cameron’s turn to speak, it didn’t take long to realize that he was standing alone. The European elites were set on taxing and regulating the British banking sector—in effect legislating a wholesale Frankfurt-izing of the single last industry that gives Britain importance and clout within Europe. Cameron’s opt-out proposals fell on antagonistic European ears.

“There was no understanding for it,” said one unnamed official. “David Cameron obtained nothing. Just nothing.”

It was a setup through and through. European elites knew Britain would never willingly give up custodianship of the world’s financial capital. France pounced. Sarkozy used British reluctance to justify an intergovernmental treaty that did not have to include all EU members. “Intentional or otherwise, Cameron played straight into Sarkozy’s hands,” the official said.

Then European Union President Herman Van Rompuy delivered the fait accompli. He proposed moving forward with an intergovernmental agreement of the 17 eurozone nations. The remaining European Union nations would be free to join if they wished.

France seconded the motion, immediately followed by Germany. Then one after another, each eurozone member backed the Franco-German plan. Minutes later, every other European Union member had fallen in line too.

And Britain’s much-venerated veto power? Worthless to stop a proposal made at the eurozone level.

“The swing was very, very quick. Everybody was on board in a matter of minutes. I think it was obvious inside the room that Cameron was shocked by the swiftness with which his allies left him alone,” recounted another official.

“Cameron made demands that were unacceptable, even to me,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti told reporters. “Britain has shut itself out. It will be in certain isolation.”

The result leaves Britain once again confronting the prospect of facing fortress Europe by itself.

But the truth is, Britain didn’t shut itself out of Europe—it was deliberately kicked out. Europe has chosen sides. And now the bayonets are being sharpened.

Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said on Monday that the City of London could not escape expanded European financial regulation. Brussels will use EU institutions to police the new “fiscal compact” even though Britain did not sign up. “If this move was intended to prevent bankers and financial corporations of the City from being regulated, that’s not going to happen,” he told reporters in Brussels. “The UK’s excessive deficit and debt will [also] be the subject of surveillance like other member states.”

“Now we must put pressure on the British and force them, by implementing tough regulations on financial markets, to decide if they want out of the EU or if they want to stay inside,” said Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the European Green Party leader.

Elmar Brok, a German Christian Democrat member of parliament close to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the EU “must now marginalize Britain, so that the country comes to feel its loss of influence.”

Britain’s days in the European Union are numbered.

European elites are working to subordinate national sovereignty. A new political and economic superpower is rising in Europe, and the knives are coming out for anyone or any nation that stands in the way. Some nations know it and are getting in line. Other nations, like Britain, are about to find out.

But this is not something new to Trumpet readers. And it is not new to those who heard Herbert W. Armstrong proclaim this message for over 50 years.

Commenting on the uniting of European nations, Mr. Armstrong wrote in 1956: “[W]e Americans, with the British, gave them the idea. We’ve tried to organize the European nations together against Russia. They are going to unite against us! … The Germans are coming back from the destruction of World War ii in breathtaking manner. Germany is the economic and military heart of Europe. Probably Germany will lead and dominate the coming United States of Europe. But Britain will be no part of it!” (emphasis added).

Over the ensuing years, Mr. Armstrong continued to warn of the rise of a hostile European superpower composed of 10 nations or groups of nations—and that Britain would one way or the other leave the union.

Today, many analysts see this forecast as an obvious possibility. A decade ago it seemed impossible. Six decades ago, it was considered crazy. But believe it or not, it is inevitable. And when it happens, remember where you read it and the one man who said it first.