1. NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization

2. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Military or defense alliance formed in 1949 by 12 countries in Western Europe and North America
Original purpose – to protect its members from a possible attack from the Soviet Union (Containment)
First peacetime alliance in U.S. history
An alliance of nations with shared values. All members are DEMOCRACIES
Has been the most important U.S. alliance for the past (almost) 60 years

3. NATO Treaty – Article 5
“The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all…”
No NATO member was ever attacked during the Cold War – it never had to use its military forces
The first (and only) time a NATO member was attacked was…
September 11, 2001

4. Who is in NATO? 1949 – 12 Original Members
U.S. Canada Britain
France Iceland Portugal
Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg
1952 – A Little Farther from the North Atlantic (Demonstration of Truman Doctrine)
Greece Turkey
1954 – A New Democracy
Germany
1982 – Death of Fascist Dictator Franco
Spain

5. The NATO Alliance

6. The Warsaw Pact 1955 - The Soviet response to the creation of NATO
Consisted of the Soviet Union and its six satellite countries in Eastern Europe
East Germany
Poland
Hungary
Czechoslovakia
Bulgaria
Romania
The Warsaw Pact no longer exists

8. Eastward Expansion
As democracy spread throughout Eastern Europe, NATO is adding new members
1999 – Three former Warsaw Pact members were admitted into NATO
Poland
Hungary
The Czech Republic
2002 – Seven former communist states in Eastern Europe added
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Slovenia
Slovakia
Bulgaria

9. 2002
How do you think Russia feels about this?

10. NATO-Russia Council NATO-Russia Council
This was a RAPPROCHEMENT between NATO and Russia
May 2002 – Both sides signed an agreement
Russia WILL:
Be given a say at the table with the 26 NATO members
Be an “equal partner” in discussions on key topics

11. NATO-Russia Council Russia WILL NOT: Be a member of NATO
Be bound by NATO’s defense pact
Have a veto over NATO’s decisions
Have a vote over NATO’s expansion