Nato Term Paper
Introduction to NATO The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have had a history together ever since the organization was created. The United States was one of the first members of NATO and has always been a major military influence. It has played a key role in all major crises in which NATO was part of, from World War II; the wars in the former Yugoslavia; and current problems in the Middle East. While the United States at one point in time was viewed as being an important, key member of NATO, that is not necessarily the case in present day world affairs, as much of the world sees NATO as mostly a European institution that no longer needs the aid of the United States to help in conflicts between member nations and outside nations.
History of NATO The North Atlantic Treaty, or NATO, formed on April 4, 1949, originally included twelve countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Italy, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Together these countries came to the agreement that if one of them was attacked, it would be considered an attack against all members of NATO – if an attack occurred, “each Ally would take ‘such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed forces.”[1] In the beginning of NATO, there was no military structure that would work effectively in the case that military force was needed. Upon the “Soviet detonation of an atomic bomb”, and the Korean War in 1950, NATO developed a “consolidated command structure” in Rocquencourt, France, which became known as the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers of Europe, or SHAPE. Smaller nations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization tend to prefer less military interference in world affairs and prefer, instead, diplomacy. While NATO was only supposed to be a treaty that would last for twenty years[2], it is still around to this very day, and has undergone many changes, such as the movement of its
History of NATO The North Atlantic Treaty, or NATO, formed on April 4, 1949, originally included twelve countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Italy, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Together these countries came to the agreement that if one of them was attacked, it would be considered an attack against all members of NATO – if an attack occurred, “each Ally would take ‘such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed forces.”[1] In the beginning of NATO, there was no military structure that would work effectively in the case that military force was needed. Upon the “Soviet detonation of an atomic bomb”, and the Korean War in 1950, NATO developed a “consolidated command structure” in Rocquencourt, France, which became known as the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers of Europe, or SHAPE. Smaller nations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization tend to prefer less military interference in world affairs and prefer, instead, diplomacy. While NATO was only supposed to be a treaty that would last for twenty years[2], it is still around to this very day, and has undergone many changes, such as the movement of its
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