NATO: Then & Now
The end of World War II created the need for an alliance that has since reshaped the European political landscape
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Germany Divided, 1948
Germany Divided - 1948
Following the end of World War II, Germany was divided among the Allies: the United States occupied the Southeast zone, the United Kingdom occupied the Northwest zone, France occupied the Southwest, and the Soviet Union, already occupying much of Eastern Germany, received the Northeast zone, including Berlin. Although Berlin was surrounded by Soviet territory, the four Allies received a quadrant of Berlin to police. Tensions rose within the Soviet-occupied area as the Soviets suffered heavy losses during the war and wanted reparations from the Germans, including their agriculture production and privately-owned lands. The divide between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union grew and finally came to a head when the West attempted to circulate a new currency, the Deutsche mark, within Berlin. Joseph Stalin called for a blockade of Berlin from the Western Allies by road, rail, and ship. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, dropping food and fuel into Berlin by air for months, eventually breaking the blockade. In 1949, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom combined efforts into what became West Germany, to which the Soviets responded by creating a Communist state known as East Germany. In this same year, the need for international alliances to provide security against the Soviet threat was realized, resulting in the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on April 9th, 1949 [1].
NATO vs the Soviet Union, 1949
By the end of 1949, the NATO alliance was faced off against the Soviet Union, which dominated much of Eastern Europe. Compared to today, the coalition of NATO countries was generally small, consisting of 12 member countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States [2]. Ministers from each of these countries signed the Washington Treaty, which was ratified months later, in a combined effort against the threat of the USSR's spread of communism [3].
NATO and Soviet Union - 1949
1952
NATO 1952
In 1952, in both a political and military expansion, NATO allowed the first additions to the alliance. Turkiye and Greece were the first countries to experience this accession into the alliance. From 1946 to 1953, a Turkish Straits crisis occurred, which was an intimidation campaign from the USSR to gain joint monitoring of the Montreux Convention, weaken Turkiye's government, and incorporate the country into the Soviet movement. The Montreux Convention, signed in 1936, governed military movements through the Turkish Straits, conjoining the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It was this campaign that pushed the countries to apply for membership. Turkiye and Greece offered land and sea bases on the Southeastern flank of NATO territory. With a naval presence on the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, the alliance had a stronger foothold against the USSR [4].
1955
NATO 1955
The next expansion of NATO occurred in 1955 when the alliance determined incorporating the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, into European security structures was essential. Before their accession, West Germany was not allowed any post-war rearmament. NATO members understood that without a military contribution from West Germany, it left the Eastern NATO border vulnerable. Within two years of the accession, the German army went from 0 forces to tens of thousands of soldiers, providing critical support to NATO's defensive mission. Throughout the Cold War, the border between a divided Germany acted as the front for NATO and Soviet forces. It was West Germany's accession that initiated the Warsaw Pact, the Soviet Union's answer to NATO. The Warsaw Pact was a defensive treaty signed by Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania [5].
1982
NATO 1982
The following accession into NATO did not occur for 27 years, until 1982, when Spain joined the alliance. While initially closed off from the European defensive mission, Spain eventually joined the Council of Europe in 1977, opening itself to the international community. When accessioning into NATO, Spain had no desire to participate in NATO's integrated military force. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Spain became a full participant in NATO, holding key terrain connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea [6].
1999
NATO 1999
By 1989, formerly Communist-ruled countries emplaced democratic governments. The end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the termination of the Warsaw Pact presented a new opportunity for NATO to expand east. Czechia, Hungary, and Poland all accessioned into the alliance in 1999, further closing the gap between NATO and Russia [7].
2004
NATO 2004
In the most extensive enlargement of NATO to date, 2004 featured seven countries joining the alliance: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The mass accession marked a dramatic move towards a peaceful and democratic Europe and was viewed as a dramatic takeover of former Soviet satellite states [8].
2009
NATO 2009
In 2009, NATO received two new additions, Albania and Croatia. The accession of Albania and Croatia was monumental as it marked the expansion of NATO into the Western Balkans, a volatile area where NATO had operated before. In the 1990s, NATO had a peacekeeping presence within Bosnia amidst a four-year civil war between Serbians, Muslims, and Croats, which resulted in over 100,000 deaths. In 1999, NATO's first-ever combat operation occurred through the air strikes on Yugoslavia in order to end Serbia's ethnic cleansing against Albanian separatists within Kosovo [9]. Ultimately, NATO's offensive operation resulted in a peace treaty being signed by Serbia, which required the withdrawal of Serbian troops from the Kosovo region, and being replaced by NATO peace-keeping forces [10].
2017
NATO 2017
In 2017, Montenegro accessioned into NATO, symbolizing that the alliance's doors were still open to European expansion. With this accession, all countries along the Adriatic Sea were official participants of NATO. Montenegro offered insight into and expanded the NATO presence within the Western Balkans [11].
2020
NATO 2020
In 2020, North Macedonia became NATO's 30th member after nearly seven decades of European expansion. North Macedonia's aspirations to join the alliance date back to 1993, with the country officially joining the Partnership for Peace in 1995. After years of participating in NATO-backed programs, North Macedonia officially received an invitation to the alliance in 2008 [12].
2023
NATO 2023
In 2023, Finland became the newest addition to NATO as the 31st member. With Finland as an alliance member, NATO officially doubled its border with Russia. Historically, Finland once believed that the country would be safer outside of the alliance, with their accession enforcing the consequences of Russia's efforts in Ukraine. Finland also offers a strong presence in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic. This accession symbolizes that European countries are beginning to realize the need to cooperate against Russian aggression [13].
The Future of NATO
As of 2023, NATO has 31 official members, with aspirations of accession announced by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ukraine, and Sweden. The formation of NATO can be accredited for dramatically reshaping the European political landscape and the security of millions of people threatened by Soviet and Russian aggression. As threats continue to grow within Eastern Europe, non-member countries will follow suit and join the alliance in a combined effort toward safety, security, and peaceful international relations [14].
NATO Moving Forward