Intergovernmental Organizations Post-World War II
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, is an intergovernmental military alliance that currently houses 30 member states which include 28 European nations and 2 North American countries. The alliance was formed as a response to the destruction of the Second World War, which had left many European countries in a struggle to rebuild, while the U.S. had aimed to limit the potential of a resurging German threat and incursions from the Soviet Union. Throughout 1947–1948, certain political events, such as tensions in Turkey and the civil war in Greece, made the U.S. more involved in European affairs both economically and politically. A Soviet-influenced coup in Czechoslovakia also resulted in communist leadership, which was interpreted as a threat by NATO countries, primarily with the U.S. being most disadvantaged by such occurrences. The division of Germany was also of great concern. Meanwhile, the Warsaw Pact emerged as a response to the admission of West Germany into NATO. Though certain themes were similar between the two organizations, the Pact was more focused on the control of Soviet satellite states in a systematic manner.
1949-1950
Overall, the three general purposes of NATO became more defined with time. First, NATO would work to deter Soviet expansion. Second, nationalist militarism would not be revived in Europe. Third, European political integration would be highly encouraged. NATO members also shared deeply connected decisions regarding militarism. An attack on a single NATO member would be treated as an attack on all. Allies would then take actions they deemed necessary, which could include the use of armed forces. Much of the modern policies of NATO were shaped by these shared values and concrete statements such as Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty. Article 2 would allow for cooperation that was non-military in nature, while Article 3 promoted cohesive military preparedness between member states (NATO, n.d.). As such, NATO had connected the U.S. and the European Union in a number of ways that were significant, with military preparedness being at the forefront.
NATO would develop further in the late 1940s and early 1950s. While NATO members shared many elements of their military structures, there was no effective coordination between the individual actions of the involved countries (NATO History, 2016). This would change when concerns regarding the Soviet Union grew due to the 1949 detonation of an atomic bomb and the 1950 Korean War. The changes following this were drastic, with NATO establishing headquarters in Paris and a permanent civilian secretariat of the organization. The strategic doctrine was also intense, with massive retaliation dictating that in the case that the Soviet Union would attack, NATO would respond with the use of nuclear weapons. The likely intended effect was to deter any attack at all due to the severity of the potential consequences. Due to this, many European states would also prioritize economic development instead of the growth of larger armies.
NATO and the Cuban Crisis
Other conflicts, such as the Suez Canal crisis, had continued to urge member states into greater non-military coexistence and better political consultation. The launch of Sputnik in 1956 also urged NATO allies to invest greater time, effort, and capital into scientific research. Further progress resulted in the formation of the NATO Science Programme. The 1960s saw a decrease in involvement directly with the Eastern bloc as the Cuba conflict was narrowly avoided and the U.S. became more engaged with the war in Vietnam (Reading Through History, 2017). Essentially, this is cited as an acceptance of a status quo between the Western and Eastern blocs, a move from defense to détente. NATO would continue to progress in areas of the military, economics, and politics with continuous changes in Europe and the Soviet Union.
The Warsaw Pact
In 1955, the Warsaw Pact was signed by a number of Eastern European nations as a form of opposition to NATO and capitalist ideals. The Pact and its allied members would encourage and assist the rise of communist parties and governments. While independence was formally available for the involved nations, Soviet influence was prevalent and unavoidable (Global Entertainment, 2016). In the 1950s, the Soviet presence, especially in terms of military-related actions, was not supported among all members with, such as Poland and Hungary. The initial role of the Pact outside of military control and political enforcement was to keep the equal bargaining power that NATO had begun to establish. The Czechoslovak regime had begun to make closer ties to the West and allow for greater freedom of speech which caused issues with the Soviet authorities present.
The End of the Pact
The democratic revolution that occurred throughout Europe in 1989 made the Warsaw Pact null on the 1t of July 1991. New independent countries emerged as Soviet troops retreated. Almost all ex-Warsaw Pact members began to develop closer ties to Western Europe, with many even joining NATO.
Works Cited
NATO. “A Short History of NATO”. North Atlantic Treaty Organization, n.d. Web.
“Dwight D. Eisenhower on SHAPE [from “Alliance for Peace – 1951].” YouTube, uploaded by NATO History, Web.
“History Brief: The Cuban Missile Crisis Explained.” YouTube, uploaded by Reading Through History, Web.
“Warsaw Pact 1955 | The Main Event Episode 13 | Global Entertainment”. YouTube, uploaded by Global Entertainment, Web.