NATO Overview

In 1949, twelve countries from the two sides of the Atlantic formed the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) to counter the risk that the Soviet Union would seek to extend its control of
Eastern Europe to other parts of the continent.

The founding members of NATO committed themselves to come to each other’s defense in the event
of a military aggression against any one of them. NATO was born as a collective defense organization.

Since the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the Alliance has assumed new roles
and formed new partnerships designed to extend security and stability to the Euro–Atlantic area as a
whole. It occupies a central position in Euro–Atlantic security structures.

The Alliance has since grown to 28 member countries. NATO leaders stated that the door would
remain open for additional new members in the future.

Why NATO?

NATO’s essential purpose is to ensure the freedom and security of its members by political and
military means, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. It is dedicated to
protecting democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. The best means of safeguarding these
shared values is to bring about a just and lasting peaceful order in Europe as a whole.

NATO has worked since its inception to achieve this goal. This central objective remains unchanged.

Since 1989, at the end of the artificial division of Europe which prevailed during the Cold War,
enormous progress has been made, but the task is not over.

The Transatlantic Link

NATO is the only defense organization linking the United

States and Canada to Europe. After World War II, while
the European Allies were rebuilding their shattered
economies, restoring their industries and developing
their defense capabilities, their security was mainly
provided by the guarantee written into the North Atlantic
Treaty that the North American Allies would treat a
threat to any member country of the Alliance as a threat
to themselves.

At the same time a high degree of political solidarity amongst all the member countries was achieved
by their willingness to apply the same reciprocal commitment to each other: Each would react to a
threat against an allied country as a threat to themselves. This reciprocity, combined with the North
American security umbrella, depended upon the willingness of all members of the Alliance to build up
their own military capabilities, working together within the framework provided by the Alliance. The
Transatlantic link and NATO remain the basis for collective defense and the essential forum for
security consultation between Europe and North America.

Cooperation between the two sides of the Atlantic is essential to defend common values and meet
common threats and challenges, from wherever they may come.

Towards the 21st Century

For many years, while the European member countries have provided the major part of the military
forces stationed in Europe, much of the economic burden of transatlantic security, as well as the task
of playing a leading role in the political development of the Alliance, has been shouldered by the
United States. Today measures are being taken to readjust the balance, allowing North America and
Europe to play more equal roles, thus, strengthening NATO’s identity not only as a community of
shared values but as an Alliance of shared responsibilities, linked by an ocean.

Since the beginning of the 1990s, following the end of the Cold War, NATO has been able to take a
wider and more comprehensive view of security, no longer just limited to territorial defense but giving
equal importance to building up trust and developing cooperation with non–member countries. The
enhancement of stability and security in today’s Europe therefore involves other countries and other
international organizations in new cooperative arrangements.

The Alliance is contributing to building a new European security architecture in which non–NATO
countries can participate both individually, and jointly through their membership in these international
organizations.

The Alliance is also transforming in order to adapt its structures, procedures and capabilities to
21st century challenges. At the same time, NATO is taking on a full range of missions in order to
promote stability where it is needed, and defend the security and values of its members.

The Brussels Treaty of 1948

The Brussels Treaty of March 17, 1948 represented the first step in the post–war reconstruction of
Western European security. Among the goals of this treaty were the development of common defence
structures and the strengthening of economic ties to resist the political, military and ideological threats
to national security.

It was also the first step in the process leading to the signature of the North Atlantic Treaty
(Washington Treaty) in 1949 and the creation of the North Atlantic Alliance.

Five signatories Article IV

 Belgium
“If any of the High Contracting Parties should be the object of an
 France armed attack in Europe, the other High Contracting Parties will, in
accordance with the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter of the
 Luxembourg
United Nations, afford the Party so attacked all the military and other
 the Netherlands aid and assistance in their power.”
 United Kingdom

Charter of the United Nations The Brussels Treaty

Note the relationship of the Brussels Treaty with the United Nations Charter as well as the similarity to
language used in the Washington Treaty of 1949. International concerns over a potentially resurgent
Germany as well as the growing Soviet threat led to a strong European desire to undertake collective
defense. The United States and Canada found solidarity with the signatories of the Brussels Treaty,
attending meetings as observers. A month after the Brussels Treaty had been signed, Canadian Prime
Minister St. Laurent suggested a defense system linking Canada, the United States and Europe. He
was a strong promoter of Canada’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The Brussels Treaty is the founding document of the present day Western European Union (WEU). It
was signed on 17 March 1948. United States President Truman declared the full support of the USA for
the Treaty.
The large–scale demobilization of allied forces at the end of the Second World War had contrasted
sharply with the maintenance of Soviet military forces and industries on a war footing. In a few short
months, any remaining illusions that the war–time alliance with the Soviet Union would be translated
into peacetime cooperation, had been destroyed by the conferences of Yalta and Potsdam in the spring
and summer of 1945 and the wave of Soviet expansionism that followed. Yet with Western European
defenses in a perilous state, there was little evidence to encourage the belief that an adequate basis
existed for a mutual defense system to function.

The signature of the Brussels Treaty and the embryonic military structure it brought into being,
provided the evidence needed by the United States and Canada, that the European powers had both
the intention and the determination to reestablish a basis for their common defense and to prevent
further Soviet domination of the free world.

In parallel, the United States Senate adopted the Vandenberg Resolution, clearing the remaining
constitutional obstacle to US involvement in a future North Atlantic alliance. The resolution
recommended the “association of the United States, by constitutional process, with such regional and
other collective arrangements as are based on continuous and effective self–help and mutual aid”.

The language of the resolution sponsored by Arthur Vandenberg, strongly supported by US President
Truman, paralleled the language of Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. It marked a shift in
American foreign policy, which had eschewed alliances outside its own hemisphere ever since the
American Revolution.

The provisions of the Brussels Treaty were both visionary and pragmatic. The British Foreign
Secretary, Ernest Bevin, had earlier suggested to France that their two nations offer to engage with
the Benelux nations (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) in a multinational defense organization.
In the United States, Secretary of State Marshall expressed American support for this union of
Western European states. During that same period, however, Stalin and the Communists seized power
in Czechoslovakia, an act perceived by the West as a direct challenge. The Brussels Treaty – visionary
in its intent – was signed on 17 March 1948. It was written to last for fifty years. The Western nations
had acted in response to Stalin’s challenge. In the United States, President Truman declared the full
support of the USA for the Brussels Treaty.

As you read about these historical developments, ...

Five additional European nations would later join the signatories of the Brussels Treaty as the original
signatories of the Washington Treaty. They were Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Portugal. In
North America, Canada and the United States would also sign the Washington Treaty.

The Washington Treaty

The North Atlantic Alliance was founded on the basis of a Treaty (Washington Treaty – 1949) between
member states that upholds their individual rights as well as their international obligations in
accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. It commits each member country to sha ring the
risks and responsibilities as well as the benefits of collective security and requires of each of them not
to enter into any other international commitment which might conflict with the Treaty. The signing of
the Washington Treaty brought into being a common security system based on a partnership among
the 12 signatory nations.
The Brussels Treaty was signed in March of 1948. Following its signing, negotiations with the United
States and Canada followed with the objective of creating a single North Atlantic Alliance based on
security guarantees and mutual commitments between Europe and North America. As you have also
seen in the previous lesson, the five European nations of Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway and
Portugal were invited by the Brussels Treaty powers to become participants in this process.

You are encouraged strongly to read each paragraph of the Treaty ...

Look in particular at Articles 4 and 5, which are the key to understanding the fundamental
principles that characterize cooperation within the Alliance. Article 4 is the basis for political
consultation among the member countries, underpinning the concept of joint security. Article 5
formalizes the concept of collective defense and establishes the principle that a threat to one
member country is a threat to all. Examine also Article 10, which is the basis for the
enlargement of the Alliance.

Countries signing Washington

Treaty
US President Harry Truman addresses the Washington
Summit prior to the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on
April 4, 1949. Seated are the foreign ministers of the 12
signatory nations.

Mr. Paul–Henri Spaak Mr. Lester Pearson Mr. Gustav Rasmussen Mr. Robert Schuman
(Minister of Foreign (Minister of Foreign (Minister of Foreign (Minister of Foreign
Affairs) signs the NATO Affairs) signs the NATO Affairs) signs the NATO Affairs) signs the NATO
Treaty for Belgium. Treaty for Canada. Treaty for Denmark. Treaty for France.

Mr. Bjarni Benediksson Mr. Count Carlo Sforza Mr. Joseph Bech Mr. Dirk Stikker (Minister
(Minister of Foreign (Minister of Foreign (Minister of Foreign of Foreign Affairs) signs
Affairs) signs the NATO Affairs) signs the NATO Affairs) signs the NATO the NATO Treaty for The
Treaty for Iceland. Treaty for Italy. Treaty for Luxembourg. Netherlands.

Mr. Ernest Bevin

Mr. Halvard Lange Mr. José Caeiro da Matta Mr. Dean Acheson
(Minister of Foreign
(Minister of Foreign (Minister of Foreign (Secretary of State)
Affairs) signs the NATO
Affairs) signs the NATO Affairs) signs the NATO signs the NATO Treaty
Treaty for the United
Treaty for Norway. Treaty for Portugal. for the United States.
Kingdom.

In his brief remarks at the signing ceremony, US President Harry S. Truman (seen standing to the
right of Secretary of State Dean Acheson in the last photograph) said the treaty “ ... would create a
shield against aggression and fear of aggression – a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the
real business of ... achieving a fuller and happier life for all of our citizens”. This was a sentiment
shared by the other signatories.
 What impact do you think the NATO Treaty ...

Pay particular attention to the language used in this treaty.

 Does it specify actions to be taken by nations?
 To what does it commit the nations to do?
 Does the treaty allow nations' flexibility in the manner in which they work together?

The Washington Treaty

NATO’s Member Countries

The founding members (1949): Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States.

Phases of enlargement: Greece, Turkey (1952); Germany (1955); Spain (1982); Czech Republic,
Hungary, Poland (1999); Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia (2004);
Albania, Croatia (2009).

The Beginnings

The North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington in April 1949, created an Alliance
for collective defense as defined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. The
Treaty is of indefinite duration. The founding members of the Alliance
include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and the United
States.

Enlargement – Yesterday

In accordance with Article 10 of the Treaty, the Alliance has always remained open to accessions by
other European States in a position to further its principles and to contribute to the security of the
North Atlantic area. In 1952, Greece and Turkey joined the original 12 member countries of the
Alliance, followed in 1955 by the Federal Republic of Germany and in 1982 by Spain. In July
1997, at a Summit Meeting in Madrid, the Heads of States and Government of the Alliance invited
three more countries to begin accession talks and on 12 March 1999, the Czech Republic,
Hungary and Poland formally became members of NATO.

In November 2002, at the Prague Summit, invitations were extended to seven more countries to begin
accession talks, namely Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. These
countries formally joined the Alliance on 29 March 2004.

Albania and Croatia, which were invited to join NATO at the Bucharest Summit in April 2008, formally
became members in April 2009 at the Strasbourg – Kehl Summit.

The admission of new democratic members into NATO is itself part of a wider process of greater
integration in Europe involving other European institutions.
Enlargement – Today and into the Future

The Alliance now links 26 European countries with the United States and Canada. NATO has an open
door policy on enlargement. Any European country in a position to further the principles of the North
Atlantic Treaty and contribute to security in the Euro–Atlantic area can become a member of the
Alliance, when invited to do so by the existing member countries. At the Strasbourg – Kehl Summit a
vision was set out of the future membership for others, including an invitation for the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia as soon as the name issue is resolved. Also, NATO welcomed Ukraine’s and
Georgia’s Euro–Atlantic aspiration to membership in NATO.

Challenges and Risks: Tasks

By the early 1990s, it soon became apparent that although the end of the Cold War might have
removed direct military threats, instability in some parts of Europe had increased. A number of
regional conflicts, often fueled by ethnic and religious tensions, broke out in the former Yugoslavia and
in parts of the former Soviet Union. These conflicts threatened to spread throughout these regions and
even further afield.

Responding to these risks, NATO has, over the past decade, evolved from being an alliance exclusively
concerned with collective defense, to one which provides a central focus for a partnership among
many nations cooperating in the wider field of security.

End of the Cold War

The Alliance celebrated its fortieth anniversary of the

signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in April 1989. This
event coincided with the beginning of a period of
profound change in the course of East–West and
international relations and a far–reaching
transformation of the security environment.

Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
The role of the North Atlantic Alliance was fundamental
in bringing about the conditions for change. By
providing the basis for collective defense and common
security of its member countries and by preserving the
strategic balance in Europe throughout the Cold War,
the Alliance safeguarded the freedom and independence
of its members.

NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by
political and military means. Collective defence is at the heart of the Alliance and creates a spirit of
solidarity and cohesion among its members.

NATO strives to secure a lasting peace in Europe, based on common values of individual liberty,
democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Since the outbreak of crises and conflicts beyond the
borders of NATO member countries can jeopardize this objective, the Alliance also contributes to
peace and stability through crisis management operations and partnerships. Essentially, NATO not
only helps to defend the territory of its members, but engages where possible and when necessary to
project its values further afield, prevent crises, manage crises, stabilize post–conflict situations and
support reconstruction.

Soldiers from the Nato–led force, Isaf,
hold flags during a change of command
ceremony at their headquarters in
Kabul, Afghanistan
Combating Trafficking in Human Beings
In order to support the international efforts to combat this new type of slavery, which constitutes a
flagrant abuse of human rights and fuels corruption and organized crime, NATO has adopted a
comprehensive policy on combating trafficking in human beings at the Istanbul Summit.
Security Tasks
The Strategic Concept is an official document that outlines
NATO’s enduring purpose and nature and its fundamental
security tasks. It also identifies the central features of the
new security environment, specifies the elements of the
Alliance’s approach to security and provides guidelines for
the adaptation of its military forces.
In sum, it equips the Alliance for security challenges and
guides its future political and military development. A new
Strategic Concept was published at the Lisbon Summit in
November 2010, reflecting a transformed security
environment and a transformed Alliance. New and emerging
security threats, especially since the 9/11 terrorist attacks,
NATO’s crisis management experience in the Balkans and
Afghanistan, and the value and importance of working with
partners from across the globe, all drove NATO to reassess
and review its strategic posture.
The fight against terrorism
The fight against terrorism is high on NATO’s agenda. Both
the Strategic Concept and the Lisbon Summit Declaration
make clear that terrorism poses a real and serious threat to
the security and safety of the Alliance and its members.
NATO will continue to fight this scourge, individually and
collectively, in accordance with international law and the
principles of the UN Charter. NATO’s new Policy Guidelines
for Alliance work on counter–terrorism focus on improved
threat awareness, adequate capabilities and enhanced
engagement with partner countries and other international
actors.
Terrorism is a global threat that knows no border, nationality
or religion. It is therefore a challenge that the international
community must tackle together. Since the attacks of 11
September 2001, NATO has been actively engaged in the
fight against terrorism. In response to those attacks, NATO
invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the Alliance’s
collective defence clause, for the first time in its history. The
North Atlantic Council (NAC), the Alliance’s principal political
decision–making body, decides on NATO’s overall role in the
fight against terrorism.
Defense Against Terrorism
 Combating Trafficking in Human beings

Weapons of Mass Destruction

NATO’s Strategic Concept made clear that “the

© Science Photo Library / Van Parys
Media
proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction (WMD), and their means of delivery, threatens
incalculable consequences for global stability and prosperity.
During the next decade, proliferation will be most acute in
some of the world’s most volatile regions”.
Heads of state and government further emphasized at
their Summit in Chicago in May 2012 that “proliferation
threatens our shared vision of creating the conditions
necessary for a world without nuclear weapons in accordance
with the goals of the Nuclear Non–Proliferation Treaty
(NPT)”.

NATO’s Answers: Transformation

NATO itself also underwent a process of radical internal change to respond to the new security
situation in Europe.

In particular, it began to transform its military structures and forces to enable it to undertake crisis
management, peacekeeping and peace–support tasks in cooperation with the new Partner countries.

Internal Restructuring Strengthening the European Role

An essential part of the Alliance’s modernization
process was the restructuring of its military
forces and command arrangements. The military
forces of most NATO countries were then
significantly reduced and reorganized. New
concepts were introduced to give them greater
mobility and flexibility and to facilitate the
participation of non–NATO Partner countries in
NATO operations.
In 1994, the Alliance committed itself to
supporting the development of a much stronger
European Pillar (known as the European Security
and Defense Identity – ESDI). Since then NATO
and the EU have made arrangements that will
allow the European Union to use NATO assets
and capabilities for EU–led operations. This
enables the European allies to take greater
responsibility for European security affairs,
especially in circumstances in which the Alliance
as a whole will not be involved.

Developing New Partnerships

NATO’s cooperative approach to security has resulted in the creation of close relations with non–NATO
countries through the Euro–Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the Partnership for Peace (PfP)
initiative, the NATO–Russia Council, the NATO–Ukraine Commission, the Mediterranean Dialogue and
the NATO South East European Initiative (SEEI). All these play an essential part in establishing the
multilateral and bilateral links which enable all the countries to enhance their own security while
contributing to the security of the Euro–Atlantic area as a whole.

Main events outlining the NATO Transformation:

Prague Summit – NRF

At Prague, the Heads of State and Government commit themselves to transforming

NATO with new members, new capabilities and new relations with partners.

In terms of capabilities, it was decided to create a NATO Response Force (NRF), to

streamline NATO’s military command arrangements, to approve the Prague
Capabilities Commitment (PCC), to endorse the implementation of five nuclear,
biological and chemical weapons defense initiatives, to strengthen the capabilities
for defense against cyber attacks and to address the missile threat to the Alliance.

Regarding the new relations with partners, the Alliance reaffirmed its commitment to enhance NATO–
EU cooperation, in order to achieve a genuine strategic partnership and decided to enhance
cooperation with the EAPC/PfP countries and to upgrade substantially the political and practical
dimensions of the Mediterranean Dialogue.

NATO Response Forces

Istanbul Summit – ICI

At the Istanbul Summit, transformation was given further

substance and direction in order to adapt NATO’s structures,
procedures and capabilities to 21st century challenges.

It was decided to push forward the transformation of military capabilities to make them more modern,
more usable and more deployable in order to carry out the full range of Alliance missions. In the field
of new relations with partners, the Heads of State and Government invited the Mediterranean partners
to establish a more ambitious and expanded partnership and also decided to offer cooperation to the
broader Middle East region by launching the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI).

Istanbul Cooperation Initiative

Riga Summit

At the November 2006 Riga Summit:

 The Allies strengthened their commitment to fulfilling NATO’s mission in Afghanistan.
 Several Allied nations agreed to remove some caveats (restrictions on how, when and where
their national forces can be employed) and a number of Allies also pledged to send additional
forces and equipment to Afghanistan.
 The Allies also agreed to deepen NATO’s political engagement in Europe and beyond with new
partnership and consultation arrangements, including interested Partners and Contact
Countries.
 The NATO Secretary General announced at Riga that the NATO Response Force, a key element
of the Alliance’s military transformation, is now fully operational.

Chicago Summit
 NATO has already made concrete progress since the adoption of the new
Strategic Concept in ensuring NATO has the capabilities it needs to defend NATO
members citizens, conduct crisis management operations and foster cooperative
Summit security.
Declaration
on Defense Important accomplishments:
Capabilities:
Toward  Interim ballistic missile defence capability.
NATO Forces  Highly sophisticated Alliance Ground Surveillance system.
2020
 Extended air policing mission in the Baltic states.
 New, leaner and more effective command structure.
 Progress in developing a number of capabilities, identified in Lisbon as
critical to the successful conduct of operations, including: improving
defences against cyber attacks; extending NATO’s air command and
control system; and augmenting capabilities in Afghanistan for
exchanging intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data and
countering improvised explosive devices.

New Command Structure

Background on NATO Command Structure Review – June 2011

The new NATO Command Structure will be effective, leaner and affordable. It will have an
overall strength of some 8,800 posts, and there will be a significant reduction in the current number
of headquarters. The new NATO Command Structure Peace Establishment will provide for a reduction
from the current figure of over 13000 to approximately 8800 posts. The new command structure will
consist of two Strategic Commands, (Operations and Transformation) and two Joint Force
Headquarters (JFHQs), each of which will be able – for the first time in NATO’s history – to
deploy up to a major joint operation into theatre. It will also include one static air
command, one static maritime command and one static land command headquarters, two
Combined Air Operations Centers with a deployable air command and control element each
and a deployable air command and control center. There will also be a Communication and
Information Systems Group to provide communication and information systems (CIS) support for
the NATO Command Structure. Finally, as part of the wider command arrangements Striking Force
NATO (STRIKFORNATO) will be moved to Portugal from Italy. Furthermore, the NATO CIS
(Communications and Information Systems) School will also be moved from Italy to Portugal. The
review of the current NATO Command Structure was conducted under the important assumptions that
the NATO level of ambition will remain the same and that the Alliance will maintain robust command
and control and rapidly deployable military capabilities. During their review of the current NATO
Command Structure, NATO experts took into consideration a its core functions, such as Planning of
Operations, Conduct of Operations, Development and Transformation and Support
Activities. Beside core functions, the assessment took into account a number of key principles such
as the ability to conduct Article 5 operations, deployability and sustainability, but also the Alliance
cohesion. Also, military, geo–strategic and resources factors were taken into account. Furthermore,
the requirement for a close relationship and an increased interaction between NATO headquarters and
national headquarters has been considered. Ultimately, the overall geographic footprint provides for a
flexible, lean, affordable new structure that is able to provide an operational command and control
capability that is truly multinational and genuinely deployable.

Smart Defense

In these times of austerity, each euro, dollar or pound

sterling counts. Smart defence is a new way of thinking
about generating the modern defence capabilities the
Alliance needs for the coming decade and beyond. It is a
renewed culture of cooperation that encourages Allies to
cooperate in developing, acquiring and maintaining military
capabilities to undertake the Alliance’s essential core tasks
agreed in the new NATO strategic concept. That means
pooling and sharing capabilities, setting priorities and
coordinating efforts better.