North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

By michelemaioli

  • north atlantic treaty signed

    This is the founding date of NATO. Twelve nations – Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States – signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington D.C. its primary goal was to provide a collective security framework against the perceived threat of Soviet expansion in Europe.

  • first enlargement

    Greece and Turkey joined NATO, extending the alliance's reach to the Mediterranean.

  • west germany joins NATO

    The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) became a member. In response, the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies formed the Warsaw Pact, solidifying the Cold War's two opposing military blocs.

  • dissolution of the warsaw pact

    With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact officially dissolved, marking the end of the Cold War and ushering in a new era for NATO.

  • partnership for peace program launched

    NATO initiated this program to build trust and foster cooperation with non-member countries in Europe and Eurasia, including former Warsaw Pact states.

  • article 5 invoked for the first time

    Following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, NATO invoked Article 5 (an armed attack against one or more members in Europe or North America "shall be considered an attack against them all) for the first and only time in its history, demonstrating the principle of collective defense.