1. NATO : PAST AND PRESENT

2. What does NATO stand for and what does it do?
NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION
Provided for the collective security of Western Europe against the threat of Soviet invasion.

3. I. Why was NATO created? Winston Churchill’s “iron curtain” speech
US would rather provide economic aid (Marshall
Plan) than be part of
a military
alliance

4. I. Why was NATO created?
C. Britain and France press for US military support
D. Events in Czechoslovakia and the Berlin Airlift change US thinking about a military alliance
The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in April of 1949 between US, Canada, and 10 other Western European nations (look at map)

5. II. What did NATO do during the Cold War?
Adds new member nations (such as Turkey and West Germany.
It acts as a security organization and probably stemmed any possible Soviet expansionist plans during the Cold War – “Warsaw Pact” nations

6. UNITED STATES
CANADA

7. III. How has the end of the Cold War changed NATO’s role?
March 31, 1991 – The “Warsaw Pact” comes to an end
1997 – NATO adds former Cold War enemies (Warsaw Pact) and continues to do so.
What should NATO’s role be now that there is NO Soviet “menace” to protect Western Europe against?

8. III. How has the end of the Cold War changed NATO’s role?
D. NATO engages in peacekeeping work in Bosnia during the 1990s
E – NATO has its first military engagement in bombing Serbia – controversial – why?

9. IV. NATO and the War on Terror
September 11, 2001 – For the first time, NATO invokes Article 5, saying that an attack on the US was an attack on the entire NATO alliance.
Role of current US Presidents (Clinton, Bush 2) in directing NATO

10. IV. NATO and the War on Terror
Current Activities
Afghanistan – 2003 : NATO agrees to provide a security force – its FIRST mission outside the North Atlantic Area
Iraq – Providing training to security forces

11. From NATO action in the former
Yugoslavia – NATO as peacekeeper or
aggressor?

12. What appears to be the dual role of NATO?

13. What does this suggest about the role of the US President in directing NATO?