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NATO and the Warsaw Pact

NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Origins and implications on the Cold War. NATO – What is it?. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation International Alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty signed in April 1949 Collective defense – member states agree to mutual defense in the case of attack

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NATO and the Warsaw Pact

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  1. NATO and the Warsaw Pact Origins and implications on the Cold War

  2. NATO – What is it? • North Atlantic Treaty Organisation • International Alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty signed in April 1949 • Collective defense – member states agree to mutual defense in the case of attack • It is implied though not specifically stated that countries will engage militarily if a member state is attacked • Cooperation, intelligence and technology sharing an integral part of the agreement • First wartime action taken during the Bosnian War which began in 1992

  3. Motivation for NATO? • The first NATO Secretary General, Lord Ismay stated (1949) that the organisation’s goal was, “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down.” • Key events leading up to NATO formation… • “Iron Curtain” speech • Truman Doctrine • Marshall Plan • Soviet “Sphere of Influence” • Berlin airlift • The Korean War is considered the pivotal event that encouraged NATO members to continue with NATO and make it formidable. Before the war it was fairly weak.

  4. Original Members - NATO Belgium Canada Denmark France Great Britain Iceland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal United States

  5. NATO Countries Today

  6. NATO Debate – Arguments againstSome feel… • that NATO is anachronistic • The Cold War is over – no longer necessary • It is dominated by the United States • The United States contributes between one-fifth and one-quarter of NATO's budget • That Russia is constantly threatened by NATO and therefore its existence makes international cooperation difficult • Example: Former USSR republics such as Georgia and Ukraine have applied for membership

  7. Dominated by USA?This cartoon represents what many feel

  8. Arguments against continued • Threatens the authority of the UN and other multilateral organisations • That the US uses NATO as an excuse to stay present in Europe – Europeans feel their sovereignty threatened • Not “current” enough – lack of clarity on issues of cyber attacks, maritime piracy, terrorism and other threats that are not State-specific • Not all countries participate equally in conflicts such as in Afghanistan (USA, Canada, GB and Denmark have paid heavy prices, for example)

  9. NATO debate – Arguments ForSome feel… • NATO benefits all members due to exchange in technology, intelligence and military operations • Bold long-term initiatives can only happen with international cooperation (such as ballistic missile defense) such as this • It has proven its worth by its large expansion, with more countries applying all the time • Even though some countries (such as Luxembourg) are not able to make significant contributions due to size or economic situation, they are still considered important members

  10. Arguments for continued • The democratic principles that led to its founding are still in place and can help “transition” countries suffering from formerly oppressive governments • Aggression is deterred because of the strength of the alliance • NATO is a defensive alliance and therefore Russia nor any other country should feel threatened by it • NATO’s expansion will actually help eliminate any post Cold War fears by bringing in central Europe, for example into a Euro-Atlantic alliance

  11. Warsaw Pact • Mutual defense treaty was a between communist states of Eastern Europe • 1955-1991 (Collapse of the USSR) • Warsaw Pact initiated by the USSR • Military arm of the Comecon (council for mutual economic assistance) • Direct response to West Germany joining NATO in 1955

  12. Motivation – Warsaw Pact • Soviet Union felt threatened by the events following WWII and Berlin Airlift confirmed this • USSR determined not to be invaded again (Napoleon, Germans in WWI and WWII) • USSR controlled the Armed Forces of the Pact in order to insure this • The Marxist-Leninist socialist movement must be preserved

  13. Warsaw Pact - Member States • Albania • Bulgaria • Czechoslovakia • East Germany • Hungary • Poland • Romania • USSR

  14. Warsaw Pact vs NATO

  15. Soviet Sphere to NATO • On 12 March 1999, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland joined NATO • Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia joined in 2004 • Croatia and Albania in 2009

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