What is NATO?

We all heard of the name NATO once in our life, but do you know what NATO is? The following article will answer questions about NATO, please consult.

What is NATO?

NATO is the abbreviation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (French: Organization du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord and OTAN for short) is a military alliance established in 1949. including the US and some countries in Europe. The head office is located in Brussels, Belgium, and the organization establishes a defensive alliance in which member states perform joint defenses when attacked by the outside.

NATO logo.

NATO's purpose of establishment

The aim of NATO's establishment was to prevent the development of communist influence and the Soviet Union was on the rise in Europe that could be detrimental to the security of its member states. The establishment of NATO led to the establishment of Warsaw blocks by communist countries to counterbalance. The rivalry and arms race of these two enemy military units was the main confrontation of the Cold War in the second half of the 20th century.

In the early years of its establishment, NATO was just a political alliance. However, due to the impact of the Korean War, a unified military organization was established. Suspecting that the links of European and American countries weakened as well as NATO's defenses against the expansion of the Soviet Union, France withdrew from NATO in 1966. In 2009, with overwhelming votes of the lower parliament. The leadership of the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy, France returned to NATO.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the organization was drawn into the division of Yugoslavia and for the first time attended military service in Bosnia and Hercegovina from 1992 to 1995. Subsequently released Serbian bombs in 1999 during the war. civil war in Kosovo. The organization also has better relations with previous confrontational countries, many of which have been in Warsaw since joining NATO between 1999 and 2004.

April 1, 2009, the number of members reaches 28 with the entry of Albania and Croatia. Since September 11, 2001, NATO has focused on new challenges including bringing troops to Afghanistan and Iraq.

NATO bloc countries are highlighted in green.

NATO's military costs account for 70% of world military costs, with the US alone accounting for about 50%, Britain, France, Germany and Italy together account for 15% of world military costs.

NATO members

Founding member

1. Brother
2. Belgium
3. Portugal
4. Canada
5. Denmark
6. Netherlands
7. America
8. Iceland
9. Luxembourg
10. Norway
11. France
12. Italy

Members in the Cold War

1. Greece (February 18, 1952)
2. Turkey (February 18, 1952)
3. Germany (May 9, 1955)
4. Spain (May 30, 1982)

Eastern European members after the Cold War

1. Poland (May 27, 1999)
2. Czech Republic (May 27, 1999)
3. Hungary (May 27, 1999)
4. Bulgaria (March 29, 2004)
5. Estonia (March 29, 2004)
6. Latvia (March 29, 2004)
7. Lithuania (March 29, 2004)
8. Romania (March 29, 2004)
9. Slovakia (March 29, 2004)
10. Slovenia (March 29, 2004)
11. Croatia (April 1, 2009)
12. Albania (April 1, 2009)

NATO in Europe.

Greece and Turkey joined the organization in February 1952. In 1955 the Federal Republic of Germany (at that time only part of West Germany) joined, in 1990 Germany united to expand membership to the territory. East Germany is the former German Democratic Republic. Spain joined on May 30, 1982. In 1999, three former Warsaw Pact countries joined NATO, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary.

France was a NATO member, but in 1966 withdrew from the military headquarters. After that, NATO headquarters moved from Paris to Brussels. In April 2009, France returned to the NATO military headquarters, becoming a full member, ending 43 years of absence. Iceland is the only member of NATO without its own army, so the permanent US military force in Iceland takes the role of the Iceland Defense Force.

On March 29, 2004, the old Slovenian, Slovakian, Warsaw Pact countries including Bulgaria, Romania, the Baltic States of the former Soviet Union Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania formally joined NATO. In April of the same year, these countries first attended the NATO council meeting.

On April 1, 2009, Croatia and Albania were officially admitted to NATO after 1 year of applying for membership.

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