NATO Flashcards
When was NATo established
April 1949, just after the Berlin blockade
What was the main reason for NATO
After the blockade, the Soviets were seen as incredibly dangerous. The Western powers decided to form a military alliance to protect themselves against the Soviet Union. They wanted to send a message to the Stalin that they were standing against communism
What countries joined it
the USA, France, Britain and 9 other Western countries joined together to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
What was the significance of NATO
if any of their members were attacked, the rest would come to its assistance. Nato meant that the USA would become involved in Europe
2 consequences of NATO
The creation of NATO further enhanced the division of Europe into two opposing blocs: the Western bloc, which aligned with the United States and NATO, and the Eastern bloc, controlled by the Soviet Union - symbolised through the ‘iron curtain’. This eventually led to the counterbalance, the Warsaw pact
The joined military force of NATo encouraged greater military arms in the Soviet Union to counter the wests joined strength. This included the development of nuclear weapons (arms race) and conventional forces stationed in Europe to act as a deterrent to Soviet aggression
What were some weapons made following the creation of NATO
Hydrogen bomb (1952), soviet intermediate range ballistic missile (1958)
