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Home / IAS Preparation / North Atlantic Treaty Organization

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - History, Objectives, Functions, Benefits, Issues & More

Last Updated on Dec 26, 2023
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a multinational military alliance founded on the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty. Russia Ukraine Conflict: Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on February 25, 2022, that the alliance would send its quick response force to help Ukraine defend itself. Furthermore, other members, like France and Germany, have increased their weaponry and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine. Sweden and Finland have recently discussed joining NATO. Russia reacted angrily to the statement, threatening military and political retaliation. Both Stockholm and Helsinki dismissed Moscow’s warning.

The importance of NATO for the UPSC IAS Exam is discussed in this article. It is significant for the UPSC Prelims and GS Paper 2 of the UPSC Mains curriculum. In this article, we shall study in detail about history, objectives, functions, and alliances of NATO.

What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, is also known as the North Atlantic Alliance. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance founded on the 4 April 1949 signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. In response to an attack by a non-member external party, the organization establishes a system of collective defense in which its member nations agree to mutual defense. The NATO headquarters are in the Supreme Allied Commander, which resides on Boulevard Leopold III in Brussels, Belgium.

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Why was NATO formed?

  • The organisation was founded to protect Western Europe’s common security.
  • Despite the fact that World War II had ended, the United States and the Soviet Union’s deteriorating relations would eventually lead to the Cold War.
  • The Soviet Union intended to expand its influence in Europe by spreading communism, but the United States considered the Soviet Union’s ideology a threat to its way of life. As a result, it saw the need to establish NATO.

Updated List of NATO Members

  • Currently, there are 31 members. Last member of NATO is Finland.
  • The founding members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Finland, and the United States.

Joining the original signatories were

  • Greece and Turkey (1952)
  • West Germany (1955, from 1990 as Germany)
  • Spain (1982)
  • the Czech Republic, Hungary Poland (1999)
  • Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia (2004)
  • Albania and Croatia (2009)
  • Montenegro (2017)
  • North Macedonia (2020).
  • Finland (2023)
  • France withdrew from NATO’s combined military command in 1966 but remained a member of the organisation; it rejoined in 2009.
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History of NATO
  • Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, and the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Brussels on March 17, 1948, regarded as the predecessor to the NATO alliance.
  • As a result of this Alliance, which established a military alliance, the Western European Union was formed.
  • The North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949, concluded the military alliance talks.
  • The United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland were among the five Treaty of Brussels states.
  • Three years later, Greece and Turkey joined on February 18, 1952.
  • On May 9, 1955, Norway’s Foreign Minister, Halvard Lange, described the admittance of West Germany to the organisation as “a key turning point in the history of the continent.”

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Objectives of NATO
  • NATO’s primary and long-term goal is to protect all of its members’ freedom and security through political and military methods.
  • NATO’s political goals are to promote democratic values and enable members to consult and collaborate on defense and security issues to solve problems, establish trust, and, in the long run, avoid conflict.
  • NATO’s military objectives include the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, the military can execute crisis management operations.
  • These are carried out, either alone or in concert with other countries and international organisations, under the collective defense provision of NATO’s founding treaty, Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, or under a United Nations mandate.
  • NATO has only used Article 5 once, on September 12, 2001, in response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Functions of NATO
  • NATO has an integrated military command structure but only a few forces and assets.
  • Most forces remain under full national command and control until member countries agree to take on NATO-related activities.
  • All 30 allies have an equal say in the Alliance’s decisions, which must be unanimous and consensual, and its members must uphold the Alliance’s core ideals of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.
  • NATO’s protection does not cover civil wars and domestic coups.
  • NATO is supported entirely by its members. The United States pays nearly three-quarters of NATO’s budget.

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Pre and Post Cold War Impact
  • For the bulk of the Cold War, NATO was in a holding pattern, with no actual military participation. On July 1, 1968, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was signed.
  • NATO countries officially declared two complimentary Alliance goals on May 30, 1978: maintaining security and pursuing détente.
  • Ministers approved the deployment of US Cruise and Pershing II theater nuclear missiles in Europe on December 12, 1979, in response to a build-up of Warsaw Pact nuclear capabilities in Europe. The Dual Track policy was the name of this policy.
  • The disintegration of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, which marked the end of the Cold War, removed NATO’s de facto principal foe. This prompted a strategic rethinking of NATO’s mission and nature.
  • Germany’s reunification on 3 October 1990, when former East Germany joined the Federal Republic of Germany and NATO, was the alliance’s first post-Cold War expansion.
  • NATO’s first large-scale military involvement occurred on March 24, 1999, when it launched an 11-week bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The crisis ended on June 11, 1999, when Yugoslavian President Slobodan Miloevi accepted UN Resolution 1244, agreeing to NATO’s demands.
  • As a result of the September 11 attacks, NATO’s activities and geographical reach expanded even further.

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Alliances of NATO
  • NATO is a member of three alliances that extend its reach beyond its 30 member nations.
  • EAPC (European-Atlantic Partnership Council): It is a 50-nation multilateral platform for debate and consultation among Allies and partner countries on political and security matters.
  • It establishes the broad political framework for NATO’s Euro-Atlantic cooperation and bilateral partnerships created between NATO and individual partner countries under the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme.
  • The Partnership for Peace (PfP) is a practical bilateral cooperation programme between NATO and individual Euro-Atlantic member countries.
  • It allows partners to develop their relationship with NATO, setting cooperation goals.
  • The EAPC replaced the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC), established in 1991, shortly after the Cold War ended.
  • The Mediterranean Dialogue is a partnership forum to promote good relations and understanding among participating countries and NATO Allies while contributing to security and stability in NATO’s Mediterranean and North African areas.
  • Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia now participate in the Dialogue as non-NATO countries.
  • The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) is a collaboration forum that intends to contribute to long-term global and regional security by allowing non-NATO countries in the Middle East to collaborate with NATO.
  • Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are the group's current members.

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NATO Summit
  • A NATO summit is a gathering of state and government leaders from NATO member countries that takes place regularly to assess and offer strategic direction for Alliance activities.
  • There have been thirty-one NATO summits since the organization’s inception in 1949, the most recent of which was held in Brussels in June 2021.

Benefits of Being a Member of NATO
  • Security: NATO offers a collective defense mechanism capable of deterring potential threats and safeguarding member nations from acts of aggression.
  • Improved Military Resources: NATO affiliation grants access to cutting-edge military technology, training, and collaborative exercises with fellow member nations, bolstering a country's military capabilities and preparedness.
  • Political Clout: NATO membership can bestow upon a country an amplified presence on the global stage, increasing its influence in international security and defense discussions.
  • Economic Ties: Membership can promote economic cooperation among member countries.
  • Conflict Resolution: NATO provides a forum for diplomatic solutions to international disputes.
  • Stability: It contributes to regional and global stability by deterring aggression.
  • Cybersecurity: Collaboration on cybersecurity measures helps protect member nations.
  • Crisis Response: NATO offers assistance during humanitarian and security crises.
  • Interoperability: Member forces can work together more effectively.
  • Peacekeeping: Participation in NATO missions supports peacekeeping efforts worldwide.

Disadvantages of NATO
  • Costs: Member countries incur significant defense expenses.
  • Dependency: Some nations may rely heavily on NATO for security.
  • Conflict Involvement: NATO involvement in conflicts can be controversial.
  • Unequal Burden: Larger members may shoulder a disproportionate share of costs.
  • Strained Relations: NATO actions can strain diplomatic ties with non-members.
  • Limited Effectiveness: Critics argue NATO's impact on global issues is limited.
  • Bureaucracy: Complex decision-making processes can hinder rapid responses.
  • Expanding Membership: Rapid expansion may complicate decision-making.
  • Regional Tensions: NATO actions can exacerbate regional conflicts.
  • Sovereignty Concerns: Member nations must align with NATO policies, potentially compromising sovereignty.

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FAQs regarding NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an international military alliance founded on the 4 April 1949 signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.

The organisation was founded to protect Western Europe's common security.Despite the fact that World War II had ended, the United States and the Soviet Union's deteriorating relations would eventually lead to the Cold War. The Soviet Union intended to expand its influence in Europe by spreading communism, but the United States considered the Soviet Union's ideology as a threat to its way of life. As a result, it saw the need to establish NATO.

NATO's primary and long-term goal is to protect all of its members' freedom and security by political and military methods. The Alliance's core value is collective defense, which fosters unity and togetherness among its members

Montenegro joined NATO for the first time in 2017. In the first quarter of 2020, North Macedonia is likely to join the alliance as the 30th member. The accession protocol has yet to be ratified by Spain.

There have been thirty-three NATO summits since the organization's inception in 1949, the most recent of which was held in Brussels in June 2021
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