What is NATO?

Written by: Sitara Nair

 NATO, otherwise known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance between countries in Europe and North America that was established in 1949. Between the 32 countries in NATO, its mission is to protect the freedom and security of its member countries. 

The Military Aspect:

• NATO tries to solve problems peacefully, but if that doesn’t work, it can use its military to handle crises. These actions follow NATO’s Article 5 rule, which says members help each other in defense, or a United Nations plan. NATO can do this alone or by working with other countries and groups.

The Political Aspect: 

• NATO supports democratic values and helps member nations work together on defense and security issues to solve problems, build trust, and prevent conflicts over time.

Many years ago, post World War II, a lot of countries in Europe were struggling. Their cities had been destroyed, people needed food, and they didn’t feel safe. They were worried about Germany becoming powerful again and about the Soviet Union (which we know as Russia) trying to take control of more land.

The United States wanted to help Europe stay strong so that communism (a system where the government controls everything) wouldn’t spread. To do this, the U.S. created the Marshall Plan, which gave money and supplies to help European countries rebuild their cities, businesses, and farms. But the Soviet Union refused to join and didn’t let the countries they controlled accept the aid. This made the division between the East (Soviet-controlled countries) and the West (countries that worked with the U.S.) even bigger.

At the same time, things were getting worse in places like Greece, Turkey, and Czechoslovakia, where there were conflicts and communist groups trying to take over. In Berlin, the capital of Germany, the Soviet Union blocked supplies from reaching people in the western part of the city. This scared many countries in Western Europe, and they worried about their safety.

The United States realized that if they didn’t step in to help, some of these countries might turn to the Soviet Union for protection. To prevent this, the U.S. and several European countries decided to work together to keep each other safe. In 1949, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created as a group of countries that promised to protect one another if any of them were attacked. This helped keep Western Europe safe and strong during a time when the world was divided.

NATO still exists today, and many countries are part of it to help prevent wars, protect each other, and keep peace in the world.

Quick Facts: 

• New Members: Sweden joined NATO in March 2024, and Finland joined in April 2023.

• Partners: NATO works with over 40 partner countries (ex. Organizations in the U.N, European Union, or even the African Union) to guarantee the freedom and security of its members 

• NATO has two official languages (English and French)