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The Development of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

This collection focuses on the creation of and United States participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The collection includes documents covering the years 1948 through 1952. Supporting materials include photographs, oral history transcripts, a chronology of events and other links.

Truman signing North Atlantic Treaty document, July 25, 1949.

Documents

1949

1950

1951

1952

1970

Undated

Background

1949

  • January 20: Truman is inaugurated as President of the United States. In his inaugural address, he outlines a "program for peace and freedom" which includes four major points: 1. Unfaltering support for the United Nations. 2. A continuation of programs, especially the Marshall Plan, that will create world economic recovery. 3. The creation of collective defense arrangements, and especially one for the North Atlantic region (which would become NATO). 4. A program of technical assistance for underdeveloped areas (which would become the Point Four program).
  • March 18: The text of the proposed North Atlantic Treaty is made public by the seven nations that drafted it--the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
  • March 31: The Soviet Union sends identical messages to the seven nations involved in drafting the charter of the North Atlantic Treaty which charge that the proposed treaty would form an "openly aggressive" alliance against the Soviet Union in violation of the United Nations Charter. On April 2, the foreign ministers of the twelve nations that signed the North Atlantic Treaty two days later responded that the treaty provided for an alliance that was completely defensive in nature and "not directed against any nation or group of nations but only against armed aggression."
  • April 4: The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington, DC by representatives of Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, the United States and Canada.
  • July 5 - 8: The Senate debates ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty.
  • July 21: The Senate approves the ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty by a vote of 83 to 13.
  • July 25: President Truman announces the ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty. "The American people value peace and freedom above all things," Truman said. "Our ratification of the North Atlantic Pact with the overwhelming support of the Senate and the people shows our determination to preserve this peace and freedom."
  • July 25: President Truman sends a special message to Congress recommending the passage of legislation to authorize a military aid program. He requests authorization for $1,400,000,000 in military aid in 1950, the major portion of which would be devoted to the needs of Western European nations. Truman believed this aid program was a necessary complement to the North Atlantic Treaty. "Like the North Atlantic Treaty," he said, "this program of military aid is entirely defensive in character. By strengthening the defense establishments of the free nations, it will increase the confidence of the peoples of the world in a peaceful future and protect the growth of world recovery."
  • August 22: President Truman gives a speech to a convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in which he argues that the United States must provide military assistance to democratic nations, and particularly to the North Atlantic Treaty countries. "...We have forever put behind us the false security of isolationism," Truman said. "...We have learned that the defense of the United States and the defense of other freedom-loving nations are indivisible."
  • August 24: The North Atlantic Treaty comes into effect. President Truman issued a statement which emphasized the global responsibilities accepted by the North Atlantic Treaty signatories. "By this treaty," he said, "we are not only seeking to establish freedom from aggression and from the use of force in the North Atlantic community, but we are also actively striving to promote and preserve peace throughout the world."
  • October 5: Representatives of the 12 signatory nations of the North Atlantic Treaty, convened as the Defense Committee of the North Atlantic Council, meet for the first time following the coming into effect of the treaty. They establish a Military Committee headed by Omar N. Bradley, which is charged with drafting a defense plan for the North Atlantic area.
  • October 6: President Truman signs the Mutual Defense Assistance Act, a military assistance act which authorizes the distribution of about $1.3 billion in arms, equipment, and technical assistance to several areas of the world, particularly to Western Europe. Truman had requested this legislation on July 25, 1949, the same day he announced the ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty, and he regarded it as a necessary supplement to the treaty.

External Links

Photographs

Displaying 1 - 43 of 43 images
97-2230 (untitled)

President Truman watch as Sec. of State Dean Acheson signs the North Atlantic Defense Treaty

97-2230
99-268 (untitled)

Photo of Senator Tom Connally (D), Texas, reading the text of the NATO Pact

99-268
2006-410 (untitled)

President Harry S. Truman holding copy of the Japanese Peace Treaty

2006-410
66-2168 (untitled)

Truman arriving for signing of North Atlantic Treaty

66-2168
73-3193 (untitled)

Truman Signing North Atlantic Treaty Proclamation

73-3193
99-670 (untitled)

Photo of Three Top Norwegians Conferring with Dean Acheson

99-670
98-141 (untitled)

Secretary of State Dean Acheson Signing the Document During the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference

98-141
96-1036 (untitled)

Norwegian Ambassador Wilhelm Munthe De Morgenstierne and Dean Acheson

96-1036
96-1059 (untitled)

Canadian Ambassador Hume Wrong signs the Canadian Water Diversion Treaty at Washington

96-1059
96-1126 (untitled)

Dean Acheson signs a Tri-Partite Security Pact

96-1126
96-1131 (untitled)

A Large Crowd Outside the San Francisco Opera House for Japanese Peace Treaty Conference

96-1131
96-1142 (untitled)

Secretary of State Dean Acheson Makes a Radio-TV Broadcast to the Nation from Washington

96-1142
96-1154 (untitled)

John Foster Dulles signing the Japanese Peace Treaty

96-1154
96-1156 (untitled)

Israeli Ambassador Abba Eban and Dean Acheson Sign Treaty

96-1156
ca.
96-1157 (untitled)

Dean Acheson and John Foster Dulles

96-1157
ca.
96-1201 (untitled)

Adm. Arthur W. Radford escorts guests and military into Officer's Club

96-1201
64-579-07 (untitled)

Secretary of State Edward Stettinius Signs the United Nations Charter

64-579-07
96-1182 (untitled)

Dean Acheson arrives for the signing of a draft tripartite treaty

96-1182
96-1184 (untitled)

Dean Acheson Signs a Draft Tripartite Treaty among the United States, Australia, and New Zealand

96-1184
96-1185 (untitled)

John Foster Dulles signs the Tripartite Security Treaty (ANZUS)

96-1185
96-1186 (untitled)

Dean Acheson signs Tripartite Security Treaty (ANZUS)

96-1186
96-1183 (untitled)

Dean Acheson and others at a conference relating to the draft tripartite treaty

96-1183
64-579-08 (untitled)

Senator Tom Connally Signs the United Nations Charter

64-579-08
64-579-11 (untitled)

Edward Stettinius Signs the United Nations Charter

64-579-11
64-579-06 (untitled)

President Harry S. Truman Addresses the United Nations

64-579-06
64-579-05 (untitled)

President Harry S. Truman Addresses the United Nations

64-579-05
64-579-02 (untitled)

Edward Stettinius Signs the United Nations Charter

64-579-02
64-579-09 (untitled)

President Harry S. Truman Addresses the United Nations

64-579-09
64-579-03 (untitled)

President Harry S. Truman Addresses the United Nations

64-579-03
58-558 (untitled)

Truman speaking at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference

58-558
59-31 (untitled)

Japan surrenders on the U.S.S. Missouri

59-31
59-534 (untitled)

Paul-Henri Spaak, Belgium, Signs North Atlantic Treaty

59-534
59-535 (untitled)

Joseph Bech of Luxembourg Signs the North Atlantic Treaty

59-535
59-536 (untitled)

Opening ceremony of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

59-536
59-537 (untitled)

Dean Acheson speaks at opening of North Atlantic Treaty Organization signing ceremony

59-537
59-539 (untitled)

Ernest Bevin Signs the North Atlantic Treaty

59-539
59-540 (untitled)

Halvard Lange signs North Atlantic Treaty for Norway as John W. Foley looks on

59-540
59-541 (untitled)

Dirk U. Stikker signs North Atlantic Treaty as Harry S. Truman and Dean Acheson look on

59-541
59-543 (untitled)

Lester Pearson signs North Atlantic Treaty as Harry S. Truman and Dean Acheson look on

59-543
59-409 (untitled)

Photo of a "Presidential Suite" plaque at the Hotel Muehlebach

59-409
ca.
59-410 (untitled)

Photo of a "Presidential Suite" plaque at the Hotel Muehlebach

59-410
ca.
97-209 (untitled)

Japanese Peace Treaty

97-209
66-1950_FromNeg (untitled)

President Truman Speaks at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Signing Ceremony

66-1950