NATO was formed in 1949 by the United States in response to fears about Soviet control over Eastern Europe following World War II. It was intended as a defensive alliance between North American and Western European countries. In 1955, the Soviet Union responded by forming the Warsaw Pact, a defensive alliance between Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union, in order to counter NATO's inclusion of West Germany and perceived threat against Soviet control. Both alliances contributed to increased tensions and an arms race between the U.S. and USSR during the Cold War.

1. NATO AND THE WARSAWPACT
SYED FAKHAR UL HASSAN

2. WHAT WAS NATO AND WHY WAS IT SET UP?
BY THE END OF THE 1940S, MANY WESTERNERS WERE BEGINNING TO WORRY
ABOUT THE LARGE ARMIES WHICH RUSSIA HAD STATIONED IN EASTERN EUROPE.
THE USA USED THIS FEAR TO SET UP AN ALLIANCE TO DEFEND THE WESTERN
WORLD.
IT WAS CALLED THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO), AND
COUNTRIES SIGNED UP IN APRIL 1949. 12 COUNTRIES ORIGINALLY SIGNED THE
TREATY.
US OFFICIALS CALLED NATO AN “ANTIDOTE TO FEAR”.

3. WHO IS IN NATO?
• 1949 – 12 ORIGINAL MEMBERS
• U.S. CANADA BRITAIN
• FRANCE ICELAND PORTUGAL
• BELGIUM NETHERLANDS LUXEMBOURG
• 1952 – A LITTLE FARTHER FROM THE NORTH ATLANTIC
(DEMONSTRATION OF TRUMAN DOCTRINE)
• GREECE TURKEY
• 1954 – A NEW DEMOCRACY
• GERMANY
• 1982 – DEATH OF FASCIST DICTATOR FRANCO
• SPAIN

4. THE WARSAW PACT
• 1955 - THE SOVIET RESPONSE TO THE CREATION
OF NATO
• CONSISTED OF THE SOVIET UNION AND ITS SIX
SATELLITE COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE
• EAST GERMANY
• POLAND
• HUNGARY
• CZECHOSLOVAKIA
• BULGARIA
• ROMANIA
• THE WARSAW PACT NO LONGER EXISTS

5. EASTWARD EXPANSION
AS DEMOCRACY SPREAD THROUGHOUT EASTERN
EUROPE, NATO IS ADDING NEW MEMBERS
1999 – THREE FORMER WARSAW PACT MEMBERS WERE
ADMITTED INTO NATO
• POLAND
• HUNGARY
• CZECHOSLOVAKIA
2002 – SEVEN FORMER COMMUNIST STATES IN
EASTERN EUROPE ADDED
• ESTONIA
• LATVIA
• LITHUANIA
• SLOVENIA
• SLOVAKIA
• BULGARIA

6. IMPACT ON THE ARMS RACE
• THE USA AND THE USSR COMPETED TO BUILD MORE AND MORE
POWERFUL WEAPONS. THIS WAS CALLED THE ARMS RACE, AND IT IS
CLOSELY LINKED TO NATO AND THE WARSAW PACT. EACH SIDE TRIED
TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL THAN THE OTHER.
• THE USA CLAIMED NATO WAS A DEFENSIVE ALLIANCE AGAINST THE
USSR. HOWEVER, WHEN NATO WAS FIRST SET UP, THE USA HAD A
NUCLEAR MONOPOLY ON THE WORLD.
• THE USSR DID NOT EVEN TEST NUCLEAR WEAPONS UNTIL LATER THAT
YEAR. BY THEN, THE USA WAS WORKING ON EVEN MORE POWERFUL
VERSIONS!
WHY DO YOU THINK THE USA REALLY WAS SO KEEN ON NATO?

7. The reaction of the USSR
In May 1955, West Germany was admitted into NATO.
Worst fears realized –
Germany being rebuilt and
now part of a military alliance!
What was the real
purpose of
NATO? Could it
be offensive?
Action is needed –
what can the USSR
do to counter
NATO?
How do you think the USSR
felt about this?

8. West Germany joining NATO now meant that Germany
once again had military power.
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
It was intended to be a defensive alliance, like NATO, but
it was essentially used to keep control in Eastern Europe.
For the Soviets, who had suffered greatly at the hands of
the Germans, this was too much. The Soviets set up the
Warsaw Pact which the Eastern European countries
signed.
Why do you think the USSR set up the Warsaw Pact?

9. The Hungarian Uprising
In Hungary in 1956 the communist
government installed by the Soviet
Union was overthrown by the
Hungarian people. The new leader
announced democratic reforms,
and said Hungary would leave the
Warsaw Pact.
The USSR brutally put down the revolt, rolling into
Budapest with tanks and reinstating the communist
government. It didn't want to lose one of its buffer states
to capitalism.
Many thousands of people were killed in the uprising, and
many people in the West turned away from support of the
USSR.

10. Which was the stronger organization?
Which organization do you think has greater power?
Why?
NATO Warsaw Pact
Moscow had political
domination over central and
Eastern Europe.
The Warsaw Pact countries
had geographic cohesion
(was one large area) and
land connections, so it was
easy to transfer forces and
weapons.
NATO had territory
separated by water and
land (non-NATO countries
e.g. Switzerland).
NATO was a voluntary
alliance of democratic
states.
The Warsaw Pact very
clearly controlled from
Moscow.
USA was a major part of
NATO, but each member
was involved in decision
making.
NATO had overall military
superiority.

11. A comparison of the two treaties
What do the two treaties have in common?
Is one more aggressive than the other?
Which treaty suggests more control? Why?
“…the best way to ensure
peace and prevent new
aggression … is the
organization of a system of
collective security … new
measures [are required] for
strengthening the defences of
our peace-loving countries.
The treaty of friendship, co-
operation and mutual aid … is
precisely to serve these aims.”
From the Warsaw Pact, 1955.
“…the Parties … will
maintain and develop their
individual and collective
capacity to resist armed
attack.”
“The Parties agree that an
armed attack against one …
of them … shall be
considered an attack against
them all.”
From the NATO Treaty, 1949.

12. How important were NATO & the Warsaw Pact?
Were these
defensive alliances
really needed? What impact did
the creation of
NATO have on
the USSR?Remember the
Berlin Blockade?
In your opinion,
who had most to
gain from these
alliances?
What do you think?
Discuss your ideas together…

13. THANK YOU