What is the Atlantic Pact?

On April 4, 1949, the United States and several other capitalist states signed the Atlantic Pact. This document was the starting point in the creation of the NATO bloc. The term "Atlantic Pact" was used in the Soviet Union, while among allies it was officially called the North Atlantic Treaty.

In 1949, the paper was ratified by the United States, France, Great Britain, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Canada. Gradually, all new countries joined the treaty. The last time in 2009, the alliance included Croatia and Albania.

Principle of collective defense

The Founding Treaty of NATO was drawn up in the first years after the Second World War. The participating countries became allies in order to ensure their own security. The Atlantic Pact consisted of many agreements, but their key meaning can be called the principle of collective defense. It was the obligation of Member States to speak out in defense of their NATO partners. At the same time, not only diplomatic, but also military means are used.

The signing of the Atlantic Pact led to the formation of a new world order. Now most of the countries of Western Europe and their main ally in the person of the United States have found themselves under a common roof, which was supposed to protect states from external aggression. Creating the foundation for the future organization, the Allies took into account the bitter experience of the Second World War, and especially those years before it, when Hitler over and over again turned around the finger European powers, unable to give him a serious rebuff.

Overall planning

Of course, the Atlantic Pact, with its principle of collective defense, did not mean that states were freed from their duty to defend themselves. But on the other hand, the treaty provided for the possibility that the country could cede some of its defense tasks to NATO partners. Using this rule, some states refused to develop a certain part of their military potential (for example, artillery, etc.).

The Atlantic Pact provided for the overall planning process. It exists to this day. All member states agree on their strategy for military development. Thus, NATO in the defensive aspect is a single organism. The development of each military branch is being discussed between the countries, and they all adopt a common plan. Such a strategy saves NATO from distortions in stimulating its defensive potential. Together, the necessary military means are determined - their quality, quantity and readiness.

Military integration

The cooperation of NATO member states can be divided into several main layers. Its attributes are a collective consultative mechanism, a multinational military command structure, an integrated military structure, joint financing mechanisms and the willingness of each country to send an army out of its territory.

The solemn signing of the Atlantic Pact in Washington marked a new round of allied relations between the Old World and America. The old defensive concepts that had collapsed in 1939 on the day when parts of the Wehrmacht crossed the Polish border were rethought. NATO's strategy began to be based on several key doctrines (the first adopted the doctrine of conventional weapons). Since the establishment of the alliance and until the fall of the Soviet Union, these documents have been classified, and access to them was only by high-ranking officials.

Cold War Prologue

After the Second World War, international relations were in a state of instability. On the wreckage of the old order, a new one was gradually built. Every year it became clearer that the whole world would soon be held hostage to the confrontation between the communist and capitalist systems. One of the key moments in the development of this antagonism was the signing of the Atlantic Pact. There was no limit to the caricatures devoted to this treaty in the Soviet press.

While the USSR was preparing a mirror response to the creation of NATO (it was the Warsaw Treaty Organization), the alliance has already placed emphasis on its future plans. The key goal of the Union's activity is to show the Kremlin that war is not beneficial to any of the parties. The world, having entered a new era, could be destroyed by nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, NATO has always held the view that if war could not be avoided, all the participating states should protect each other.

Alliance and the USSR

It is interesting that the Atlantic Pact was signed by people who understood that NATO does not have a numerical superiority over a potential enemy (the USSR was meant). Indeed, in order to achieve parity, the Allies took some time, while the power of the Communists after the Great Patriotic War was not in anyone's doubt. In addition, the Kremlin, or rather personally Stalin, managed to make its satellites the state of Eastern Europe.

The Atlantic Pact, briefly, provided for all scenarios for the development of relations with the USSR. The Allies hoped to balance the post-war situation by coordinating their actions and using modern combat methods. The key task of the development of the bloc was the creation of technical superiority over the army of the USSR.

NATO and third countries

The governments of all countries of the world watched the signing of the Atlantic Pact. Cartoons for the caricature were printed in the communist press, many materials appeared in the press of "third countries". In NATO itself, many formally neutral countries were viewed as potential allies of the bloc. Among them, first of all, were Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, South Africa.

Turkey, Greece (later they joined NATO), Iran, numerous Latin American states, the Philippines and Japan were in a vacillating status. At the same time, as of 1949, there were some countries whose governments adhered to an open policy of non-interference. They were the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Iraq and South Korea. NATO believed that, in the event of a war with the USSR, the bloc would be able to enlist the support of at least some potential allies and the combined forces to launch a large-scale offensive in Western Eurasia. In the Far East, the alliance planned to adhere to defensive tactics.

Strategy in case of war

When the Atlantic Pact was signed, the date of which (April 4, 1949) became a landmark in the whole history of the 20th century, the leaders of the Western powers already had drafts on their hands in case of the aggression of the Soviet Union. It was supposed that in the Kremlin first of all they would want to reach the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Middle East. In addition, NATO strategy was built according to fears that the USSR is ready to launch air attacks on the countries of the Old World and the Western Hemisphere.

The key transport artery of the alliance was the Atlantic. Therefore, NATO paid special attention to ensuring the security of these communication routes. Finally, the worst variant of the development of the event included the use of nuclear weapons of mass destruction. The ghost of Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not give rest to many politicians and the military. Proceeding from this danger, the United States began to create a nuclear shield.

The nuclear weapon factor

When signing the treaty in Washington, the general plan for the development of the armed forces was adopted until 1954. For 5 years it was planned to create a united allied contingent, which would include 90 land divisions, 8,000 aircraft and 2,300 heavily armed ships.

However, the main focus in the ongoing race between NATO and the USSR was on nuclear weapons. It was his predominance that could be compensated for by the quantitative backlog that was developing in other areas. According to the Atlantic Pact, among other things, the post of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the NATO Joint Armed Forces in Europe appeared. In his competence was the preparation of a nuclear program. This project has received a lot of attention. By 1953, the alliance realized that they would not be able to stop the seizure of Europe by the Soviet Union unless nuclear weapons were used.

Additional arrangements

According to the Atlantic Pact, in the event of war with the USSR, NATO had an action plan for each region where military action could unfold. So, Europe was considered the main zone of confrontation. The Allied forces in the Old World had to hold back the Communists for as long as there was enough defensive potential. Such a tactic would allow the reserves to be tightened up. After concentrating all the forces, it was possible to begin a retaliatory offensive.

It was believed that NATO aviation has enough resources to organize air strikes against the USSR by the North American continent. All these details were hidden behind a magnificent ceremony, which marked the solemn signing of the Atlantic Pact. It was difficult for cartoons to convey the real danger that concealed the growing confrontation between two different political systems.