Origins of NATO: 1948--1949

Authors

Lawrence S. Kaplan

Abstract

World War II was one of the most important catalysts for the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty. The trauma and destruction that resulted from the horrific events of the second world war, led to an awareness from the global leaders of the time to establish a uniform defense coalition to combat growing threats and to protect the ideals of Western democracy. This Article serves to analyze the origins of the North Atlantic Treaty, by highlighting the competing interests and global sentiments that went into the countless negotiations and revolving participants that led up to the treaty¿s formation. Significantly, this Article draws attention to the events and debates that led up to the involvement of the United States in the North Atlantic Treaty. The Article positions itself in the middle of the modern global climate and questions the direction and purpose of the North Atlantic Alliance in the future.

Recommended Citation

Lawrence S. Kaplan, Origins of NATO: 1948--1949, 34 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 11 (2019).
Available at: https://scholarlycommons.law.emory.edu/eilr/vol34/iss0/2