4.2.4 The Use of Alliances
Completion requirements
4.2.4 Alliances
"Cuba-Russia friendship poster", photographed by Keizers, March 26th,
2010. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Share Alike 3.0
The Marshall Plan and the Molotov Plan were government-sponsored strategies to offer economic aid to countries that agreed to follow certain ideological principles. Military and political alliances were also important during the Cold War, and reflected
the growing ideological divide between America and the Soviet Union. As the nations of the world gravitated to one power or the other, tension increased.
One way for the United States to contain communism was through a defensive alliance with Western Europe and Canada.
Formed in 1949, NATO, short for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was an alliance of nations that supported liberal democracy. It began as a political organization, but after the Berlin Blockade, the nations of Europe felt they needed military support. The nations of Western Europe, including much of Scandinavia, as well as United States and Canada were all members. France later withdrew from NATO and began to build its own military, although it supported NATO in many instances, including the Cuban Missile Crisis.
One way for the United States to contain communism was through a defensive alliance with Western Europe and Canada.
Formed in 1949, NATO, short for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was an alliance of nations that supported liberal democracy. It began as a political organization, but after the Berlin Blockade, the nations of Europe felt they needed military support. The nations of Western Europe, including much of Scandinavia, as well as United States and Canada were all members. France later withdrew from NATO and began to build its own military, although it supported NATO in many instances, including the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Map of Europe depicting NATO Alliance members in blue, Warsaw Pact
Members in red, and communist aligned, yet independent Yugoslavia in red
and grey stripes. Courtesy of Wikipedia, Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0
In response, the Soviet Union formed their own alliance of communist countries in 1954 with the Warsaw Pact. Officially named the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, the Warsaw Pact was an alliance of eight eastern European
countries, which came into effect in the mid-1950s and was dissolved when the Soviet Union collapsed.
This map from 1973, shows the NATO members in blue (except for Canada and the United States) shown in blue, with members of the Warsaw Pact in red. The non-aligned countries are in grey. Yugoslavia, although communist, left the Soviet sphere in 1948, while Albania was only a Warsaw Pact member until 1968.
Between 1945 and 1991, most of Europe was divided between these two alliances.
This map from 1973, shows the NATO members in blue (except for Canada and the United States) shown in blue, with members of the Warsaw Pact in red. The non-aligned countries are in grey. Yugoslavia, although communist, left the Soviet sphere in 1948, while Albania was only a Warsaw Pact member until 1968.
Between 1945 and 1991, most of Europe was divided between these two alliances.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, most of Eastern Europe joined NATO. After the World Trade Center attacks of 2001, NATO has changed the focus of its operations towards collective defense for its remaining members.
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"What is the Nato-the alliance explained in 90 secs", The Telegraph, You-tube
NORAD
Another lasting alliance of the Cold War is NORAD, the North American Defence Agreement signed in 1957 between the United States and Canada. The two countries joined forces to defend air space around North America, in case of Soviet attack. Today it is still active and headquartered out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Used after September 9/11 attacks, the agreement was renewed in 2009.Watch this film 'Your Civil Defense' Video from the 1960s that highlights this joint-defense system.
""Cold War Nuclear Defense/NORAD Historical Film "Your Civil Defense, 28182", PeriscopeFilm, You-tube
Non-Alignment Movement
As a result of the pressure put on the nations of the world, alliances were formed. Some nations did not want to form alliances with either superpower. They wanted the freedom to choose their own political and economic paths, and they did not want
to find themselves embroiled in a world war or regional conflict as a result of their ties to a superpower. Many of these countries were former colonies who wanted to sever the ties to their former colonial masters.
From this, the Non-alignment Movement or NAM emerged in what was known as the "Third World" during the Cold War-nations primarily in Asia and Africa that were not aligned with either superpower. Today, this term has been replaced with "developing world" with far different connotations.
As the nations of the world gravitated to one power or the other, tension increased.
Consider the maps on page 249 of your text Perspectives on Ideology.
Consider the following questions based on the maps on page 249:
- How did geography affect the spread of ideologies? Think spheres of influence.
- What happened to the former European colonies between the end of World War II and 1982? Why?
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"NATO", AFP News Agency, You-tube
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Please watch the following video explain NATO and the Warsaw Pact: |
"The Formation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact", History, You-tube