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A Changing Defence Alliance - NATO

For 40 years, the main function of Nato was to frighten off potential opponents with a display of military strength. Since the end of the Cold War, its tasks have changed. New alliance partners, new dangers and new operational areas in and outside of Europe show: the NATO is fighting for its identity.

On April 4 1949, ten west European states as well as the USA and Canada signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, thereby founding the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). The Cold War between the communist-dominated states of eastern Europe, dominated by the Soviet Union, and the non-communist west was in full swing. Seven more countries, among them the Federal Republic of Germany, had joined the Atlantic Alliance by 1989, the end of the east-west conflict.

Wohin entwickelt sich die Nato?
Foto: AP

For almost exactly 40 years, the main task of NATO was to frighten off potential opponents with a display of military strength. An important component of this politics was stationing strong land forces in the western part of divided Germany, and having a large Federal Armed Forces in terms of numbers. Since the end of the east west conflict, this strength has been reduced from approximately 500 000 down to 240 000 men. There was almost no doubt against whom one was to arm themselves and, if necessary, fend off: the prospective opponent was placed, as it was generally formulated during the Cold War years, "in the East".

New Alliance Partners

And yet it is here that today's new members for Nato, those interested in entry and cooperation partners are to be found. In 1999, Poland, the Czechoslovakian Republic and Hungary joined the Alliance. In March 2004, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lapland, Lithuania, Rumania, Slovakia and Slovenia followed suit. From the Balkans, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia are trying for membership. From the former Soviet Union, both Georgia and the Ukraine have stated their interest in entry.

As a contribution to collective security, the NATO expects military reforms such as the harmonisation of equipment and commando structures as well as the set-up of stable market economies and stable democratic institutions from its new members. They, on the other hand, see the Alliance as an "anchor of stability” and find promise of a guarantee for external security. This is especially so for Poland, which was grated several times in its history between its neighbours, Germany and Russia. For the government in Warsaw, membership in an Alliance in which the USA plays a leading role is of outstanding political interest.

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