Changes

=== Beginning ===

=== Beginning ===

[[Image:NATO1.gif‎|thumb|250px| NATO committee.]]

[[Image:NATO1.gif‎|thumb|250px| NATO committee.]]

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established shortly after [[World War II]] in 1949. The original members consisted of ten European countries, the [[United States]], and [[Canada]]. These countries formed the alliance to further the goal of security in the North Atlantic region, and they did this by ingraining the principal that an attack against one member would be considered an attack against all.  Therefore, all would respond with support to the attacked nation. In 1952 NATO began its first round of enlargement of the early alliances history, letting in [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]].

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established after the failure of the United Nations Organization to bring about democratic elections and "self determination of peoples" in [[Eastern Europe]] shortly after [[World War II]] in 1949. The original members consisted of ten European countries, the [[United States]], and [[Canada]]. These countries formed the alliance to further the goal of security in the North Atlantic region, and they did this by ingraining the principal that an attack against one member would be considered an attack against all.  Therefore, all would respond with support to the attacked nation. The first secretary-general of NATO, Lord Ismay, once quipped, NATO's purpose in Europe was “to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down."

 

In 1952 NATO began its first round of enlargement of the early alliances history, letting in [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]].  By 1968, those two members were at war with each other.

=== Cold War ===

=== Cold War ===