Changes

NATO originally was not part of President [[Franklin Roosevelt]]'s 'Grand Design' for the post-[[World War II]] era, which included the [[United Nations]] and the [[International Monetary Fund]]. Roosevelt's original intention was to institutionalize the military alliance of the Big Three - the United States, the [[British Empire]], and [[Russia]] - to keep the peace after the defeat of the [[Axis Powers]]. The failure of Soviet-communist-occupied countries to adhere to the right of [[self-determination]] and hold elections caused the Angelo-American alliance to dust off the 1941 [[Atlantic Charter]] and formalize it into a treaty organization. By 1950, the United Nations was at war with itself, where the UN [[Security Council]] voted to send "UN troops" to combat the Soviet-backed [[North Korean]] regime, a Resolution the Soviet Union could have easily [[vetoed]].

NATO originally was not part of President [[Franklin Roosevelt]]'s 'Grand Design' for the post-[[World War II]] era, which included the [[United Nations]] and the [[International Monetary Fund]]. Roosevelt's original intention was to institutionalize the military alliance of the Big Three - the United States, the [[British Empire]], and [[Russia]] - to keep the peace after the defeat of the [[Axis Powers]]. The failure of Soviet-communist-occupied countries to adhere to the right of [[self-determination]] and hold elections caused the Angelo-American alliance to dust off the 1941 [[Atlantic Charter]] and formalize it into a treaty organization. By 1950, the United Nations was at war with itself, where the UN [[Security Council]] voted to send "UN troops" to combat the Soviet-backed [[North Korean]] regime, a Resolution the Soviet Union could have easily [[vetoed]].

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."

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."

 

NATO was created to short-circuit the delays the United States endured from domestic non-interventionists in entering two world wars on behalf of Great Britain.  Should Britain perceive an attack again in the future, either from Germany or the Soviet Union, America would immediately be involved without any Congressional debate or public opinion polling.  This is where the concept of "an attack against one is an attack against all" originated.  Some critics quipped it effectively made Great Britain the 51st state.

NATO was created to short-circuit the delays the United States endured from domestic non-interventionists in entering two world wars on behalf of Great Britain.  Should Britain perceive an attack again in the future, either from Germany or the Soviet Union, America would immediately be involved without any Congressional debate or public opinion polling.  This is where the concept of "an attack against one is an attack against all" originated.  Some critics quipped it effectively made Great Britain the 51st state.