About This Quiz
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, more commonly known as NATO, is arguably the most important military alliance in the history of the world. It was created after WWII in the face of the rising aggression of the communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR.
Despite fighting on the side of the Allies against the Axis powers during the war, the Russians were opportunistically determined to fill the power void left by the defeat of Nazi Germany, by spreading their newfangled ideology of communism into eastern Europe, central Asia, and beyond. It was a threat to the newfound peace, as well as potentially disastrous for the people of those nations who had just been crushed by war and genocide and really needed to catch a break at last!
With the British Empire staggering after the costs of destroying the Nazis, the rising superpower of America knew that it would have to step into the gap and secure democracy in Europe. However, President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Winston Churchill wisely knew that this was not something either Britain or America should do on its own.
They set up NATO to ensure that each country, however large or small, would contribute to its own defense as best it could while knowing that it could rely on its neighbors to come to save it if necessary and that in turn, it would own them its protection. With that, the most powerful alliance in world history was born. Let's see how much you know about the details!
NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. There. Now you know.
The treaty for NATO was signed on April 4, 1949. This was a few years after the Second World War.
NATO is located in Brussels, Belgium. The first provisional headquarters was in Paris.
Advertisement
At its formation, 12 countries were involved in NATO. This included the U.S. and Canada.
Russia was denied entry into NATO in 1954. The topic remains a contentious one to this day.
As of 2017, there are 29 members of NATO. There are no regular meetings of NATO, but rather, when the need arises.
Advertisement
Both English and French are the official languages of NATO. Canadians fit in perfectly.
Montenegro was the last country to join NATO. They became a member in 2017.
NATO is both a political and military alliance. Its members come from Europe and North America.
Advertisement
According to Article 5 of NATO, an attack on one member is an attack on all. Article 5 has been invoked only once in NATO history.
Jens Stoltenberg is the current secretary general of NATO, as of 2017. He is also the former prime minister of Norway.
It is true that Germany is a part of NATO. They joined as West Germany in 1955.
Advertisement
All of these countries were part of the original North Atlantic Treaty signing. The list also includes Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and more.
General Dwight Eisenhower was appointed the first supreme allied commander of NATO. This took place on December 19, 1950.
The original intention of NATO was to counter the threat of Soviet invasion into Western Europe. The only non-European nations to sign the original treaty were the U.S. and Canada.
Advertisement
In 1997, NATO finally gave Russia a formal role in discussing matters of mutual interest. In 2002, they expanded the relationship even further.
NATO runs annually on about 200 billion Euros. In reality, they run a few million over budget each year.
It's true that NATO has its own alphabet. It's known as the ICAO phonetic or spelling alphabet.
Advertisement
Israel is still not a member of NATO. It is not located in the North Atlantic region.
Iceland is the only member nation of NATO that does not have its own army. It has not had one since 1869.
Operation Essential Harvest took place in Albania. The 30-day long NATO mission involved 3,500 troops.
Advertisement
September 11, 2001, was the only time that Article 5 of the NATO treaty was invoked. That would be Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
The Air Command and Control System was not conceived until the 1980s. This system combined all air operations at a very tactical level. It was not implemented until 1992.
It's true that NATO has a permanent military command structure. This is where military and civilian personnel from all member states work together.
Advertisement
NATO defends airspace 24/7 over Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia and Lithuania. This is true 365 days of the year.
Each member of NATO is supposed to contribute 2% of their GDP each year. Only a handful of members actually do it.
NATO helped to end the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1995. They then implemented a peace agreement there.
Advertisement
NATO troops still serve in Kosovo. In 1999, NATO helped to stop mass killings and expulsions there.
It's true that NATO has a global network of security partners. These include the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the African Union.
NATO members comprise at least 50% of the world's total GDP. They have over 3 million men and women on active service backing them.
Advertisement
NATO's charter states that the signing parties will "seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area." They will also "unite their efforts for collective defense and for the preservation of peace and security.”
Italy joined NATO in 1949. It was one of the original countries to sign the charter.
Lord Ismay was the first Secretary General of NATO. He was also appointed vice chairman of the North Atlantic Council in 1952.
Advertisement
The Warsaw Pact was a direct result of West Germany joining NATO. The Pact was between the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries.