How Did The North Atlantic Treaty Affect America In The 1940s

1258 Words6 Pages

The United States was very isolated towards international policies during the 1940s. Ever since around 1949 the U.S. had changed, with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty and the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on April 4, 1949, impacted America socially, economically, and politically, when it was established by the 12 Western Nations for a collective self-defense against Soviet aggression. This signing had increased American influence in Europe. By the treaty being signed by America, it changed how America supported security through these sub-topics. The North Atlantic Treaty was a major event in U.S. history considering that it was signed during the time period of the Cold …show more content…

This affected America because there were ground travel to the American occupation zone in West Berlin. But the United States decided to create an airlift for food and other necessities for the people in the zone until the Soviet Union lifted the Blockade. After World War II allied forces split causing the U.S. and allies to join zones to become economically stronger. When NATO was created and all the nations signed, America was impacted because this was the first peacetime military alliance that the U.S. had entered into, that wasn’t in the Western Hemisphere. This treaty also the organization which is a military group with many nations helped Americans have hope that the Soviet Union would not come for the States next. This organization that was started by the United States was created due to the Soviet Union spreading communism throughout the world. There were many American social issues before the treaty was signed, such as the Cold War. In 1949 the influence of communism expanding sparked the United States and the other 12 Western nations to start this organization. The Soviets really were feared by many due to communist nations in the Eastern Europe coming together and creating a rival alliance, and signing the Warsaw Pact. This rival alliance impacted America and their alliances because they needed to figure out …show more content…

In January of 1949, Truman warned the Union Address that the forces of democracy and communism were in a dangerous difficult time. So he called the United States military to be put in an allied nation, Korea, for a defense alliance. NATO was the result of the government and the President embracing these difficult times to give their people hope. The Americans now believed that this was a big step in protecting the Americans from the communist threat by the Soviets. But not all of the Americans liked this idea of nations coming together as one with some complications, but believed “not a peace program; it is a war program.”, such as Senator Robert A. Taft. Later on the government took the peoples opinions and confirmed the treaty and made it clear that the United States was sticking with this plan and organization to defend allied nations of attacks of communism. Many people believed that the U.S. had not helped much by signing the North Atlantic Treaty but they helped a lot even though this treaty affected America for many years. This treaty affected America because if Truman would not have sent American military forces to allied nations then the Soviet Union could have made more nations follow in their footsteps in becoming communist. Taking into account that people had more

Open Document