The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (or as we say in French the Organization of the Treaty of North Atlantic (NATO)), began as a military alliance of governments due to the North Atlantic Treaty (April 4, 1949). Since its creation, NATO, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, has focused on a cooperative defense structure. This translates this structure into the fact that member states respond to a common and mutual defense against an attack from a non-NATO member aggressor. Of the original 12 member states, this organization now has 28 participants dedicated to keeping the alliance strong and vital in a changing world order. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay NATO was originally a political body, more inclined to discussion than action. This changed when the Korean War prompted member states to act and establish a military command structure under two U.S. Supreme Commanders to effectively deal with the brewing situation in Korea. As NATO's first Secretary General, Lord Ismay, stated, the organization's goal was "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down."[4 ] World War II alliances with the Russians were strained as the battles became ideological, with communism on one side and democracy represented by the West and NATO on the other. As for the Germans, there was a fundamental distrust since they were responsible for both world wars and it was only four years after their capitulation that NATO was created. Ultimately, Germany became and remains an essential and full member of the organization. The alliance initially had some credibility issues, as the ever-changing relationship between European members and the United States was in constant flux (as always). This was a significant achievement: NATO would not be able to resist a Soviet invasion together. As a sign of their composure towards the alliance, and essentially as a vote of no confidence, the French developed their own nuclear arsenal and withdrew from the NATO military structure in 1966 and did not have joined this aspect of NATO since. In 1955, in retaliation against NATO, the Soviet bloc countries founded their own alliance, the Warsaw Pact, creating a common antipathy towards each alliance. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. In 1989, precipitated by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, NATO focused its attention on unrest in the Balkan states and the brewing unrest in that region. At the same time, NATO forged stronger and more lasting associations with its former Warsaw Pact adversaries and was so successful that a number of these states joined the alliance between 1999 and 2004. The 1st April 2009, the number of NATO members increased to 28 states. with the entry of Albania and Croatia into the alliance.[5] Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, NATO refocused its mission on the fight against terrorism rather than on the Eastern Bloc and reoriented itself to face new, more serious confrontations. difficult in other parts of the world. The alliance has provided troops to Afghanistan as well as trainers to Iraq in order to fulfill its treaty obligations to a member state, in this case the..