An alliance, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is "an association to further the common interests of the members; specifically: a confederation of nations by treaty."1 On April 4, 1949, twelve nations gathered in Washington D.C. to sign the North Atlantic Treaty. This treaty became the foundation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO.2 In this paper I will discuss the events that led to the development of NATO, the background of the treaty, and the effects it had and still has today.

It is important to know the proceedings that took place before NATO was formed and that led to its existence. There are four major events: the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech, and the Berlin Airlift.

First was the Truman Doctrine. President Truman made a request to the U.S. Congress in March 1947 because he was concerned with the British weakness and...