What is NATO?
Question from Amelia Torres
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded in 1949, and as of 2018 it is made up of 29 member states. In the aftermath of WWII, Western nations saw the need for a defensive pact against any external threats. Historically, the main threat was perceived as the Soviet Union. There were 12 founding members, including France, the United Kingdom and the United States. If any one member of NATO were attacked, then all the other member states would be obliged by the Treaty to act in their defence through political and military means.
Answered by Jodie Tyler for Brain Dump in How It Works issue 117
To feature in our Brain Dump section, send us your questions to [email protected] or message us on Facebook or Twitter
For more science and technology articles, pick up the latest copy of How It Works from all good retailers or from our website now. If you have a tablet or smartphone, you can also download the digital version onto your iOS or Android device. To make sure you never miss an issue of How It Works magazine, subscribe today!
