The United Nations Charter is signed at San Fran-
cisco.
6 August
Explosion of Hiroshima atom bomb.
1946
16 March
Winston Churchill's ``Iron Curtain'' speech at
Fulton, Missouri.
1947
19 January
The Soviet-sponsored Communist ``Lublin-Com-
mittee'' monopolises power in Poland.
12 March
President Truman urges the United States ``to sup-
port free peoples who are resisting attempted subju-
gation by armed minorities or by outside pressure''
(Truman Doctrine).
5 June
United States Secretary of State, George C. Mar-
shall, announces plans for the economic rehabilita-
tion of Europe (Marshall Plan).
5 October
Establishment of Cominform, the organisation for
the ideological unity of the Soviet bloc, following
rejection of Marshall Aid by the Soviet Union and
its allies.
1948
22 February
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia gains
control of the government in Prague through a
coup d'Etat.
17 March
Signature of the Brussels Treaty of Economic,
Social and Cultural Collaboration and Collective
Self-Defence by the Foreign Ministers of Belgium,
France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the
United Kingdom.
11 June
The United States Senate adopts the ``Vandenberg
Resolution''.
24 June
Beginning of the Berlin blockade by the Soviet
Union.
28 June
Formal expulsion of Yugoslavia from Cominform.
6 July
Talks on North Atlantic defence begin in Washing-
ton between the United States, Canada and the
Brussels Treaty Powers.
27-28 September
The Defence Ministers of the Brussels Treaty
Powers decide to create a Western Union Defence
Organisation.
25-26 October
The Consultative Council of the Brussels Treaty
Powers announces ``complete agreement on the
principle of a defensive pact for the North Atlan-
tic''.
10 December
Negotiations on the North Atlantic Treaty open in
Washington between the representatives of the
Brussels Treaty Powers, Canada and the United
States.
1949
15 March
The negotiating powers invite Denmark, Iceland,
Italy, Norway and Portugal to adhere to the North
Atlantic Treaty.
2 April
The governments concerned repudiate Soviet asser-
tions that the North Atlantic Treaty is contrary to
the United Nations Charter.
4 April
The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington
by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, the United Kindgom and the United
States.
8 April
The Brussels Treaty Powers, Denmark, Italy and
Norway, request United States military and finan-
cial assistance.
9 May
The Berlin blockade is lifted.
24 August
The North Atlantic Treaty enters into force.
17 September
First session of the North Atlantic Council in
Washington.
6 October
Mutual Defence Assistance Act of 1949 is signed
by President Truman.
1950
9 May
The French Government proposes the creation of
a single authority to control the production of steel
and coal in France and Germany, open for member-
ship to other countries (Schuman Plan).
25 June
North Korean Forces attack the Republic of South
Korea.
24 October
French Prime Minister, Rene Pleven, outlines his
plan for a European unified army, including
German contingents, within the framework of
NATO.
19 December
The North Atlantic Council appoints General
Dwight D. Eisenhower to be the first Supreme
Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
20 December
The Brussels Treaty Powers decide to merge the
military organisation of the Western Union into
the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
1951
2 April
Allied Command Europe becomes operational
with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
(SHAPE) located at Roquencourt, near Paris.
18 April
Setting up of the European Coal and Steel Commu-
nity by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, and the Federal Republic of Ger-
many.
17-22 October
Signature in London of the protocol to the North
Atlantic Treaty on the accession of Greece and
Turkey.
1952
30 January
Appointment of Vice-Admiral Lynde D. McCor-
mick (United States) to be the first Supreme Allied
Commander Atlantic (SACLANT).
18 February
Greece and Turkey accede to the North Atlantic
Treaty.
21 February
The Council establishes a Channel Command, and
appoints Admiral Sir Arthur John Power as the
first Commander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN).
12 March
Lord Ismay (United Kingdom) is appointed Vice-
Chairman of the North Atlantic Council and
Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation.
10 April
Supreme Allied Command Atlantic (SACLANT) be-
comes operational, with headquarters at Norfolk,
Virginia, USA.
16 April
NATO opens its provisional headquarters at the
Palais de Chaillot, Paris.
28 April
First meeting of the North Atlantic Council in
permanent session in Paris.
1953
5 March
The death of Stalin.
23 July
Korean Armistice signed at Panmunjon.
8 August
USSR announces its possession of the hydrogen
bomb.
1954
7 May
The United Kingdom and the United States reject
the USSR's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation.
29 August
The French National Assembly decides against
ratification of the Treaty setting up the European
Defence Community (EDC).
23 October
Signature of the Paris Agreements. The Federal
Republic of Germany is invited to join NATO, and
Italy and the Federal Republic of Germany accede
to the Western European Union (WEU).
1955
5 May
The Federal Republic of Germany becomes a
member of NATO.
14 May
The USSR concludes the Warsaw Treaty with
Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany,
Hungary, Poland and Romania.
18-23 July
First Conference of NATO Parliamentarians (since
November 1966, the North Atlantic Assembly) in
Paris.
1956
14 February
Khrushchev denounces Stalin in ``secret'' speech.
18 April
Dissolution of Cominform.
28 June
Anti-regime riots erupt at Poznan in Poland.
26 July
Egypt nationalises the Suez Canal.
4 November
Soviet suppression of Hungarian people's rebel-
lion.
13 December
The North Atlantic Council approves the recom-
mendations contained in the Report of the Commit-
tee of Three on non-military cooperation in
NATO.
1957
25 March
Signature of the Rome Treaties setting up Euratom
and the European Economic Communities.
16 May
Paul-Henri Spaak (Belgium) succeeds Lord Ismay
as Secretary General of NATO.
4 October
The first Soviet Sputnik is launched.
16-19 December
At a meeting of Heads of Government in Paris,
Alliance leaders reaffirm the principles and pur-
poses of the Atlantic Alliance.
1958
1 January
Entry into force of the Treaty of Rome setting up
the European Economic Community.
15-17 April
Defence Ministers of the NATO countries meeting
in Paris reaffirm the defensive character of the
NATO strategy.
1959
1 January
Overthrow of the Batista regime in Cuba by Fidel
Castro.
15-22 December
Inauguration of the new NATO Headquarters at the
Porte Dauphine in Paris.
1960
1 May
American U2 aircraft is shot down over Soviet terri-
tory.
23 September
Khrushchev attends the General Assembly of the
United Nations in New York.
1961
12 April
Soviet Major Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man
orbited in space.
21 April
Dirk U. Stikker (Netherlands) succeeds Paul-Henri
Spaak as Secretary General of NATO.
13 August
Erection of the Berlin Wall.
1962
10 April
Macmillan and Kennedy appeal to Khrushchev
for agreement on a test ban treaty.
4-6 May
Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers of the
North Atlantic Alliance review the circumstances
in which the Alliance might be compelled to have
recourse to nuclear weapons (Athens Guidelines).
22 October-
20 November
Partial blockade of Cuba by the US following
revelation of Soviet construction of missile bases
on the island; lifted following Soviet agreement to
dismantle the bases.
18-20 December
President Kennedy and Prime Minister Macmillan
confer at Nassau, Bahamas. They agree to contrib-
ute part of their strategic nuclear forces to NATO.
1963
20 June
Agreement on a ``hot line'' between Washington
and Moscow is signed in Geneva by the United
States and the Soviet Union.
15-25 July
The United States, the United Kingdom and the
Soviet Union initial an agreement banning nuclear
tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under-
water.
10 October
The Moscow Treaty on a partial nuclear test ban
comes into force.
22 November
President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
1964
1 August
Manlio Brosio (Italy) succeeds Dirk Stikker as
Secretary General of NATO.
15 October
Khrushchev is removed from office. He is replaced
by Leonid Brezhnev as General Secretary of the
CPSU and by Alexei Kosygin as Prime Minister.
16 October
China explodes its first atomic bomb.
1966
10 March
President de Gaulle announces France's intention
of withdrawing from the integrated military struc-
ture of the Alliance.
1967
31 March
Official opening ceremony of SHAPE at Casteau
near Mons, Belgium.
6-7 April
First meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group in
Washington.
21 April
Military regime takes over power in Greece.
14 June
The North Atlantic Council meeting in Luxem-
bourg reviews the Middle East situation following
the Six-Day War between Israel and its Arab
neighbours.
16 October
Official opening of new NATO Headquarters in
Brussels.
13-14 December
The North Atlantic Council approves the Harmel
Report on the Future Tasks of the Alliance.
The Defence Planning Committee adopts NATO's
new strategic concept of flexible response and
approves the establishment of a Standing Naval
Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT).
1968
20-21 August
Soviet, Polish, East German, Bulgarian and Hun-
garian troops invade Czechoslovakia.
12 September
Albania renounces its membership of the Warsaw
Treaty Organisation.
13-14 November
Formation of the Eurogroup.
1969
28 May
Establishment of the naval on-call force in the
Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED).
8-10 December
First meeting of the Committee on the Challenges
of Modern Society (CCMS).
1970
5 March
Non-Proliferation Treaty on Nuclear Weapons
comes into force.
20 March
First NATO communications satellite launched from
Cape Kennedy.
16 April
Opening in Vienna of US-USSR negotiations on
strategic arms limitations (SALT).
1971
2 February
Second NATO communications satellite launched
from Cape Kennedy.
1 October
Joseph Luns (Netherlands) succeeds Manlio Brosio
as Secretary General of NATO.
1972
26 May
Signature in Moscow of interim agreement on
strategic arms limitations (SALT).
3 June
Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin signed by
Foreign Ministers of France, United Kingdom,
United States and the USSR.
21 November
Opening of SALT II in Geneva.
21 December
Signature in East Berlin of the ``Basic Treaty''
between the Federal Republic of Germany and the
German Democratic Republic.
1973
1 January
Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join
the European Economic Community (EEC).
11 May
Inauguration of Standing Naval Force Channel
(STANAVFORCHAN).
3-7 July
Opening of Conference on Security and Cooper-
ation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki.
6-24 October
Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War.
30 October
Conference on Mutual and Balanced Force Reduc-
tions (MBFR) opens in Vienna.
1974
25 April
Military coup d'Etat in Portugal.
26 June
NATO Heads of Government meeting in Brussels
sign a Declaration on Atlantic Relations approved
and published by the North Atlantic Council in
Ottawa on 19 June.
23 July
Konstantinos Karamanlis becomes Prime Minister
of Greece following the resignation of the military
government.
14 August
Withdrawal of Greek forces from integrated mili-
tary structure of NATO.
23-24 November
President Ford and General Secretary Brezhnev,
meeting in Vladivostok, agree on steps towards
limitation of US-USSR strategic nuclear arms.
1975
31 July-
1 August
Final phase of CSCE. The Heads of State and
Government sign the Helsinki Final Act.
1976
2 February
Establishment of the Independent European Pro-
gramme Group.
1977
10-11 May
North Atlantic Council meeting in London with
participation of Heads of State and Government.
Initiation of a long-term defence programme.
4 October
CSCE Follow-up Meeting in Belgrade (4 October
1977 - 9 March 1978).
12 October
Establishment of NPG High Level Group on
theatre nuclear force modernisation.
1978
30-31 May
Meeting of the North Atlantic Council with
participation of Heads of State and Government
in Washington.
31 October-
11 December
CSCE Experts' Meeting on the Peaceful Settlement
of Disputes, Montreux
18 November
Third NATO communications satellite launched
from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
5-6 December
Approval of Airborne Early Warning and Control
System (AWACS).
1979
18 June
SALT II agreement signed in Vienna by President
Carter and General Secretary Brezhnev. (The agree-
ment was not ratified by the United States).
4 November
Seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran
and 53 hostages by Islamic revolutionaries.
12 December
Special Meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers
in Brussels. ``Double-track'' decision on theatre
nuclear force modernisation including the deploy-
ment in Europe of US ground-launched Cruise
and Pershing II systems and a parallel and comple-
mentary arms control effort to obviate the need
for such deployments.
