Now it's hard to believe, but all it was - not a day passed that in any, absolutely in every Soviet newspaper, whether it's "News" or "Rural Life", had never thrown the four ominous letterstyped in bold: NATO.Why sinister?Yes, because they compulsively associated with nuclear bombs, rockets, missiles and other deadly tricks that NATO countries were eager to bring down on the peaceful towns.Those newspapers were full of caricatures and intricate photo collages.Visual consisted of a series of images of terrible nuclear explosions, crazy kind of generals, striving for a start button intercontinental missiles, tanks, and monstrous no less monstrous robot-soldiers bristling with automatic rifles.Create a lasting impression that casual clothing NATO - only military uniforms, helmets, masks and so on.
What lies behind this abbreviation, disturbing the minds of several generations of Soviet citizens?North Atlantic Treaty Organization - North Atlantic Treaty Organization.It was created in 1949, in the face, as it was then, "growing Soviet expansion."That was the beginning of the Cold War, fortunately, was never passed into a "hot", despite the fact that both sides - and the Soviet Union and its allies, and NATO - have made a lot of reckless and dangerous steps, and often did not hesitate andblatant provocation.Suffice it to recall the Cuban missile crisis, when the threat of nuclear war was greater than ever, the events surrounding the Suez Canal in 1956, as well as a number of other, less dramatic, but still unpleasant events of recent history.
Initially, the Atlantic Alliance is also called an organization of twelve states.Gradually more were added to them, thus strengthening the economic and military power of NATO.Countries adjacent to the organization, not always been hostile to the Soviet Union, but is automatically included in the number of his opponents is quite likely, because of the contract they were required to take part in hostilities, regardless of who is the "first principles".Those who prefer to maintain a neutral stance, could count on the favor of the Soviet power, and successfully used this circumstance to mutually beneficial economic cooperation (the most striking example - Finland).
NATO countries, especially Britain and the then Federal Republic of Germany, are a formidable military force, but, of course, the backbone of the Alliance since its foundation to this day remains the United States.
Fortunately, the cold war had passed, and the very expression "NATO" is no longer carries in itself is nothing negative, horrible and terrible.Atlantic Alliance, though remains primarily a military organization is not interested in fomenting world war, although very peaceful it is very difficult to call ... However, if humanity will sooner or later be typed prudence, and the military units themselves wither away as useless!You never know ...
