Seventy-six years ago today, on April 4, 1949 (March 7, 1949), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established. On April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established. After World War II, in order to deal with the expanding influence of the Soviet Union, the United States and its Western European Union countries took the lead in strengthening collective defense. The United States and Canada signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949, after negotiating with the parties to the Treaty of Bruchel (Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Belgium). In addition to the above-mentioned countries, the signatories include Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Portugal and Italy (Greece, Turkey, the Federal Republic of Germany and Spain joined in 1952, 1965 and 1982 respectively), and thus established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The convention stipulates that the contracting states jointly carry out collective defense. In the event of a war between any contracting state and another state, the other contracting states shall provide assistance, including armed support. NATO is located in Brussels. The Council of Ministers and the Defense Planning Committee are the highest decision-making bodies of NATO. From 1949 to 1955, NATO improved its organizational structures at all levels, unified military command system, established integrated forces, and implemented the policy of "strength plus negotiation". In 1978, a 15-year (1979-1994) long-term defense plan focusing on strengthening conventional forces was adopted, and large-scale joint military exercises were held every year. Relevant NATO member states also participated in the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and certain negotiations. Attached: NATO Memorabilia April 4, 1949: The NATO Treaty was signed in Washington after the Berlin Crisis. There were 12 countries that originally belonged to NATO: the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. Later participating countries were: Turkey and Greece (1952), Federal Republic of Germany (1955), Spain (1982), Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic (1999). June 25, 1950: The three-year Korean War begins. NATO responds by: Establishing an armed force under centralized command. May 14, 1955: Moscow responds to Germany's accession by: Establishing the Warsaw Pact. In December, NATO decides to arm NATO forces with nuclear weapons. October 12, 1956: Popular uprising in Hungary. As in the German Democratic Republic in 1953, the Berlin Wall in 1961, and the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the West stayed put. October 22, 1962: East-West crisis over Soviet missiles on the island of Cuba. Soviet concessions. July 1, 1966: The French withdraw from military integration. NATO headquarters are withdrawn from France to Brussels in 1967. December 13-14, 1967: Development of a "flexible response strategy" based on the Amel report. Previously implemented was the strategy of "large-scale retaliation". July 1, 1968: Treaty banning nuclear weapons tests is concluded. The Russians end the political "Prague Spring" by force seven weeks later. May 26, 1972: Superpowers sign agreement on the first phase of talks on the limitation of strategic arms. This first major agreement to limit strategic arms was followed by other agreements. December 12, 1979: NATO makes a double decision to "rearm" Europe with new nuclear missiles and present a disarmament proposal to Moscow. Despite fierce protests, Pershing-2 missiles have been deployed since 1983. March 11, 1985: Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Moscow. This new figure puts the West on the defensive with a series of disarmament proposals. December 8, 1987: Intermediate-range missile agreement. US-Russian intermediate-range missiles are to be destroyed. October 3, 1990: Germany is reunified. NATO's area is therefore expanded. November 19, 1990: NATO and the Warsaw Pact sign the OSCE Treaty. Conventional armed forces in Europe are disarmed. July 1, 1991: The Warsaw Pact dissolves. December The Soviet Union also disintegrates. January 11, 1994: NATO proposes a partnership for peace to former enemies. Nearly 30 countries participate. In 1997, an "elementary file" provides for recognition of Russia's special status. December 20, 1995: NATO peacekeepers enter Bosnia. The alliance, which has operated there since 1993, takes over the military's mission to ensure peace from the United Nations. October 13, 1998: NATO issues ultimatum threat to Serbia in the Kosovo conflict. The United Nations does not authorize the use of force. March 12, 1999: Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland deposit instruments of ratification with the alliance, so that the alliance now includes 19 members. March 19, 1999: NATO threatens to attack after failed peace talks on Kosovo in France. March 23, 1999: NATO Secretary General Solana issues an order for large-scale air strikes against Yugoslavia. On the 24th, NATO's air strikes against Yugoslavia began. This is the first time since its establishment that NATO has intervened in a sovereign country without the authorization of the United Nations Security Council. April 24-25, 1999: The 50th anniversary of the alliance was held in Washington. The NATO summit held during this period discussed and approved NATO's new strategic concept for the 21st century, and determined NATO's new mission based on "collective defense" in the future.