The day NATO was founded – level 2

04-04-1949

At the end of World War II, Berlin was divided into two parts. In June 1948, the Soviets who controlled the eastern part of the city closed the railway access to the western part of the city. It was a beginning of a new war which people started calling the Cold War.

The Americans, the British, and the French who controlled the western part of the city created an air bridge to help West Berlin. Every minute, a plane landed at the airport in West Berlin. The planes were full of food and other important things. The Soviets blocked the city for almost a year, but the West managed to keep supplying West Berlin thanks to this air bridge.

After this incident, the West understood that the Soviets were very strong in Europe. The West wanted to create something of similar power.

On April 4, 1949, NATO was founded in Washington. NATO was founded by 10 countries in Europe, the USA, and Canada. NATO was an organization to help during a war. It meant that an attack on any of the members was understood as an attack on all countries.

It is interesting that until the end of the Cold War in 1991, NATO didn’t have to fight in any war.

Difficult words: access (a way which you use to enter a place), the West (Western Europe and North America), supply (to send food, clothes and other necessary things for daily life), founded (started), until (to the last moment of something).

What was the significance of the formation of NATO in 1949?

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