Would Latin American countries be accepted in NATO during the cold war?
- Thread starter Gukpard
- Start date
And it has Australia that is not in the North Atlantic.
So what you are saying is that NATO is a block made for countries of western European colonization, right?
NATO's Article 10 states clearly that only nations in Europe- besides the founding members USA and Canada- may join. Australia has never been a part of NATO.
The NATO Treaty: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_17120.htm
The NATO Treaty: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_17120.htm
Well, even if we admit that Romania and Bulgaria, the Baltic countries and even Greece are western European (and even colonizers[*}) countries, it would be a stretch indeed to include Turkey...
{*} a case can be made about Greece being a prime example of a colonizing country, but that was happening waaaay before NATO has been founded
If you look at a map of NATO during the Cold War, you'd see most of its countries (except maybe Greece and Italy) would be compelled to fight in WW3 because they were "in the way". They didn't have the choice to sit it out (well, the USA did, but the USA doesn't say no to wars). If Soviets tanks rolled over West Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark and (yes) France would have to fight them because they'd be next. Norway and Turkey would also become battlegrounds.
Latin American countries were under no such pressures, and could very well choose to sit it out.
Latin American countries were under no such pressures, and could very well choose to sit it out.
Only North American and European countries can be in NATO. So if you somehow can get Mexico to want in, then maybe, but not South America.
Mexico might also be a stretch as I don’t believe it has a North Atlantic Coast line (but presumably if other NATO members had wanted Mexico to join and Mexico had been willing ? Something could have been worked out ?)
Luxembourg, Greece and Italy don't have Atlantic coast lines...
EDIT: Arguably neither do Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.
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There's a handful of South American states north of the equator along with Central American and Caribbean states. But you also have parts of France in the Pacific.
But I guess if NATO does want to expand it's not going to let a bit of geographical terminology. I guess the preponderance of military dictatorships may have been a factor. Hand waving away the three bad apples in Europe would become a bit harder if you have a smorgasbord of Latin American juntas as well.
Belize is democratic as nation-states come. Perhaps they would like a seat at the table.