1. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): NATO was established in 1949 at Washington. This was a military pact formed by 15. European countries under the leadership of America against Russia. The initial members were America, Britain, France, Belgium, Canada, Portugal, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Italy, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. Later, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, and Turkey also became members. Hungary and Poland joined NATO in 1999. NATO members passed a resolution to help the members if attacked by any foreign power and fight the enemy together. NATO has a contributory military unit and its Headquarters is in Paris.
2. SEATO (The South East Asia Treaty Organization): SEATO was born due to the fear created by the spread of communism. The establishment of communist rule in China further enhanced the fear of the spread of communism in South East Asia and the Pacific regions. The United States and Western Powers decided to establish a regional collective defence system
After many discussions at various places, England, America, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines, and Pakistan met at Manila, the capital of Philippines in 1954 and signed a pact, in the interest of South East Asia. The chief purpose of the SEATO was to forestall communist aggression. This was put to test in the Vietnam War. After a prolonged war, America lost her prestige and consequently, the SEATO agreement was dissolved in 1975.
3. ANZUS Pact: It was established in 1951. It was a military pact between Australia, New Zealand and America. By this pact, the signatory nations agreed to help each other in case of aggression on any member in the Pacific region.
4. CENTO or the Baghdad Pact: CENTO was signed in 1955. England took the initiative in organising this but it did not join initially. It was an Anti Soviet Military Bloc in the Middle East. England joined later along with Pakistan and Iran. In 1958, Karim Kaseem, the President of Iraq flouted the Baghdad Pact, and CENTO failed to contain communist expansion in the Middle East.
5. WARSAW Pact: In 1955, USSR formed the Warsaw pact with the East European countries like Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Rumania and Poland against NATO. This intensified the rivalry between the USA and USSR. The Pact came to an end in 1991 with the disintegration of the USSR.
