The Cold War: A MILITARY History (68 page)
APPENDICES
APPENDIX
1
Western Union Defence Organization
Under the Brussels Treaty the Five Powers agree to collaborate in the defence field as well as in the political, economic and cultural fields.
Defence Organization
The object of the Western Union defence organization is to provide for the co-ordination of defence between the Five Powers in the military and supply fields and for the study of the tactical problems of the defence of Western Europe; in addition, to provide a framework on which, in the event of any emergency, a command organization could be built up. It can be compared with the defence organization in the United Kingdom …
Western Union Defence Committee
First, Government direction and control is provided by the Western Union Defence Committee which, in peacetime, is composed of the Defence Ministers of the Five Powers.
The Defence Committee are served by the Western Union’s Chiefs-of-Staff Committee and the Western Union Military Supply Board meeting regularly in London. These bodies are analogous to [the UK’s] Chiefs-of-Staff Committee and Joint War Production Staff, respectively.
Western Union Chiefs-of-Staff Committee
The Western Union Chiefs-of-Staff Committee advise the Defence Committee on all matters affecting the defence of Western Europe, taking account of commitments in other parts of the world. Within this broad direction its special tasks are to ensure that within Western Europe questions such as:
(a) The military resources of the five countries are organized to meet the strategic requirements of the Allies.
(b) The forces of the various nations are welded into an effective fighting machine.
(c) The combined resources of the five nations are allotted in the best way.
(d) A proper balance is maintained between the conflicting requirements of internal security and home defence on the one hand, and the European battle on the other.
(e) The evaluation, preparation and distribution of the necessary resources, in particular to the Commander of the European battle, whose special task will be to make the necessary operational plans and to put them into operation.
(f) The exact area of the responsibility of the command of the European battle in war is to be defined. It will be necessary to keep this constantly under review.
Their relationship with the Combined Chiefs-of-Staff in Washington has yet to be decided.
The Military Committee organization which has been working since May and has been largely responsible for formulating the new organization, now becomes, with slight adjustment, the permanent staff serving the Western Union Chiefs-of-Staff Committee. It is organized to deal with all interservice subjects as well as subjects affecting only one of the three Services. These latter single service bodies deal direct with the respective service departments for executive action.
Representatives of the United States and Canadian Chiefs-of-Staff participate as non-members.
Western Union Military Supply Board
In parallel with this Chiefs-of-Staff organization, the establishment of a Supply Board has now been agreed, to advise the Defence Committee on all questions affecting military supplies and to make recommendations as to how the requirements of the Five Powers for Military Supplies can be met.
The Supply Board is on a high level and is composed of one representative from each country. The British representative, who is to be chairman for the first year, is also Chairman of the British Joint War Production Staff. Meetings of the Board itself will not be frequent but it will be served by a permanent Executive Committee working in London, composed of representatives from each country. The detailed organization below this has not yet been decided but it is expected that expert working parties will be formed ad hoc.
Secretariat
The secretariat work for all the above bodies is co-ordinated through a Five-Power Secretariat having a British Secretary-General.
Western Union Commanders-in-Chief Committee
The
Western Union Commanders-in-Chief Committee
has been set up, responsible to the Western Union Chiefs-of-Staff Committee. It is composed of:
(a) Chairman. Field Marshal Lord Montgomery.
(b) Commander-in-Chief Western Europe Land Forces. General de Lattre de Tassigny.
(c) Commander-in-Chief Western Europe Air Forces. Air Chief Marshal Sir James Robb.
(d) Flag Officer Western Europe. Vice-Admiral Jaujard.
Their immediate task is to study the tactical problems of the defence of Western Europe, that is to say, to make plans to meet a Russian armed threat in Western Europe. They will not assume executive command of any forces in peacetime,
although
they will be in close touch with Military Governors of the occupation zones, and it is hoped that it may be possible, to a limited extent, to adjust peacetime dispositions to meet the needs of defence.
The committee forms a nucleus command organization which, in war, would be capable of commanding all land forces and supporting air forces to meet a Russian armed threat. The Committee will not be concerned with home defence.
It is the intention at present that the Flag Officer Western Europe should advise the Commanders-in-Chief on naval matters and co-ordinate naval operations in their support. The questions of naval command in the event of an emergency and the tactical problems of naval warfare are being studied separately.
It is probable that the permanent headquarters of this organization will be on the continent of Europe, although the Chairman proposes to maintain a small echelon of his own headquarters in London, in order to keep contact with the Western Union Chiefs-of-Staff Committee and the Military Committee.
APPENDIX
2
The North Atlantic Treaty
Washington DC, 4 April 1949
The Parties to this Treaty reaffirm their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and their desire to live in peace with all peoples and all governments.
They are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.
They seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area.
They are resolved to unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation of peace and security.
They therefore agree to this North Atlantic Treaty:
Article 1
The Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered, and to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.
Article 2
The Parties will contribute toward the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations by strengthening their free institutions, by bringing about a better understanding of the principles upon which these institutions are founded, and by promoting conditions of stability and well-being. They will seek to eliminate conflict in their international economic policies and will encourage economic collaboration between any or all of them.
Article 3
In order more effectively to achieve the objectives of this Treaty, the Parties, separately and jointly, by means of continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid,
will
maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.
Article 4
The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened
Article 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually, and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken all the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.
Article 6
For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:
– on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France, or on the islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
– on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area of Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area of the Tropic of Cancer.
Article 7
This Treaty does not affect, and shall not be interpreted as affecting, in any way the rights and obligations under the Charter of the Parties which are members of the United Nations, or the primary responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security.
Article 8
Each Party declares that none of the international engagements now in force between it and any other of the Parties or any third State is in conflict with the provisions of this Treaty, and undertakes not to enter into any international engagement in conflict with this Treaty.
Article 9
The Parties hereby establish a Council, on which each of them shall be represented, to consider matters concerning the implementation of this Treaty. The Council shall be so organized as to be able to meet promptly at any time. The Council shall set up such subsidiary bodies as may be necessary; in particular it shall establish immediately a defence committee which shall recommend measures for the implementation of Articles 3 and 5.
Article 10
The Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area to accede to this Treaty. Any State so invited may become a Party to the Treaty by depositing its instrument of accession with the Government of the United States of America. The Government of the United States of America will inform each of the Parties of the deposit of each such instrument of accession.
Article 11
This Treaty shall be ratified and its provisions carried out by the Parties in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited as soon as possible with the Government of the United States of America, which will notify all the other signatories of each deposit. The Treaty shall enter into force between the States which have ratified it as soon as the ratification of the majority of signatories, including the ratification of Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, have been deposited and shall come into effect with respects to other States on the date of the deposit of their ratification.
Article 12
After the Treaty has been in force for ten years, or at any time thereafter, the Parties shall, if any of them so requests, consult together for the purpose of reviewing the Treaty, having regard for the factors then affecting peace and security in the North Atlantic area, including the development of universal as well as regional arrangements under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security.
Article 13
After the Treaty has been in force for twenty years, any Party may cease to be a Party one year after its notice of denunciation has been given to the Government of the United States of America, which will inform the Governments of the other Parties of the deposit of each notice of denunciation.
Article 14
This Treaty, of which the English and French texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the United States of America. Duly certified copies will be transmitted by that government to the governments of other signatories.
SUBSEQUENT CHANGES
Accession of Greece and Turkey
In the protocol signed in London on 22 October 1951, admitting Greece and Turkey to the Treaty, Article 6 was amended to read:
For the purposes of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:
i. on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France, on the territory of Turkey or on the islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
ii. on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Accession of the Federal Republic of Germany
The protocol was signed in Paris on 23 October 1954, but did not amend the basic Treaty in any way.
Inapplicability of the ‘Algerian Departments of France
’
As a result of Algerian independence on 3 July 1962, the French representative informed the North Atlantic Council (16 January 1963) that, since the ‘Algerian Departments of France’ had ceased to have any legal existence, any mention of them in the treaty was no longer relevant. This was noted by the North Atlantic Council.
