Episode 12. NATO Today, NATO Tomorrow NATO has come a long way since its foundation in 1949. In this episode we discuss how NATO continues to protect its nations by deterring aggression and adapting to engage new security challenges. We will also highlight the importance of NATO partnerships and their impact on missions across the globe. Finally, we will give a glimpse into the future of the Alliance.  Today, NATO continues to deter aggression and to protect the territorial integrity and...

Episode 11. Afghanistan The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States would lead to the first Article 5 invocation in NATO history and its longest out of area mission, Afghanistan. In this episode we discuss the initial US mission in Afghanistan with the Global War on Terror, initial NATO involvement with International Security Assistance Forces and the shift to Afghanistan’s current day Resolute Support Mission. SHAPE...

Episode 10. Invoking Article 5 Article 5 is the cornerstone of the Alliance. It means that an attack on one is an attack on all. This article has been invoked only once in the 70-year history of the Alliance: in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. In this episode we discuss how NATO came to the aid of the US and why article 5 was invoked. We speak with Lord George Robertson about his recollection of the hours and days following the 9/11 attacks and we...

Episode 9. North Macedonia – A Success Story The lessons NATO learned during their operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo led to an under-appreciated success story, North Macedonia. In this episode we discuss how the Alliance successfully enforced a military ceasefire in North Macedonia and led Operation Essential Harvest, which disarmed rebels and ensured the basis for an effective diplomatic and political dialogue. All this was accomplished without deadly force or...

Episode 8. NATO Becomes Operational In the 1990s, NATO became operational for the first time in its 40-year history. The operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and later in Kosovo were a transformative experience for the Alliance. These were out-of-area engagements with new political and operational challenges. In this episode a former NATO spokesperson recalls the key events that marked NATO’s involvement in the Balkans.   SHAPE Website: https://bit.ly/2XDMcSo HOSTS: Dr. Stella Adorf, Master...

Episode 7. Tearing Down Walls In the Western world, the Fall of the Berlin Wall symbolised ofthe end of the Cold War. It was soon followed by the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the establishment of new democratic governments in Central and Eastern Europe. These events raised the questions: Was there still a need for NATO? What was the Alliance’s future?  In this episode we discuss the way NATO answered these questions. Our guests recall the hectic events following the end of the Cold...

Episode 6. Military Exercises in the Cold War and Beyond   NATO’s mission has changed over time, from a strong deterrent role during the Cold War to a more diverse mission-set in the post-Cold War era. This included peace keeping, human rights protection and disaster relief. In this episode we discuss how military exercises changed over time by bringing together NATO planners and members of the various armed forces to discuss these changes. SHAPE Website: https://bit.ly/2KkhwyG  HOSTS: Dr....

Episode 5. Conventional Forces in the Cold War and Beyond During the Cold War, conventional forces were the cornerstone of NATO’s defence posture. NATO kept extensive military forces at a high level of readiness to ensure they were able to respond promptly to a surprise attack.  In today’s episode we will discuss what this meant in practice and what it meant to be stationed in a ‘high readiness function.’ Our guests explain, with vivid memories and unique personal experiences. SHAPE...

Episode 4. Time to Move Few know that NATO was originally based in London, then moved to a lovely series of buildings which faced the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. SHAPE, its military headquarters was based nearby in Rocquencourt. However, NATO relocated abruptly to Belgium in the 1960s.  In this episode we discuss this hectic time in NATO and SHAPE’s history including the reasons for leaving France, the French withdrawal from the integrated command structure and the rapid move of both...

Episode 3. Raising a Wall in Berlin During the Cold War, tensions over the status of West Berlin never stopped to worry western leaders. Between 1958 and 1961, tensions increased and it seemed that Europe would soon be dragged into another war. The United States, the United Kingdom and France began work on secret contingency plans for the defence of West Berlin, codenamed LIVE OAK.  In this episode, we discuss how General Norstad prepared for the defence of West Berlin, how the crisis in...

Episode 2. To Lead a Military, You Need a Headquarters The Washington Treaty had created the first military and political alliance that bridged across the Atlantic and brought together Western Europe and North America. To be able to protect its members, NATO needed a military headquarters, and fast. Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, SHAPE, was established in the early 1950s. SHAPE was the first and only allied military headquarters to be established in peacetime. In this episode, we...

After the Second World War, Europe laid in ruins after years of war and bombing. The European Continent was devastated economically and politically. Tensions between the Western Allies and Soviet Russia had emerged in the last years of the war and soon led to the fear that the Soviet Army may attack Western Europe.  In April 1949, twelve nations came together to sign the Washington Treaty and to pledge their commitment to work together to keep their nations safe. This episode looks at the...

Welcome to an Enduring Alliance, a podcast reflecting on the 70-year history of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and its oldest military headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, SHAPE. April 4th marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty, the document which brought the 12 founding nations together to form NATO in 1949. NATO is a political and military alliance of like-minded nations that share common values and security concerns. In this...

Welcome to "An Enduring Alliance" a podcast focused on the 70-year history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, and its oldest military headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, SHAPE. Today we meet the podcast hosts and get a glimpse at what this podcast will highlight. Come back on March 22, 2019 to download our inaugural episode.