NATO handbook17 uploaded March 25, 1993 APPENDIX X 106. CHRONOLOGY 1945 26 June The United Nations Charter is signed at San Fran- cisco. 6 August Explosion of Hiroshima atom bomb. 1946 16 March Winston Churchill's ``Iron Curtain'' speech at Fulton, Missouri. 1947 19 January The Soviet-sponsored Communist ``Lublin-Com- mittee'' monopolises power in Poland. 12 March President Truman urges the United States ``to sup- port free peoples who are resisting attempted subju- gation by armed minorities or by outside pressure'' (Truman Doctrine). 5 June United States Secretary of State, George C. Mar- shall, announces plans for the economic rehabilita- tion of Europe (Marshall Plan). 5 October Establishment of Cominform, the organisation for the ideological unity of the Soviet bloc, following rejection of Marshall Aid by the Soviet Union and its allies. 1948 22 February The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia gains control of the government in Prague through a coup d'Etat. 17 March Signature of the Brussels Treaty of Economic, Social and Cultural Collaboration and Collective Self-Defence by the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. 11 June The United States Senate adopts the ``Vandenberg Resolution''. 24 June Beginning of the Berlin blockade by the Soviet Union. 28 June Formal expulsion of Yugoslavia from Cominform. 6 July Talks on North Atlantic defence begin in Washing- ton between the United States, Canada and the Brussels Treaty Powers. 27-28 September The Defence Ministers of the Brussels Treaty Powers decide to create a Western Union Defence Organisation. 25-26 October The Consultative Council of the Brussels Treaty Powers announces ``complete agreement on the principle of a defensive pact for the North Atlan- tic''. 10 December Negotiations on the North Atlantic Treaty open in Washington between the representatives of the Brussels Treaty Powers, Canada and the United States. 1949 15 March The negotiating powers invite Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Portugal to adhere to the North Atlantic Treaty. 2 April The governments concerned repudiate Soviet asser- tions that the North Atlantic Treaty is contrary to the United Nations Charter. 4 April The North Atlantic Treaty is signed in Washington by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kindgom and the United States. 8 April The Brussels Treaty Powers, Denmark, Italy and Norway, request United States military and finan- cial assistance. 9 May The Berlin blockade is lifted. 24 August The North Atlantic Treaty enters into force. 17 September First session of the North Atlantic Council in Washington. 6 October Mutual Defence Assistance Act of 1949 is signed by President Truman. 1950 9 May The French Government proposes the creation of a single authority to control the production of steel and coal in France and Germany, open for member- ship to other countries (Schuman Plan). 25 June North Korean Forces attack the Republic of South Korea. 24 October French Prime Minister, Rene Pleven, outlines his plan for a European unified army, including German contingents, within the framework of NATO. 19 December The North Atlantic Council appoints General Dwight D. Eisenhower to be the first Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). 20 December The Brussels Treaty Powers decide to merge the military organisation of the Western Union into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. 1951 2 April Allied Command Europe becomes operational with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) located at Roquencourt, near Paris. 18 April Setting up of the European Coal and Steel Commu- nity by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the Federal Republic of Ger- many. 17-22 October Signature in London of the protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of Greece and Turkey. 1952 30 January Appointment of Vice-Admiral Lynde D. McCor- mick (United States) to be the first Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT). 18 February Greece and Turkey accede to the North Atlantic Treaty. 21 February The Council establishes a Channel Command, and appoints Admiral Sir Arthur John Power as the first Commander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN). 12 March Lord Ismay (United Kingdom) is appointed Vice- Chairman of the North Atlantic Council and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. 10 April Supreme Allied Command Atlantic (SACLANT) be- comes operational, with headquarters at Norfolk, Virginia, USA. 16 April NATO opens its provisional headquarters at the Palais de Chaillot, Paris. 28 April First meeting of the North Atlantic Council in permanent session in Paris. 1953 5 March The death of Stalin. 23 July Korean Armistice signed at Panmunjon. 8 August USSR announces its possession of the hydrogen bomb. 1954 7 May The United Kingdom and the United States reject the USSR's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. 29 August The French National Assembly decides against ratification of the Treaty setting up the European Defence Community (EDC). 23 October Signature of the Paris Agreements. The Federal Republic of Germany is invited to join NATO, and Italy and the Federal Republic of Germany accede to the Western European Union (WEU). 1955 5 May The Federal Republic of Germany becomes a member of NATO. 14 May The USSR concludes the Warsaw Treaty with Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania. 18-23 July First Conference of NATO Parliamentarians (since November 1966, the North Atlantic Assembly) in Paris. 1956 14 February Khrushchev denounces Stalin in ``secret'' speech. 18 April Dissolution of Cominform. 28 June Anti-regime riots erupt at Poznan in Poland. 26 July Egypt nationalises the Suez Canal. 4 November Soviet suppression of Hungarian people's rebel- lion. 13 December The North Atlantic Council approves the recom- mendations contained in the Report of the Commit- tee of Three on non-military cooperation in NATO. 1957 25 March Signature of the Rome Treaties setting up Euratom and the European Economic Communities. 16 May Paul-Henri Spaak (Belgium) succeeds Lord Ismay as Secretary General of NATO. 4 October The first Soviet Sputnik is launched. 16-19 December At a meeting of Heads of Government in Paris, Alliance leaders reaffirm the principles and pur- poses of the Atlantic Alliance. 1958 1 January Entry into force of the Treaty of Rome setting up the European Economic Community. 15-17 April Defence Ministers of the NATO countries meeting in Paris reaffirm the defensive character of the NATO strategy. 1959 1 January Overthrow of the Batista regime in Cuba by Fidel Castro. 15-22 December Inauguration of the new NATO Headquarters at the Porte Dauphine in Paris. 1960 1 May American U2 aircraft is shot down over Soviet terri- tory. 23 September Khrushchev attends the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. 1961 12 April Soviet Major Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man orbited in space. 21 April Dirk U. Stikker (Netherlands) succeeds Paul-Henri Spaak as Secretary General of NATO. 13 August Erection of the Berlin Wall. 1962 10 April Macmillan and Kennedy appeal to Khrushchev for agreement on a test ban treaty. 4-6 May Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers of the North Atlantic Alliance review the circumstances in which the Alliance might be compelled to have recourse to nuclear weapons (Athens Guidelines). 22 October- 20 November Partial blockade of Cuba by the US following revelation of Soviet construction of missile bases on the island; lifted following Soviet agreement to dismantle the bases. 18-20 December President Kennedy and Prime Minister Macmillan confer at Nassau, Bahamas. They agree to contrib- ute part of their strategic nuclear forces to NATO. 1963 20 June Agreement on a ``hot line'' between Washington and Moscow is signed in Geneva by the United States and the Soviet Union. 15-25 July The United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union initial an agreement banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under- water. 10 October The Moscow Treaty on a partial nuclear test ban comes into force. 22 November President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. 1964 1 August Manlio Brosio (Italy) succeeds Dirk Stikker as Secretary General of NATO. 15 October Khrushchev is removed from office. He is replaced by Leonid Brezhnev as General Secretary of the CPSU and by Alexei Kosygin as Prime Minister. 16 October China explodes its first atomic bomb. 1966 10 March President de Gaulle announces France's intention of withdrawing from the integrated military struc- ture of the Alliance. 1967 31 March Official opening ceremony of SHAPE at Casteau near Mons, Belgium. 6-7 April First meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group in Washington. 21 April Military regime takes over power in Greece. 14 June The North Atlantic Council meeting in Luxem- bourg reviews the Middle East situation following the Six-Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbours. 16 October Official opening of new NATO Headquarters in Brussels. 13-14 December The North Atlantic Council approves the Harmel Report on the Future Tasks of the Alliance. The Defence Planning Committee adopts NATO's new strategic concept of flexible response and approves the establishment of a Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT). 1968 20-21 August Soviet, Polish, East German, Bulgarian and Hun- garian troops invade Czechoslovakia. 12 September Albania renounces its membership of the Warsaw Treaty Organisation. 13-14 November Formation of the Eurogroup. 1969 28 May Establishment of the naval on-call force in the Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED). 8-10 December First meeting of the Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS). 1970 5 March Non-Proliferation Treaty on Nuclear Weapons comes into force. 20 March First NATO communications satellite launched from Cape Kennedy. 16 April Opening in Vienna of US-USSR negotiations on strategic arms limitations (SALT). 1971 2 February Second NATO communications satellite launched from Cape Kennedy. 1 October Joseph Luns (Netherlands) succeeds Manlio Brosio as Secretary General of NATO. 1972 26 May Signature in Moscow of interim agreement on strategic arms limitations (SALT). 3 June Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin signed by Foreign Ministers of France, United Kingdom, United States and the USSR. 21 November Opening of SALT II in Geneva. 21 December Signature in East Berlin of the ``Basic Treaty'' between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. 1973 1 January Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Economic Community (EEC). 11 May Inauguration of Standing Naval Force Channel (STANAVFORCHAN). 3-7 July Opening of Conference on Security and Cooper- ation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki. 6-24 October Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War. 30 October Conference on Mutual and Balanced Force Reduc- tions (MBFR) opens in Vienna. 1974 25 April Military coup d'Etat in Portugal. 26 June NATO Heads of Government meeting in Brussels sign a Declaration on Atlantic Relations approved and published by the North Atlantic Council in Ottawa on 19 June. 23 July Konstantinos Karamanlis becomes Prime Minister of Greece following the resignation of the military government. 14 August Withdrawal of Greek forces from integrated mili- tary structure of NATO. 23-24 November President Ford and General Secretary Brezhnev, meeting in Vladivostok, agree on steps towards limitation of US-USSR strategic nuclear arms. 1975 31 July- 1 August Final phase of CSCE. The Heads of State and Government sign the Helsinki Final Act. 1976 2 February Establishment of the Independent European Pro- gramme Group. 1977 10-11 May North Atlantic Council meeting in London with participation of Heads of State and Government. Initiation of a long-term defence programme. 4 October CSCE Follow-up Meeting in Belgrade (4 October 1977 - 9 March 1978). 12 October Establishment of NPG High Level Group on theatre nuclear force modernisation. 1978 30-31 May Meeting of the North Atlantic Council with participation of Heads of State and Government in Washington. 31 October- 11 December CSCE Experts' Meeting on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes, Montreux 18 November Third NATO communications satellite launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5-6 December Approval of Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS). 1979 18 June SALT II agreement signed in Vienna by President Carter and General Secretary Brezhnev. (The agree- ment was not ratified by the United States). 4 November Seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran and 53 hostages by Islamic revolutionaries. 12 December Special Meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers in Brussels. ``Double-track'' decision on theatre nuclear force modernisation including the deploy- ment in Europe of US ground-launched Cruise and Pershing II systems and a parallel and comple- mentary arms control effort to obviate the need for such deployments. 27 December Soviet Union invades Afghanistan.