NATO (Oct. 7): Has Its Time Finally Come?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, was created in 1949 as an alliance of Western democratic nations designed to stop the Soviet Union’s expansion into Western Europe. Designed and led by the United States, NATO has developed over nearly eight decades into the world’s most powerful and influential geopolitical alliance. Started by 12 member nations, it has grown to 32 in 2026, through 10 rounds of enlargement. Membership in NATO became the goal of virtually every European nation. The Alliance’s climax came with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Although many of NATO’s challenges expanded, its core membership remained unified and always ready to adapt to the current global situation. Its leader, the United States, both contributed to and profited from the experience. However, today we are faced with an alliance seemingly torn by competing and antithetical interests. Europeans are still worried about the Russian invasion of Ukraine while the U.S. appears to be reducing its commitment to providing for Europe’s defense. In addition, the U.S. is also adopting an “America First” strategy and is much more focused on China and the Middle East than on Russia.

This class will concentrate on the diverging paths of Europe and the United States in NATO and discuss whether the current issues are capable of splitting the alliance for good.

Tom Fedyszyn, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College following 18 years on its teaching faculty. A retired Navy captain, he commanded a cruiser and a destroyer. His shore assignments included being the U.S. Naval attaché in Russia as well as the Russia branch chief for the international military staff at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. He is published widely on the Russian Navy and foreign affairs. He holds a Ph.D. in political science and international relations from Johns Hopkins University.