Deterring armageddon : a biography of NATO

Introduction 9

Part 1: The Shock of Ukraine 11

1. A Sense of Threat and Fear (2022–2023) 12

2. A Very Political Alliance (2023) 20

Part 2: Conception and Birth 28

3.  From the Ruins of Dunkirk (1945–1948) 29

4. Airlift and Alliance (1948–1949) 37

Part 3: The First Cold War 47

5. Putting the “O” in NATO (1949–1951) 48

6. The Eisenhower “Spiral of Strength Going Upwards”  (1951–1952) 54

7. Massive Retaliation, Massive Divisions (1952–1958) 62

8. Sputnik, Nukes and Charles de Gaulle (1957–1960) 72

9. Testing Kennedy in Berlin (1961) 80

10. Cuba (1962) 89

Part 4: Détente, Disagreements and the Reagan Rollercoaster 99

11. The Shadow of Vietnam (1963–1974) 100

12. Back to the Brink (1975–1980) 111

13. The Gloves Come Off (1981–1982) 119

14. Dancing Blindly on the Edge (1983) 126

15. Endgame (1984–89) 137

Part 5: The Era of Intervention 147

16. Driving Fast through Fog (1990–1991) 148

17. Into the Balkans (1992–1994) 157

18. Where Angels Fear to Tread (1995–1998) 165

19. Kosovo (1999) 174

20. Into a New Century (1999–2001) 184

21. 9/11 and its Aftermath (2001) 191

22. The Schisms of Iraq (2002–2005) 198

23. Afghanistan:  NATO  Longest War (2006–2010) 207

Part 6: Renewed Confrontation 217

24. Putin, Pirates, Cyber Attacks and Georgia (2007–2011) 218

25. Unexpected Revolutions (2011–2013) 226

26. The Return of War to Europe (2012–2015) 233

27. Enter Donald Trump (2016–2019) 239

28. The World Crisis of the 2020s 248

Part 7: The Road to 2049 257

29. From Vilnius to Washington (2023–2024) 258

30. Surviving the NATO Century (2024–2049) 265

Notes and acknowledgements 275

References 278

Picture Section 336