NATO's First Military Action (1994)

Founded in 1949 by the US, Canada, and 10 European countries as a security pact against the Soviet bloc, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization did not actually perform any military operations for its first 45 years in existence. With the fall of the Soviet Union, however, its focus shifted to regional peacekeeping—and thus, in 1994, NATO forces took action in the Bosnian War. After the September 11 attacks, NATO invoked Article 5 of its charter for the first time in history. What is Article 5? More...