WARSAW PACT

TREATY AT A GLANCE

CompletedMay 14, 1955, at Warsaw, Poland

SignatoriesAlbania, Bulgaria, Hungary, German Democratic Republic

(East Germany), Poland, Romania, the Soviet Union,and Czechoslovakia

OverviewThe "Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance," orWarsaw Pact, created the Warsaw Treaty Organization, a militaryalliance between the USSR and its Eastern European satellites as aCommunist counterpart to NATO (see NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY).

Historical BackgroundThe Korean conflict, with MacArthur's nuclearbrinkmanship and Mao Zedongs Communist invasion,spooked Western Europe, especially after the UnitedStates.ibogged down in a "police action" of question-able legality in what easily could have been considereda civil war, requested a sizable increase in Europe's con-tribution to NATO. In 1951 both the French andBritish governments fell over the issue, before a com-mittee worked out a compromise distribution thatspread the costs more equitably, or at least moreacceptably .

The real solution was obvious, though none of themembers wanted to face it: rearm West Germany TheFrench, traditionally nervous about Germans armed tothe teeth, refused, unless the German army wasmerged into some kind of larger, international force.Called the European Defense Community (EDC), sucha force had disturbing implications for Great Britain,especially, but also for some in France. It meant a com-mon defense ministry, a coordinated foreign policy, ajoint defense budget, maybe even a common parlia-ment to approve the budgets and the policies. It meant,in short, a United States of Europe, whether one calledit that or not. West Germany immediately ratified theEDC, but it was simply more than the British couldstomach. Still clinging to visions of an empire onwhich the sun never set, proud now of their "specialrelationship" with their bastard child, the UnitedStates, the British opted out.

The French response was more nuanced. Francehad a strong Stalinist Communist Party, which

opposed the EDC almost by reflex, while the haughtyand military-minded, mostly right-wing Gaulists shud-dered at the notion of merging their crack troops withthe dregs of Europe in a hodgepodge security service.The French, as was their wont, argued endlessly aboutthe subject till Stalin had died, the Korean war hadcome to a whimpering close, and all sense of urgencyhad dissipated. Then, despite American secretary ofstate John Foster Dulles's threats to institute a:r:"ago-nizing reappraisal" of his country's commitment topostwar Europe, the French took a pass and voteddown the EDC on August 30, 1954.

Undaunted, the United States came up with an elo-quently simple alternative: NATO admitted West Ger-many into its alliance and put Allied commanders incharge of the Bundeswehr, the German army Theunhappy Soviets responded with a military alliance oftheir own between the USSR and its satellites in East-ern Europe. A week after West Germany enteredNATO the Soviet Union 'and its satellites, Albania,,Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German DemocraticRepublic (East Germany), Hungary, Poland, andRomania, formed the Warsaw Treaty Organization,though the Warsaw Pact was more like an accuratedescription of current conditions than a bold newmove in the deadly chess game of the cold war.

TermsThe pact organization was a military alliance under theunified high command of a Soviet marshal, with head-quarters in Moscow. All important posts within the

723

724 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HISTORICAL TREATIES AND ALLIANCES

satellite forces were held by Soviet-trained, if notSoviet-born, officers. Equipment was standardizedaccording to Soviet specifications.

The Contracting Parties,Reaffirming their desire to create a system of collective

security in Europe based on the participation of all EuropeanStates, irrespective of their social and political structure,whereby the said States may be enabled to combine their effortsin the interests of ensuring peace in Europe;

Taking into consideration, at the same time, the situationthat has come about in Europe as a result of the ratification ofthe Paris Agreements, which provide for the constitution of anew military group in the form of a "West European Union",with the participation of a remilitarized West Germany and itsinclusion in the North Atlantic bloc, thereby increasing the dan-ger of a new war and creating a threat to the national security ofpeaceloving States;

Being convinced. that in these circumstances the peace-lov-ing States of Europe must take the necessary steps to safeguardtheir security and to promote the maintenance of peace inEurope;

Being guided by the purposes and principles of the Charterof the United Nations;

In the interests of the further strengthening and develop-ment of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance in accor-dance with the principles of respect for the independence andsoyereignty of States and of non-intervention in their domesticaffairs;

Have resolved to conclude the present Treaty of Friendship,Cooperation and Mutual Assistance and have appointed as theirplenipotentiaries ... who have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1The Contracting Parties undertake, in accordance with theCharter of the United Nations, to refrain in their internationalrelations from the threat or use of force and to settle their inter-national disputes by peaceful means in such a manner thatinternational peace and security are not endangered.

ARTICLE 2The Contracting Parties declare that they are prepared to partic-ipate, in a spirit of sincere cooperation, in all internationalaction for ensuring international peace and security and willdevote their full efforts to the realization of these aims.

In this connection, the Contracting Parties shall endeavorto secure, in agreement with other States desiring to cooperatein this matter, the adoption of effective measures for the generalreduction of armaments and the prohibition of atomic, hydro-gen and other weapons of mass destruction.

ARTICLE 3The Contracting Parties shall consult together on all importantinternational questions involving their common interests, witha view to strengthening international peace and security.

Whenever anyone of the Contracting Parties considersthat a threat of armed attack on one or more of the States par-

ties to the Treaty has arisen, they shall consult together imme-diately with a view to providing for their joint defence andmaintaining peace and security.

ARTICLE 4In the event of an armed attack in Europe on one or more of theStates parties to the Treaty by any State or group of States, eachState party to the Treaty shall, in the exercise of the right of indi-vidual or collective self-defence, in accordance with Article 51of the United Nations Charter, afford the State or States soattacked immediate assistance, individually and in agreementwith the other States parties to the Treaty, by all the means itconsiders necessary, including the use of armed force. The Statesparties to the Treaty shall consult together immediately con-cerning the joint measures necessary to restore and maintaininternational peace and security.

Measures taken under this Article shall be reported to theSecurity Council in accordance with the provisions of theUnited Nations Charter. These measures shall be discontinuedas soon as the Security Council takes the necessary action torestore and maintain international peace and security

ARTICLE 5The Contracting Parties have agreed to establish a Unified Com-mand, to which certain elements of their armed forces shall beallocated by agreement between the parties, and which shall actin accordance with jointly established principles. The partiesshall likewise take such other concerted action as may be nec-essary to reinforce their defensive strength, in order to defendthe peaceful labor of their peoples, guarantee the inviolability oftheir frontiers and territories and afford protection against pos-sible aggression.

ARTICLE 6For the purpose of carrying out the consultations provided forin the present Treaty between the States parties thereto, and forthe consideration of matters arising in connection with theapplication of the present Treaty, a Political Consultative Com-mittee shall be established, in which each State party to theTreaty shall be represented by a member of the Government orby some other specially appointed representative.

The Committee may establish such auxiliary organs as mayprove to be necessary.

ARTICLE 7The Contracting Parties undertake not to participate in anycoalitions or alliances, and not to conclude any agreements, thepurposes of which are incompatible with the purposes of thepresent Treaty.

The Contracting Parties declare that their obligationsunder international treaties at present in force are not incom-patible with the provisions of the present Treaty.

ARTICLE 8The Contracting Parties declare that they will act in a spirit offriendship and cooperation to promote the further developmentand strengthening of the economic and cultural ties amongthem, in accordance with the principles of respect for eachother's independence and sovereignty and of non-interventionin each other's domestic affairs.

:lARTICLE 9

The present Treaty shall be open for accession by other States,irrespective of their social and political structure, which expresstheir readiness by participating in the present Treaty, to help incombining the efforts of the peaceloving States to ensure thepeace and security of the peoples. Such accessions shall comeinto effect with the consent of the States parties to the Treatyafter the instruments of accession have been deposited with theGovernment of the Polish People's Republic.

eh

1oIt

It

S

ARTICLE 10The present Treaty shall be subject to ratification, and theinstruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Govern-ment of the Polish People's Republic.

The Treaty shall come into force on the date of deposit ofthe last instrument ofratification. The Government of the Pol-ish People's Republic shall inform the other States parties to theTreaty of the deposit of each instrument of ratification.

1-

n

eed ARTICLE 11

The present Treaty shall remain in force for twenty years. ForContracting Parties which do not, one year before the expirationof that term, give notice of termination of the Treaty to the Gov-ernment of the Polish People's Republic, the Treaty shall remainin force for a further ten years.

In the event of the establishment of a system of collectivesecurity in Europe and the conclusion for that purpose of a Gen-eral European Treaty concerning collective security, a goalwhich the Contracting Parties shall steadfastly strive to achieve,the present Treaty shall cease to have effect as from the date onwhich the General European Treaty comes into force.

o

1-

e.t:s

;-

rrirrel-

reir

.y

IS

1-

TREATIES 725

Done at Warsaw, this fourteenth day of May 1955, in onecopy, in the Russian, Polish, Czech and German languages, allthe texts being equally authentic. Certified copies of the presentTreaty shall be transmitted by the Government of the PolishPeople's Republic to all the other parties to the Treaty.

ConsequencesHungary withdrew from the Warsaw Pact in 1956 butwas compelled to return after the Soviets crushed theHungarian revolt. Likewise, in 1968 Czechoslovakiawithdrew but was forced back by an invasion bySoviet-led Warsaw Pact forces. Albania withdrew thesame year, having concluded an alliance with China,which had drifted away from Soviet domination.

It was the end of the cold war and the concomitantcreation of democratic governments throughout muchof Eastern Europe that finally undid the Warsaw TreatyOrganization. Hungary withdrew in 1990, and thereunification of Germany put an end to East Germany'sparticipation. Other former satellites agitated for with-drawal of Soviet forces from their territory, and theorganization's military function officially ended onApril 1, 1991. It continued to function briefly as apolitical entity.