Photo and Document Archive from the Foundation of NATO

NATO, Signing

Archive

Archive of seven photos and five documents from the foundation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Contents include three documents titled The Signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, one as an event program, and two as books with speech transcriptions, the 14 articles of the Treaty, and a full list of signatures. Additionally, there are six original press photos from the signing event at Departmental Auditorium in Washington, and one photo from a meeting of Scandinavian defense ministers were they discussed entry into NATO. The Signing of the North Atlantic Treaty Proceedings. Hardcover. First limited in slipcase. #316 of 1000, signed by typographer. This document contains an introduction, transcription of the proceedings given by various heads of state, the 14 articles of the Treaty, and several pages of signatures of the heads of state and the ambassadors to the United States for the nations party to the agreement. The Signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1949. Publication #3497. In original wrappers. Includes speeches from the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the states present, and Secretary of State Dean Acheson's Opening and Closing Remarks. The last document is a broadside from the "Timely Events" news periodical. Vol. 13, No. 139, April 13, 1949. Contains a photo of Truman's delivering his speech with the headline "Truman Addresses Pact Signers." The original signers of the North Atlantic Treaty include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. From Harry Truman's closing remarks: "In this pact we hope to create a shield against aggression and the ear of aggression - a bulwark which will permit us to get on with the real business of government and society, the business of achieving a fuller and happier life for our citizens." The Treaty is framed in the terms of facilitating peaceful coexistence between the nations of Europe and North America, though there is a clear effort to position this new bloc against the Soviet Union and its sphere of influence. Truman speaks of "our method of achieving international unity through the voluntary association of different countries dedicated to common cause" as distinct from that of the "police state, which attempts to achieve unity by imposing the same beliefs and the same rule of force on everyone." Marbled covers and cloth spine with gold stamp lettering. Slipcase edges slightly rubbed and chipped but text very clean. Softcover wrapper corners slightly bumped, interior very clean. Broadside folded, light staining at lower left corner. Overall very good condition.

Item #18421

Price: $1,200.00