being a blast from the cold war era we're bringing you nato you know the north atlantic treaty organization that united so much of free europe and in nato but it's important so i thought this was really an important piece to bring back it's called the big picture why nato so in this you will discover why it is that we have this oh why it's important anyway sad you know it's a generation stick on how little information people have it's important to know really important and that's why this blast from the past from hundred seventy four why nato is so relevant and maybe even more especially today i'm david the bruce enjoy throughout history nations have sought through traditional line says with other nations to maintain their security and remain free from a time but not until the twentieth century into the concept of national security become world wide and it scope well wars one and two and the korean conflict proved beyond any doubt that when one free nation anywhere it's threatened by aggression the safety of all free nations is ultimately at stake today the united states keenly aware of its strategic role as a leader in the free world as a light itself with other nations dedicated to the preservation of peace and the welfare of mankind our big picture cameras today focus on one of the most important of these alarms us as our guest narrator the distinguished news analyst edward of morrow tells the story behind the north atlantic treaty organization they speak different languages different cultural backgrounds the countries they represent mary in size from very small to very large but here are all distinctions fade all the languages become one the language of  let's go back to the beginning of the story their statesmen had not cordially at yalta hand at potsdam they had agreed that the countries they had occupied should truly liberated i'm not freely elected government should be set up a soon as possible within a few months the countries of western europe and scandinavia were free and independent but when the countries occupied by russia stalin had other ideas ago dedicated themselves to the spreading of communism by all possible mean they knew that an army can be used not only to fight war it can be used to intimidate the south lead to establish bases controlling the in greece the communist had already started civil war minded who believed that it was possible to be friends with the communist without succumbing to them than ever before within a week all opposition was suppressed there was another victory to celebrate another victory over freedom president ben issue was allowed to retire to his country how he died there a broken hearted m ceased to come out of czechoslovakia trains barges and road transport forced on the united states but among france were responsible for two and a half million people in berlin now their food and fuel for their homes and factories could no longer be brought to them overlap unless with armed protection and at the risk of war it seemed that they told must be at the mercy of the russian the governments of the west did not get  the life of western berlin was maintained by air on a scale never before contemplated in history each day the prestige of the the russian cynical blockade about one hundred brought europe to the brink of war it was a loss clear that only a strong defensive alliance could deter them from further adventures on for a bow nine hundred forty nine the north atlantic treaty was signed by norway denmark next became known as the north atlantic treaty organization or more simply not all they were sworn to stand together against aggression an attack against one would be an attack against all he must first discover whether it was militarily possible for europe with her strong individual national traditions to raise a sufficient force to defend them collectively on nine january an a different languages on twelve different traditions and ways of life of each of them you could ask similar question january normally the mountains require a special form of the good every able bodied man be mobilized twenty four january ice when we know that you have no armed forces but what contribution can you make for the common defense of the we twenty six january canada europe is grateful for the arms you are already supplied what forces are you prepared to send across the atlantic they planned for a long haul when they realized that if democracy were not to destroy itself by its very efforts party found the build up had to take time plans of the military would come to not without the overall this could be this is why night on had to excess one of nato as most powerful member nations declared his mission before the large crowd which had gathered to greet him frankly i came out here because of a special kind of sick this was built by a great number of nations to be the headquarters of that military shield that must always be long to nato so long as there is any minute at two of the freedom of the western propaganda offensive the fifteen heads of states attending this vital nato meeting represented four hundred fifty million people whose lands covered a total of almost a million square miles of the earth's surface differences were to be expected but on one point there was complete agreement the color of the nato partnership an attack against one was an attack against all in order to live in peace together all were resolved to defend themselves together if necessary special responsibility rested on these representatives of the atlantic com within their lands for freedom first at its heart within our borders lay three fourths of the world's institutions of higher learning and the title deeds and monuments of western culture and civilization my vigilance and readiness these are the aims of the atlantic alliance an alliance for peace today on the big picture you have heard the distinguished news analyst edward r murrow tell the story of nato the north atlantic treaty organization the united states as a founding member of this vital international body has demonstrated to the world the importance we place on the closest association between the members of the atlantic community now this is arjun stuart queen your hosts on the big