Analysts expected NATO to die once its Soviet enemy vanished.

Evidence

Although NATO’s former Secretary-General, the late Manfred Worner, once said that “The Treaty of Washington of 1949 [which created NATO] nowhere mentions the Soviet Union” and that NATO will survive by continuing to serve its members’ needs, skepticism nevertheless remains about NATO’s future. NATO’s confused and belated response to the crisis in the former Yugoslavia raises questions about its post-cold war value. Many argue that other European organizations such as the Western European Union (WEU) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) should take over NATO’s functions. Indeed, several analysts argue that NATO has achieved its purpose, outlived its usefulness, and can—even should—be expected to die a peaceful death. — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 12

Categorization

• XREF: This frames the exact puzzle (group persisting after foe disappears) that the reading purpose targets, connecting to general institutional-identity literature. — connects to: Alliance cohesion theories predict NATO should have dissolved after the Soviet threat vanished — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 40; NATO officials reconceived the Soviet threat to justify continuing the alliance after its collapse — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 86; NATO formed fast after Nazi surrender but stayed long after its Soviet enemy vanished. — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 46 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Alliance cohesion theories predict NATO should have dissolved after the Soviet threat vanished #expands (0.95) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 40
• Alliance theory predicts collapse once threats vanish. #expands (0.92) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 14
• NATO has expanded rather than dissolved after the Soviet threat ended. #complicates (0.90) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 15
• NATO formed fast after Nazi surrender but stayed long after its Soviet enemy vanished. #expands (0.88) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 46
• NATO’s institutionalization beyond mutual defense explains its persistence after its founding threat vanished. #expands (0.85) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 107
• NATO reoriented itself after the Cold War and stayed valuable without a compelling threat #complicates (0.85) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 29
• Theoretical frameworks beyond realism are needed to explain NATO’s survival. #qualifies (0.82) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 149
• NATO officials reconceived the Soviet threat to justify continuing the alliance after its collapse #expands (0.78) — Robert B. McCalla, NATO’s persistence after the cold war, 86