abbreviation for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance established (1949) by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United States, and later joined by Greece and Turkey (1952) and WestGermany (1955). Its aim is to safeguard the Atlantic community, particularly against the Soviet bloc. —SHSBC Binder 7 Approved Glossary