international military alliance of Eastern European states (1955–1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Warsaw Pact, officially the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was an organization of Central and Eastern European socialistic and people’s democracy states. The states were all allies and would fight together if one of them was attacked. While in theory all the countries in the organisation were equals, the smaller countries were controlled by the Soviet Union.[1] The countries in the Warsaw Pact were East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania however Albania withdrew in 1968 following the 1968 Warsaw Pact Invasion Of Czechoslovakia and so did Romania.
Abbreviation | WTO, WAPA, DDSV |
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Motto | Union of peace and socialism |
Founded | 14 May 1955 |
Founded at | Warsaw, Poland |
Dissolved | 1 July 1991 |
Type | Military alliance |
Headquarters | Moscow, Soviet Union |
Membership | |
Supreme Commander |
|
Chief of Combined Staff |
|
Affiliations | Council for Mutual Economic Assistance |
It was established in 1955 in Warsaw, Poland in response to West Germany joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The treaty was signed in Warsaw, on 14 May 1955 and official copies were made in the languages of Russian, Polish, Czech, and German. The Pact lasted until the end of the Cold War when some members quit in 1991, following the collapse of the Eastern bloc and political changes in the Soviet Union.[2]
All of these countries, except the Soviet Union, have now joined NATO.
Most member states were considered puppet states of the Soviet Union. Additionally, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam and (until 1961) China were observer states.
Country | Status |
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Albania (until 1968) | Puppet state (until 1961) Independent (1961-1968) |
Bulgaria | Puppet state |
Czechoslovakia | Puppet state |
East Germany | Puppet state |
Hungary | Puppet state |
Poland | Puppet state |
Romania | Puppet state (before the 1960s) Independent (after the 1960s) |
Soviet Union | Main contributor |