USSR is allowed to join NATO

I heard that some time in the early 50s, I think just after Stalin's death, the USSR applied to join NATO. I think that there objective was to show that it was a conventional military alliance (directed against the Russians) rather than a true collective security arrangment.

If I recall correctly NATO said no.

Is there anything other than ASBs or a World run by the (Groucho) Marxists under which such an application would be accepted?

Derek Jackson said:

I heard that some time in the early 50s, I think just after Stalin's death, the USSR applied to join NATO. I think that there objective was to show that it was a conventional military alliance (directed against the Russians) rather than a true collective security arrangment.

If I recall correctly NATO said no.

Is there anything other than ASBs or a World run by the (Groucho) Marxists under which such an application would be accepted?

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No, not possible. The USSR was 100% correct in saying that NATO was directed against them. A security alliance like that wouldn't accept its primary, potential antagonist into its ranks.

And please try not to double post.

Yeah, but what if there were secret alliances, one for each member of NATO, or a splinter NATO Party? [ATO-Arctic Treaty Organization...Canada and the USSR ]

Wasnt it actually written somewhere in the NATO treaties that it was against the USSR and that it was focussed mainly on Europe.... keep in mind Australia has never been a member so we dont learn much about that stuff here.

While we're at it let's have Israel launch the Forth Reich and India beg to have the Raj back.

Xenos said:

While we're at it let's have Israel launch the Forth Reich and India beg to have the Raj back.

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Don't forget the Liberal Republic of Arabia, Israeli Fourth Reich's primary ally !

Derek Jackson said:

I heard that some time in the early 50s, I think just after Stalin's death, the USSR applied to join NATO. I think that there objective was to show that it was a conventional military alliance (directed against the Russians) rather than a true collective security arrangment.

If I recall correctly NATO said no.

Is there anything other than ASBs or a World run by the (Groucho) Marxists under which such an application would be accepted?

Click to expand...

It's definitely ASB. The United States NEVER would have allowed it.

A slightly more likely possibility is Russia joining NATO in the early 90s, which would have made the current Russian resurgence seem very different...

Not unless Nazi Germany is still around or China has gone into Uber-Sinowank mode.

Derek Jackson said:

I heard that some time in the early 50s, I think just after Stalin's death, the USSR applied to join NATO. I think that there objective was to show that it was a conventional military alliance (directed against the Russians) rather than a true collective security arrangment.

If I recall correctly NATO said no.

Is there anything other than ASBs or a World run by the (Groucho) Marxists under which such an application would be accepted?

Click to expand...

It's possible you're confusing this with the Marshall Plan.

In that period or late 40s, there were proposals to extend Marshall Plan aid to Eastern Europe: even to the USSR itself. It was turned down, I'm not sure why... I think there were conditions to the aid which Stalin wouldn't accept.

where did you hear this? who said it? and most importantly, what were they smoking and where the frak can I get some!

If you got this from Wikipedia, well then... if not please try and post a link or two for us.

I could see Russia joining in the 90s

Yes, hard as it is to believe...

The Marshall Plan was for "all" of Europe, and yes the Soviets and Eastern Europe refused (I believe Poland and Finland may have tried to at least get limited aid but Moscow killed that). The Soviet line was that the Marshall Plan was "economic" imperialism.

Now, it is important to note, that while histories tend to focus only on the dollars and infrastructure aid given, there were "terms" partipating countries had to agree to (or meet).

Namely, they had to; have a free market system, their financial systems (banking, and government) had to be open and auditable, open currency, i.e. "Western" capitalism (nationalizing of key industries for public good was accepted).

So I would suspect no one in Washington was expecting the Soviets to accept the offer. I do remember from college reading, that there was some surprise that they didn't allow Eastern europe to at least accpet aid until the auditors showed up. Course no one realized at the time that the Soviets planned to keep Eastern Europe's economies weak.