Dilemmas of Over-Maturity: The Historiography of Cold-War NATO

Abstract This article discusses trends in the academic literature on Cold War-era NATO. Initially, in the 1980s, the focus was on the evolution of the alliance and the policies of the United States, Great Britain, and France. From the early 1990s until the late 2000s, a new “wave” of scholarship compared the two Cold War alliances (NATO and the Warsaw Pact), studied military plans, and discussed NATO's roles in the international system. The mutiny staged by French President Charles de Gaulle became a pivotal topic of these scholars. Then, a third historiographical “wave” raised additional issues such as the policies of the smaller members; political consultation; NATO's propaganda; and the alliance's role as a pivot for scientific cooperation. Thus, over time, scholars managed to produce a comprehensive picture. However, it is important to retain a sense of measure and balance in future research. The study of NATO's more “traditional” subjects should not be neglected, and some topics that have undergone little or no scrutiny should be studied in much greater depth.