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68 years of NATO: 10 things you might not know about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Military Times: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, was formed 68 years ago today when the North Atlantic Treaty — also known as the Washington Treaty — was signed in Washington by 12 founding members, according to NATO.

On April 4, 1949, the United States was joined by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom in signing the agreement. Since then, NATO members have remained committed to the collective defense principle — Article 5 of the treaty — that regards an attack on one member country as an attack on all member countries.

In recognition of the treaty’s anniversary, here are 10 things you might not know about NATO:

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