Hungary a Member of NATO: The Road to Membership of NATO 1990-1999
Abstract
For centuries, Hungary has been at the center of European history, politics and culture. The Cold War, however, artificially divided Europe, and cut Hungary off from the Western half of the continent. We have come a long way in a rather short of period of time with historical standards. The first democratic government formed after the 1990 elections set the goal for the country to reintegrate into the community of free and democratic states that have provided well-being for their citizens. We have been at home in Europe for more than thousand years. Not only in terms of geography, but also because of our culture, our traditions and the basic values that we stand for. However, our endeavors for integration could be realized because of the circumstances that had emerged after World War II. The chance finally came in 1990 with the peaceful revolution that swept over Central and Eastern Europe, in which Hungary played an active part. The Political change and NATO-membership are two very significant events of current history of Hungary. 1990 and 1999. This nine-year period was short ,however our tasks were problematic. We had created a NEW HUNGARY! The way was difficult and sometimes painful. This paper examines how the Hungary and Hungarian Armed Forces have changed from the Cold War Warsaw Pact focus to the democratic focus of NATO. The paper will focus on the integration of Hungary into North Atlantic Treaty from both a political and military perspective. Particular attention will be given to the roles Hungary has played in the lot of international exercises, PfP program and peacekeeping missions. Finally, the conclusion will be provided by former Hungarian Prime Minister's (Viktor Orban) words.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 07, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA416337
Entities
People
- Tibor Bozo
Organizations
- United States Army War College