Portugal: An Appraisal of Its International Position from the Spanish Civil War to the Establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The signing of the North Atlantic Treaty (NAT) by Portugal in April 1949 marked a significant achievement and landmark in the policy of that country. By that act Portugal was formally admitted as a member in good standing of the Atlantic community of nations and gained the national security and international prestige entailed in an alliance that includes such countries as the United States and the United Kingdom.