The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Vietnam

Map of NATO Allies

By Madelyne Maychak 

During the American war in Vietnam, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was conducting military exercises in the Atlantic Ocean. NATO originally formed in 1949 during the aftermath of World War II. It served as a bulwark against communist expansion in Europe as the Cold War began. During the final years of the Vietnam War, NATO began conducting naval exercises that it labeled, the Northern Wedding (1970-1986).It, designed these exercises to test the alliance’s capacity to keep NATO’s European members well supplied for a potential conflict with members of the Warsaw Pact (1955-1991). The Warsaw Pact served Eastern European countries in the orbit of the Soviet Union as a measure of alliance against NATO. Its members belonged to the Soviet sphere of influence. 

In his 2022 interview, veteran U.S. Naval helicopter pilot Jim Palmquist recalled witnessing the Northern Wedding exercises around 1971-1972 in the Atlantic Ocean while aboard an aircraft carrier. As recalled by Palmquist, “We would put on “shows” for the NATO generals so you had the Italians and Germans and French and all the various NATO members…” Palmquist saw various members of NATO practice military tactics and interact  with one another. While on an U.S. aircraft carrier, Palmquist witnessed  “... a German frigate firing missiles,” and remembered that “we'd have a Canadian minesweeper simulating mine sweeping and an American submarine sailed by our ship.” Palmquist recalled how the British Royal Navy played a prominent role in the exercises, “And the other thing is we had a couple of Royal Navy fighters land on our ship. And when I was in the Navy, the main fighter the Navy flew was the F-4 Phantom, and the British also had F-4 phantoms.” This demonstrated the potential of both aircraft carriers and the agile F-4 Phantoms Jets. Although Americans fighting in the Vietnam War relied on helicopters, jets–much faster aircraft–provided  air support and protection to choppers. These military exercises exhibited the latest aerial and naval technologies and tactics.  Overall, NATO had no reason to interfere in Southeast Asian affairs since no attack transpired against any of its member nations. Still, the United States remained active in its NATO membership. 

In Vietnam, the U.S. received aid from the Free World Military Forces (FWMF) created by the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). SEATO constituted an alliance of the U.S. with several other countries including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and the Philippines.  US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles founded the organization in 1954 to protect against the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. It  dissolved in 1977, enduring for roughly the length of the Vietnam War. The FWMF contribution peaked at 68,000 troops in 1965. 

The Northern Wedding exercises showcased the Western alliance’s  military  preparedness. Although NATO did not participate directly in the Vietnam War, these exercises demonstrated the alliance’s ongoing broader efforts  to guard against  communism.