Three Dutch NATO Jubilee stamps: 1959, 1974 & 198

Due to the ever-increasing military expansion of the Soviet Union and the threat posed by it, a military alliance with a defensive-deterrent character was established in Washington on April 4, 1949, by 10 European countries, Canada, and the United States, namely the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 1) NATO emblem with directional compass The three BeNeLux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands & Luxembourg) enclose the blue NATO compass emblem on the 1959 stamp issue (as a military alliance) with a blue circle containing the French abbreviation OTAN (Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord), the Dutch text Noord-Atlantischeverdrags-Organisatie, and the English abbreviation NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). The multicolored nature of the three BeNeLux countries relates to the internal diversity of each country. The blue on the shield and in the circle refers to the maritime area, the Atlantic Ocean, situated between the two continents. The connecting function of the Atlantic Ocean between the two continents of NATO territory occupies a clearly central place on this map, with the North Pole visible at the top. Establishment and expansion of the collective peacekeeping force The first negotiations to form a collective peacekeeping force took place as early as 1948 between five European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. In 1949, five more countries (Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway, and Portugal) were invited to join. In 1952, the alliance expanded with Greece and Turkey. In 1954, Germany also became a member of the alliance. In the future, each of the signatory countries can count on assistance from the other countries should an armed attack on its national security occur. 25th NATO anniversary stamp The NATO compass emblem with the years 1949–1974 on the silver shield serves to draw the attention of the Dutch population to NATO's 25th silver anniversary. Behind the shield flies a seagull (not a dove of peace), which figuratively represents the freedom and peace protected by the shield. The cold colors silver and blue are not particularly attractive, cheerful, or bright. Figuratively, both colors refer to the Cold War. The silver color symbolizes not only the NATO anniversary but also the metal of the rifle, bullet, cannon, and tank. Figuratively, the blue refers to our country's centuries-long seafaring tradition and to the importance of the maritime domain of the NATO fleet. The drawn sketch above provides a clearer picture of the NATO flag-waving. The richly colored stamp image, on the other hand, figuratively illustrates the contortions all countries must go through to rally behind a common alliance decision. Hungary, among others, is currently a multiple breakaway NATO member. 3) 40th anniversary of NATO's colorful flag display The complex and rather confusing banner of the sixteen flagged NATO countries, combined with the internationally unifying NATO emblem, depicts with the 1989 stamp issue not only the military alliance of fourteen European countries with the US and Canada, but also the complex cooperation between the countries, as is currently abundantly clear in a practical sense. In a number of countries, the same weaponry is not used. A lack of uniformity during the current crisis period is particularly problematic. 4) First day stamp impressions 1959, 1974 & 1989 Until recently, NATO had a loaded connotation in our country. The result? It has not been easy to find a graphic designer for NATO issues. They did not want to associate their name with this political and military-defensive apparatus. Graphic designer Marte Röling had no trouble with this in 1989. She designed a cheerfully colorful and upbeat issue, in contrast to the stamps of 1959 and 1974, which symbolize the Cold War period.