Timothy Sayle’s Enduring Alliance, which chronicles the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) history from inception until the collapse of the Soviet Union, is a timely and important book. Since that collapse, NATO has never been more important, as Russia returns to the stage as a revisionist power. European security—and American interests by extension—are in peril more every day, and the challenges facing NATO are also increasing. Most NATO members are not investing in their respective national militaries, polls show Europeans question NATO’s legitimacy, and some European leaders are seeking closer ties with Russia. Finally, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has called for a new European security policy that relies more on Europe and less on the United States. Enduring Alliance attempts to chronicle deliberate policies, events, and personalities that shape NATO throughout the Cold War. Sayle successfully proves that most of the challenges that NATO faces today have existed throughout the history of the alliance.
