Critical Thinking Questions   Home       If you'd like to print out this page, click the Print button above. Alternatively, you may click the printer icon on your browser's toolbar, or choose File>Print from the menu.     This video shows the French government's vote to admit West Germany to the Atlantic Alliance (NATO). Why do you think the Western allies were in favor of bringing West Germany into NATO at this time? The Soviets had proposed a reunification of Germany after the country had been split in post-World War II. Why did the Soviet's suggestion of re-unification make the Western German political leaders uneasy? What was the significance of West Germany's admission to NATO to the rest of the world? What was the significance of West Germany's admission to NATO to the Soviet Union's government? How did West Germany's admission to NATO affect the position of the United States and its allies in Europe during this time?