History of NATO Atlantic Treaty, which was signed by US President Harry S. Truman in Washington on 4 April 1949. It included the five Treaty of Brussels states plus the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. The first NATO Secretary General, Lord Ismay, stated in 1949 that the organization's goal was "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down". Popular support for the Treaty was not unanimous, and some Icelanders participated in a pro-neutrality, anti-membership riot in March 1949. The creation of NATO can be seen as the primary institutional consequence of a school of thought
Squadron vice-admiral three-star rank with a NATO code of OF-8, equivalent to corps general or lieutenant general in seniority. Officially, it is not a rank, but a style and position ("rang et appelation" in French) bestowed upon some vice-admiral (which is the highest actual substantive rank and is a three-star rank with NATO code OF-7 equivalent to rear admiral (upper half) or major general). In other countries, this corresponds to Ammiraglio di squadra (equivalent to OF-8) such as the Italian Navy. Squadron vice-admiral Squadron vice-admiral () is a naval rank found in navies of the world which follow the French tradition of