European Defence Community

The European Defence Community (EDC) was a proposed military alliance in the early 1950s aimed at unifying Western Europe's armed forces to ensure security against potential threats, especially from the Soviet Union. It sought to create a single European defense force under a common command, promoting cooperation and reducing the risk of future conflicts. Although the plan was signed by several countries, it ultimately failed to be ratified by the French Parliament in 1954, primarily due to political and national sovereignty concerns. The EDC’s failure led to increased reliance on NATO for collective defense in Western Europe.