Nonaggression pact is a treaty by which two or more nations agree to not attack each other and to instead settle mutual disputes by peaceful means. Between World War I and World War II, many nations signed nonaggression pacts to try to prevent war.
Nonaggression pacts have not always been effective. For example, Germany signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union in 1939. But Germany still attacked the Soviets in 1941. Most pacts provide no way to enforce the agreement if a nation violates it.
Another major problem with nonaggression pacts is deciding on an acceptable definition of aggression. The United Nations (UN) has debated this question but has not reached any agreement. Some nations believe aggression includes only direct military attacks. Others feel that a country commits indirect aggression when it aids the clear aggression of another country through propaganda or subversion or by taking over government posts.
Since the end of World War II, there have been fewer nonaggression pacts. Many nations feel that multinational security agreements are more effective for preventing a military attack. For example, the North Atlantic Treaty, an agreement among the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and many other countries, guarantees that all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members will fight to defend any NATO country when it is attacked.
