An Atlantic or European Union?

Abstract

Because historians of both European integration and the Cold War have focused primarily on state actors and leading politicians as main protagonists, this chapter argues that the role of private organisations and informal networks in both fields remains understudied to a considerable extent. This applies in particular to those actors which were not directly involved in treaty negotiations or policy-making. This chapter places European integration in a Cold War perspective by focusing on the often neglected relationship between European integration and the Cold War Atlantic Community. In particular, it focusses on the controversial yet influential idea of an Atlantic Union, the proponents of which argued for a federally organised Atlantic Community as an alternative to European integration. Because it was mainly supported by private organisations, rather than state actors, it has been greatly understudied by historians. By highlighting the debate on Atlantic Union between the American Committee on United Europe and the European Movement, this chapter will also show that the important debate on the relationship of European integration with the Cold War Atlantic Community was not only conducted in formal settings, but also formed a bone of contention that was discussed by the so-called transatlantic society within their many private organisations and informal networks.