The Antarctica Treaty, signed by twelve nations including the USA and the Soviet Union, prohibits military activities and weapons testing in that region. It stands as the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War era.
Since the 1800s, several countries such as Great Britain, Australia, Chile, and Norway have asserted their claims over parts of Antarctica. These overlapping claims provoked diplomatic tensions and even armed confrontations.
In 1948, British troops were fired upon by Argentine military forces in a region claimed by both nations. Incidents like these, coupled with indications that the Soviet Union was becoming increasingly interested in Antarctica, motivated the United States to propose that the continent be managed as a United Nations trust. This proposal was dismissed as other nations with claims to the continent refused to relinquish their sovereignty to an international body.
During the 1950s, some U.S. officials began advocating for a more proactive American involvement in Antarctica, convinced that the continent could serve military purposes, particularly for nuclear tests.
In contrast, President Dwight Eisenhower opted for a different strategy. U.S. diplomats collaborated with Soviet representatives to negotiate a treaty that designated Antarctica as a military-free zone and deferred discussions on territorial claims to a future time. The treaty prohibited any military presence in the region and banned all types of weapons testing, including nuclear weapon trials. Scientific activities were permitted, allowing scientists to traverse any regions claimed by various nations. A dozen nations endorsed the agreement.
Since the treaty did not directly address the matter of territorial sovereignty in Antarctica, all nations with territorial claims on the continent were able to sign. Consequently, the treaty represented a small yet significant initial step towards arms control and political collaboration between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The treaty was enacted in June 1961, establishing the fundamental policies that still regulate Antarctica today.
