The Basic Treaty between East and West Germany helped pave the way for admission to which international organization the following year?

• A. NATO
• B. European Union
• C. United Nations
• D. Warsaw Pact

Answer: (C)

Normalizing relations between rival states can change how they’re viewed on the world stage. The Basic Treaty, signed in 1972, recognized East and West Germany as separate, sovereign states and committed both to peaceful relations. This bilateral step built trust and legitimacy that the international community could acknowledge, making it feasible for Germany to participate fully in global diplomacy. In 1973, both German states were admitted to the United Nations, marking their acceptance as legitimate members of the international community. The other options involve different alliances or unions that weren’t the outcome of this treaty—NATO was already associated with West Germany, the European Community membership followed later under different processes, and the Warsaw Pact was the opposing bloc’s alliance.