Exercise Freshwater, 1959

In May 1959, the Canadian NATO Delegation informed the Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs that the Norwegian Representative, Mr. Lange, had a meeting with the Polish Ambassador in Oslo [CDEX00505]. During the meeting, the Polish Ambassador expressed disappointment that the upcoming NATO Baltic Naval Exercises were scheduled on the eve of the Geneva Conference which was intended to mediate the Berlin Crisis. The Ambassador argued that the Baltic exercises, namely the upcoming Exercise Freshwater, would negatively affect Polish-Norwegian relations. Despite the Ambassador's concerns, Representative Lange reportedly dismissed the perceived threat, adding that the exercises had been planned independently of the 1959 Geneva Conference. During earlier exercise preparations, NATO tended to only concern itself with the possibility of upsetting the Kremlin. Yet, by 1959 it became increasingly clear that NATO would have to consider the concerns of other members of the Warsaw Pact. 

Acting on Norway’s observations, a memorandum from the Defence Liaison Division submitted to the European Division of External Affairs revealed that the military authorities were now considering the political implications of the situation. It demonstrated SACEUR's efforts to consult with various interested groups during the exercise planning stages and maintain close communication between Member States. The NATO Standing Group also took note of potential complicating factors, such as Soviet sensitivity to the exercise's location and Nikita Khrushchev’s coincidental visit to Scandinavia. Most importantly, NATO addressed these considerations in a coordinated joint press release that outlined the non-aggressive objectives of the exercise [CDEX00531, CDEX00529].