Editing Belgian Armed Forces (section)

===Post-1945===
The harsh lessons of [[World War II]] made [[collective security]] a priority for Belgian foreign policy. In March 1948 Belgium signed the [[Treaty of Brussels]], and then joined [[NATO]] in 1948. However the integration of the armed forces into NATO did not begin until after the [[Korean War]], to which Belgium (in co-operation with [[Luxembourg]]) sent a detachment known as the [[Belgian Volunteer Corps for Korea]]. Later Belgium contributed [[Belgian Forces in Germany|a corps]] to NATO's [[Northern Army Group]]. Defence expenditure grew along with the force size. In 1948 the army was 75,000 strong which grew to 150,000 by 1952.<ref>Isby and Kamps 1985, p.59</ref> A major defence review in 1952 set a target of three active and two reserve divisions, a 400-aircraft air force and a fifteen-ship navy. Forty anti-aircraft defence battalions were created, linked with radar and a centralised command-and-control system.

As a safeguard against Belgium being invaded again, two major bases, [[Kitona]] and [[Kamina]], were established in the [[Belgian Congo]]. They were almost viewed as a 'national redoubt,' permitting the survival and rebuilding of forces if Belgium were again invaded.<ref>David Isby and Charles Kamps Jr, 'Armies of NATO's Central Front,' Jane's Publishing Company, 1985, p.59. See also J. Temmerman, 'Le Congo: Reduit National Belge,' in ''Recueil d'etudes <<Congo 1955-1960>>,'' Academie royale des Sciences d'Outre-Mer (Bruxelles) pp.413–422 (1992)</ref>

Following a change in government in 1954 conscript service was reduced to 18 months. The Belgian Army gained nuclear capability in the 1950s with [[MGR-1 Honest John|Honest John missiles]] initially and then with nuclear-capable tube artillery. It also adopted the U.S. [[Pentomic]] organization, but then switched to a triangular division structure by the early 1960s. Just after independence in the Congo, a Metropolitan Command (Cometro) was active to control the Belgian forces there.<ref>For Cometro and the metropolitain forces in the Congo at independence, see Louis-François Vanderstraeten, De la Force publique à l'Armee nationale congolaise : histoire d'une mutinerie : juillet 1960, Bruxelles : Académie Royale de Belgique; Paris-Gembloux : Duculot, ©1985. {{ISBN|2-8031-0050-9}}, 88–96.</ref>

From October 1993 to March 1996, Belgium participated in UNAMIR, a UN Peacekeeping mission meant to end the [[Rwandan genocide]]. While protecting the Rwandan prime minister, 10 soldiers from the 2nd Commando Battalion were tortured and executed by the Rwandan Presidential Guard. Rwandan Major Bernard Ntuyahaga was later convicted for the murders in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|title=UNAMIR|url=https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/past/unamirS.htm|access-date=2020-12-26|website=peacekeeping.un.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=09|url=http://www.cdomuseum.be/ANGLAIS/09_uk.htm|access-date=2020-12-26|website=www.cdomuseum.be}}</ref>