A number of nations had laid claim to parts of Antarctica since the 1800’s. The first countries interested in the continent had been Great Britain, Australia, Chile and Norway. These were later joined by the might of the US and the USSR. The competing claims led to many diplomatic disputes and even some armed clashes. In 1948, Argentine military forces fired on British troops over an area claimed by both nations.

At one time the US proposed that the United Nations act as a trustee of the continent over fears that the USSR was becoming more interested in the frozen land. The idea was rejected when none of the other countries with interests in the continent were willing to cede their claims of sovereignty to an international organization.

During the 1950’s some officials in the US wanted a more active role by the US in Antarctica believing it had great military potential. One possible use these officials wanted it for was the use of nuclear testing. President Dwight D. Eisenhower took a different approach and US diplomats working with their Soviet counterparts set out to develop a treaty with its being a military free zone and postponing any future debate on territorial claims.

The treaty opened up the continent to scientific ventures, also scientists would not be prohibited from traveling through any of the areas claimed by other nations. Twelve nations signed the document, each of the countries that had a claim to any territories within the land mass. The treaty went into effect in June 1961, and set the standard for the basic policies that continue to govern Antarctica today.