The Atlantic orientation of Central Europe is analyzed through three country case studies: Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that this ideology, adopted just after the end of the Cold War, was neither logical nor clear-cut, but instead arose from a political construction, the mechanics of which varied from country to country. Atlanticism was the result of the interplay between national political forces, the formation of cultural ties, and geopolitical considerations. And although the specifics of its emergence may have varied, the reasons motivating it were similar: needs related to security and identity. Finally, the examples cited here show to what extent painful pasts have shaped foreign policy.