In the early days of the Cold War both sides tried to enlist others less directly involved in the main conflict.

However a group of leaders of the former colonial countries, and Josef Broz (Tito) of Yugoslavia decided to announce that they did not want to take part in this polarization of the world. The founders were: Tito; Nehru (India); Nkrumah (Ghana); Soekarno (Indonesia); Nasser (Egypt). The movement was founded at a conference at Bandung in Indonesia.

The cynical tended to believe that the purpose of the movement was to solicit aid from both sides. If so, this was a logical response to the somewhat insane division of the world during the Cold War.

Western leaders noted that many of the leaders appeared to be on better terms with the Soviet Union than with the United States and when Cuba joined, it tended to confirm it as an organization of "Fellow Travelers" rather than genuine neutrals, although some pro-western states such as Kenya were also members.

With the collapse of the Cold War this movement has tended to disappear. Argentina has formally resigned to join the western group, as it adopts free trade policies.