NATO

• The formation of NATO

  NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

  It was formed in April 1949

  It consisted of the USA, Britain, France and 9 other Western countries

  It was a defensive alliance, however Stalin viewed it as aggressive

  Its main purpose was to prevent soviet expansion

  9 May 1955: West Germany became a member and was remilitarised
• Consequences

  Intensified arms race between the 2 sides and a development of ever more powerful WMDs

  Within 6 years the soviet union had set up the Warsaw pact, which was a military association formed in 1955 consisting of the Soviet Union and satellite states

  The USA was now committed to the defence of Western europe

  Stalin did not believe it was a defensive alliance, and instead that it was aimed at the soviet union

  Eventually the USA set up its own missile bases in Western Europe, including the UK