The year marking the establishment of NATO, a military alliance formed against the Soviet Union, was 1949. NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was created to provide collective defense against aggression, particularly from the Eastern Bloc during the early stages of the Cold War. This alliance signified a major military and political alignment in post-war Europe, reinforcing Western unity. It also contributed to the militarization of the Cold War and played a crucial role in various conflicts, influencing global security strategies that persist into the modern era.