what were NATO and the warsaw pact what was the first major armed conflict of the cold war

So the European allies came together and asked the U.S. Townsend, who spent 30 years at the Pentagon, says during the earliest days of the Cold War, it was obvious that Russia was going to be very aggressive. 'The Allies in the West began to see that the Soviets were trying to take their advantage after World War II,' seeking to turn countries in Central and Eastern Europe into 'satellite nations' of the Soviet Union, Jim Townsend, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO during the Obama administration, tells NPR. It's a military and political alliance that was founded in 1949 in response to the actions of the Soviet Union.

NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Here's a quick overview of the alliance, the role that the United States plays within it, and what it's doing to help Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.

Leaders of NATO member nations pose for a photo at NATO headquarters in Brussels on March 24.Īs Russia continues its attack on Ukraine, the role of NATO is at the forefront.

What were NATO and the warsaw pact what was the first major armed conflict of the cold war