NATO and Warsaw Pact

	NATO (April 1949) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation	WARSAW PACT  (May 1955)
CAUSE	Even before the events in Berlin, USA thought military alliance was needed to protect the West.  The events in Berlin confirmed this desire and ensured that a military alliance was needed.	Stalin saw NATO as an aggressive alliance aimed at the USSR. The creation of Warsaw Pact was the response to the creation of NATO.
WHAT IT WAS	It was a military alliance that was made to maintain peace.  It was dominated by America  The original membership was USA, 12 countries in              W. Europe and Canada.  All members agreed to go to war if any member was under attack.	It was a military alliance of 8 nations headed by USSR to counter the threat of NATO.  It agreed to go to war and protect each other if any member was involved.
CONSEQUENCE	NATO was greeted with great support.  There was a permanent presence of American forces in Europe. Soviet Union felt threatened by this and felt it was made  directly against USSR which led to the creation of Warsaw Pact.	It confirmed the divide in the world, because the world had to choose between capitalism and NATO or communism and Warsaw Pact.  NATO and Warsaw pact were against each other for the next 3 decades.