When World War II ended, many of the countries involved in the war were left with debilitated lands, economies, armies, and in some cases, even governments. Because of the instability in Western Europe, some of the countries attempted to create a military alliance in order to secure their countries from rebellions and/or outside invaders, mainly communists. Eventually, this quest for security led to a military pact between France, Britain, and Benelux. Many countries in Western Europe and the United States were interested in entering this alliance. The agreement became known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 4, 1949.

When NATO was created, its signatories included Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Canada, and the United States. Upon signing the treaty, each country pledged to support and aid the others in the case of any military aggression. The treaty was one of codependence...