Which alliance was formed by the U.S. and Western nations in the early Cold War?

• A. NATO
• B. ANZUS
• C. SEATO
• D. CENTO

Answer: (A)

In the early Cold War, Western powers sought a formal defense pact to deter Soviet power in Europe, creating a transatlantic security alliance with a strong commitment to mutual defense. NATO—the North Atlantic Treaty Organization—embodied this idea when it was formed in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and Western European nations. Its core provision, Article 5, binds member states to come to each other’s defense if one is attacked, signaling a united front against aggression and a lasting move toward Western bloc unity.

Other regional pacts emerged later: ANZUS linked the United States with Australia and New Zealand focusing on the Pacific; SEATO aimed at containing communism in Southeast Asia; CENTO tied together Middle Eastern and Central Asian allies. While these reflected Cold War containment efforts, NATO is the alliance most directly described as the United States and Western nations banding together for collective defense in Europe during that period.