What was NATO importance to the cold war?

The formation of NATO in 1949 increased tension between the USA and the USSR. It was mainly a defensive measure to protect the USA and their Western Allies from any military attack from the USSR. It stated that military force would be used to defend the Western Allies. The USSR felt threatened by this, especially as five more devisions of US troops were stationed in West Germany. This led to the formation of the Warsaw Pact in 1955 and increased tensions between the West and East.