The Importance of the Warsaw Pact in the Cold War

The Warsaw Pact was like the Eastern Blocs version of NATO, essentially another collective defence treaty. It was formed in 1955, immediately after West Germany joined NATO. Most of the time it is designed to protect the European landmass, but indirectly. But there have been actions when NATO forces have acted together,. not in collective self-defence of an attack on NATO territory. In recent years, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were many questions about the European Union.