Final answer:
NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1949 to safeguard US allies in Europe from a potential Soviet attack.
Step-by-step explanation:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1949. The founding members of NATO were the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. Over time, more countries joined NATO, including Greece, Turkey, and Germany. NATO was established to protect US allies in Europe by deterring a Soviet attack.