An example of this is that during the Cold War, a large number of treaties such as the SALT I Treaty and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization were created. The Cold War was primarily a defense of democracy and an obstacle to the spread of communism. This is a great example of how alliances can be formed. Countries arguing the same point will generally feel pressure to ally and become stronger. This is a way to ensure safety and help build strength. Many of the alliances currently forming today are based on what happened during the greatest arms race in history. Western nations such as the United States, Great Britain, and France formed alliances. The arms race has begun to influence some countries' policies and how they manage foreign relations. The United States was a rival of communist countries, exacerbated by the arms race. NATO has been one of the largest building blocks of today's international relations. Since the organization began in 1949, more and more countries have joined Western nations. The purpose of this organization was to create a military alliance against any attack coming from an external and usually communist country. Most of these alliances are still formed today after more than 60 years. Despite the arms race, countries will do their best to maintain and maintain alliances due to the threat of military attacks. This strongly affects international relations because it can change who you trade with and who you are allied with. In addition to this, it strongly changes countries' spending policies