Nato was created in 1949 by 12 countries to

provide collective security against the Soviet Union

NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization also called The North Atlantic Alliance. It was created to ensures US military protection for the Europeans in case of aggression, but above all it gives the USA supremacy over the western bloc.

NATO was founded in 1949 in Washington but became less prominent after the end of the cold war.

what the first or next guy says

2018 means 2018 ce or common era

there have been other eras too including bce, which included way more years.