The threat of international communism led Canada to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), upon its formation in 1949, for the purpose of defending Western Europe. The RCAF's roles included tactical air support and air transport.
In addition, Canada and the United States created the North American Air Defense
Command (NORAD), in 1958, to guard against Soviet attack. A key element in this continent's
defense was NORAD's Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in northern Canada.
During this period, Canada first took part in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations and has since become the world's foremost peacekeeper.
