What is Cold War?

The Cold War was a geopolitical and ideological struggle that emerged after World War II between the United States and its allies, representing the Western bloc, and the Soviet Union and its allies, representing the Eastern bloc. It lasted from the late 1940s until the early 1990s, characterized by tension, rivalry, and the fear of nuclear conflict between the two superpowers.

The term “cold” in Cold War refers to the fact that the conflict did not escalate into direct military confrontations between the United States and the Soviet Union. Instead, both sides engaged in an intense and prolonged ideological, political, economic, and technological competition. The world was effectively divided into two spheres of influence, with the United States advocating for democracy, capitalism, and individual freedoms, and the Soviet Union promoting communism, state-controlled economies, and collective societies.

Key events during the Cold War include the division of Germany into East and West Germany, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Space Race. The arms race, involving the development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, heightened global tensions and raised the specter of a nuclear war that could potentially devastate the planet.

The Cold War came to an end in the early 1990s with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the subsequent collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe. This marked a significant turning point in world history, as it led to a shift in the global balance of power and the emergence of a unipolar world with the United States as the sole superpower. Despite its conclusion, the legacy of the Cold War continues to shape international relations and geopolitics to this day.