Cold War

The first phase of the Cold War began immediately after the end of the Second World War in 1945. It is often referred to in popular culture, especially with themes of espionage and the threat of nuclear warfare. It has been described as ‘the most dangerous period in the history of the world’ and ‘the worst since World War II’ by the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

About Cold War in brief

Summary Cold WarThe Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. The conflict was based around the ideological and geopolitical struggle for global influence by the two powers. The first phase of the Cold War began immediately after the end of the Second World War in 1945. It is often referred to in popular culture, especially with themes of espionage and the threat of nuclear warfare. The Cold War and its events have left a significant legacy in the world of politics and culture. The U.S. and its Western allies have each been referred to as the ‘cold war’ since 1945. The term is used because there was no large-scale fighting directly between the two superpowers, but they each supported major regional conflicts known as proxy wars. The United States and the Western Bloc were the world’s only superpower at the time of its demise in 1991. The Soviet Union’s successor states, the Russian Federation and the U. States in the 21st century, have been called the ‘post-Cold War era’ and the ’21st century cold war’ respectively. It has been described as ‘the most dangerous period in the history of the world’ and ‘the worst since World War II’ by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) The Cold war has been called ‘the longest war in history’ by some historians, and the most dangerous since the First World War. It began after the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 and ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1968. The doctrine of mutually assured destruction discouraged a pre-emptive attack by either side.

It also discouraged the use of nuclear weapons by both sides. The US and the USSR competed for influence in Latin America, the Middle East and the decolonizing states of Africa and Asia. In the 1960s–70s, an international peace movement took root among citizens around the world. Movements against nuclear arms testing and for nuclear disarmament took place, with large anti-war protests. This in turn led to the formal dissolution of the USSR in December 1991 and the declaration of independence of its constituent republics and the collapse of communist governments across much much of Asia and Africa. The Communist Party of theSoviet Union itself lost control in the Soviet Republic and was banned following an abortive coup attempt in August 1991. It was the only superpower left after much of Africa, Asia and much of Europe was left as a communist state. The West was led by the United. States as well as the other First World nations of the Western. Bloc that were generally liberal democratic but tied to a network of authoritarian states, most of which were their former colonies. The East was led. by the Soviet. Union and its Communist Party, which had an influence across the Second. World. War. The early 1980s were another period of elevated tension, at a time when it was already suffering from economic stagnation. The US increased diplomatic, military, and economic pressures on the. Soviet Union, at an already-struggling economy.