HistoryShelf

The Cold War was a protracted ideological and geopolitical conflict that spanned nearly five decades, from the end of World War II in 1945 to the early 1990s. It primarily pitted the United States and its Western allies against the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, characterized by the constant tension, rivalry, and proxy conflicts rather than direct military engagement. This struggle for global influence revolved around competing political systems, capitalism versus communism, and resulted in an arms race, espionage, and various proxy wars, with significant consequences for international relations, economics, and the global balance of power during the 20th century.