The Cold War
The Cold War (1947–1991) was a geopolitical rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union — not direct combat, but an intense ideological, economic, and arms race.
Origins
After WWII, two superpowers emerged: the US (capitalist democracy) and USSR (communist). Disagreements over postwar Europe led to the Iron Curtain — the division of Europe into democratic West and communist East. Churchill coined "Iron Curtain" in 1946.
Containment Policy
US strategy: prevent communism from spreading. Key policies:
• Truman Doctrine (1947) — aid to countries threatened by communism
• Marshall Plan (1948) — economic aid to rebuild Western Europe
• NATO (1949) — military alliance of Western democracies
Key Events
1950–53: Korean War — first "hot" proxy war; ended in stalemate.
1957: USSR launches Sputnik — space race begins.
1961: Bay of Pigs invasion fails; Berlin Wall built.
1962: Cuban Missile Crisis — closest to nuclear war.
1969: US lands on Moon (Apollo 11).
1975: Vietnam War ends; communist North unified Vietnam.
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
USSR placed nuclear missiles in Cuba (90 miles from Florida). 13-day standoff between Kennedy and Khrushchev. Resolved: USSR removed missiles; US pledged not to invade Cuba and secretly removed missiles from Turkey.
End of the Cold War
Soviet economy stagnated. Gorbachev's reforms (glasnost, perestroika) loosened control. 1989: Berlin Wall fell. 1991: USSR dissolved into 15 independent states. Cold War ended without nuclear war.
FAQ
Why didn't the Cold War become "hot"? Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) — both sides had enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other, so direct war was suicidal.
Quick Quiz
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