Cold War Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Cold War?
The Cold War was a period of intense rivalry and competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasting from 1945 to 1991. During this time, both superpowers were vying for global dominance in many areas such as politics, military strength, and technology. The rising tensions between the two countries eventually led to a number of proxy wars around the world, including Korea and Vietnam. Ultimately, it was a period of great fear but also of great progress in arms control and diplomacy.The Cold War began with the end of World War II in 1945 when Allied powers met in Yalta to divide Europe into spheres of influence between east and west. This ultimately resulted in both sides forming respective alliances: The United States formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) while the Soviet Union created COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance). This effectively created two camps with opposing ideologies: Capitalism vs Communism. As each side sought to gain more allies around the world, they also developed ever-increasing stockpiles of nuclear weapons which threatened global annihilation if ever used.The Cold War is often remembered for its numerous proxy warsconflicts that escalated tensions between East and West without direct involvement from either partyand its intense competition over technological advancements such as space exploration or military hardware development. It was also a time during which important steps were taken towards arms control agreements like SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) which sought to reduce nuclear arsenals on both sides or initiatives like detente which aimed at easing international tensions through diplomatic channels rather than military action. The Cold War officially ended in 1991 when leaders from both sides signed a series of documents known as START I (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). This marked a beginning of an era where cooperation replaced confrontation between East and West as evidenced by joint efforts such as rebuilding former Soviet republics or tackling issues like climate change together today. Though it lasted only 46 years, the Cold War continues to have an immense impact on modern geopolitics, culture, science and technology today; while we may never know what could have been had tensions not risen so high during this era, one thing is certain: no other conflict has shaped our world quite like it did over those decades-long years.