Cold War Era

Definition

The Cold War era refers to the period of political tension and rivalry between the United States (and its allies) and the Soviet Union (and its allies) from the end of World War II in 1945 until around 1991. It was called the "Cold" War because it never escalated into direct military conflict between these superpowers.

Related terms

Arms Race: A competition between nations to develop superior weapons and military technology, especially nuclear weapons, during the Cold War.

Proxy Wars: Indirect conflicts fought by superpowers through supporting opposing factions in other countries. Examples include the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Iron Curtain: A metaphorical term coined by Winston Churchill referring to the division between Western Europe (capitalist democracies) and Eastern Europe (communist states) during the Cold War.