The Cold War Era
Explore the Cold War era (1947–1991) — the period of superpower rivalry between the US and USSR that divided the world and shaped international politics for four decades.
The Cold War era (1947–1991) was defined by the global rivalry between two superpowers — the United States and the Soviet Union — that organized international politics into competing blocs, brought the world repeatedly to the brink of nuclear war, and shaped the internal politics of virtually every nation on earth. The era encompassed proxy wars in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan; nuclear brinkmanship; decolonization; and the space race.
The period was characterized by paradox: the most destructive weapons ever created maintained an uneasy peace between the superpowers, while millions died in 'proxy' conflicts in the developing world. The ideological contest between capitalism and communism shaped domestic politics from Latin American military dictatorships to African liberation movements. The Iron Curtain divided Europe, while the Non-Aligned Movement sought a third way.
The Cold War's end, marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, ushered in a brief period of American unipolarity and optimism about the triumph of liberal democracy. Whether that optimism was justified or premature remains one of the central debates of contemporary politics.
Lessons covering this topic
Browse all lessons →The Cold War Begins
Superpowers, spheres of influence, and the iron curtain.
The Korean & Vietnam Wars
Hot wars in a cold world.
The Space Race & Nuclear Age
Sputnik, Apollo, and the shadow of the bomb.
Decolonization in Africa & Asia
Independence movements sweep the globe.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
1989 and the end of the Cold War.