COLD WAR
1945 - 1991

Primarily, the Cold War was fought between the United States and the Soviet Union. In most instances, it was not an armed conflict but rather a battle of ideologies.

The term Cold War was first used in 1947 by Bernard Baruch, adviser of the US president.

WHO WON?
No one won because the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991. Or does that make the US the winner?

WHY WAS THE COLD WAR FOUGHT?
The main reason for the Cold War were the two opposite political systems and ideologies - democracy and capitalism vs. socialism and communism, promoted by two world powers campaigning for supremacy.

HOW DID THEY FIGHT?
On all levels - politics, economy, culture, everywhere. Wars and governments were supported, boycotted, or otherwise manipulated according to their allegiance either to the East or to the West.

Two huge showdowns were the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

How did it start?
As the result of World War II, Germany was divided into East and West Germany. So was its capital Berlin. Capitalism and Communism now had a hot border, which was soon enhanced by the Berlin Wall.

Military alliances were formed, the NATO for the West and the Warsaw Pact for the East.
 

NATO AND WARSAW PACT MEMBERS - 1970
Click to enlarge

Both teams had the bomb and that's what made the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 a real crisis.