The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension and conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, and their respective allies, from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. It was characterized by political, economic, and military rivalries, as well as ideological differences, between the two superpowers. Although no direct military confrontation occurred between the United States and the Soviet Union, the Cold War was marked by proxy wars, arms race, espionage, and the fear of nuclear warfare.
