One real-life consequence of the political tug-of-war during the Cold War was the division of countries into two competing blocs - the Western bloc, led by the United States, and the Eastern bloc, led by the Soviet Union. Many countries around the world were forced to align themselves with one bloc or the other, leading to political instability, proxy wars, and the suppression of dissenting voices. This division also contributed to the rise of authoritarian regimes in many countries as superpowers supported governments that were aligned with their own ideologies, leading to human rights abuses and the suppression of democracy.
