Cold War
The Cold War was a conflict between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the mid 1900s. Despite its name, no actual violence took place during this time.
The period of tension between the two countries spawned out of a mutual distrust post World War II. The United States remained concerned that the USSR was attempting to take over the world with postwar expansionism. On the flip side, the Soviet Union developed a distaste for Western ideals. With such high tension existing between the geopolitical superpowers, both an arms race, and a space race, emerged during this time.
In the late 1940s, as a direct result of high tensions, an event known as the Red Scare occurred. With the American public's belief that communist spies existed among them, chaos erupted. Similarly, a few years later, a pseudo-vetting process emerged during the Second Red Scare under the more common name: McCarthyism.
However, despite the longevity of the war, President Richard Nixon did much to ease tensions, a result of which formally brought the war to a close in 1991.
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