The Cold War: A Post-cold War History -

Capitalism and Democracy vs. Communism and Authoritarianism.

Economic aid rebuilt Western Europe to prevent Soviet influence. The Cold War: A Post-Cold War History

Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) weakened central control. Capitalism and Democracy vs

The alliance grew to include former Soviet satellites, a major point of modern tension. The Cold War: A Post-Cold War History

The Cold War (1947–1991) pitted the Western Bloc (led by the USA) against the Eastern Bloc (led by the USSR). It was "cold" because no large-scale direct fighting occurred between the two superpowers, though many "proxy wars" were fought globally.

The end of the war did not bring "the end of history," but rather a new set of challenges.