Cold War Overview

Post-WWII, global tensions shifted as the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as superpowers. Their ideological divide over communism and capitalism became a primary catalyst for the Cold War.

The Cold War escalated with the nuclear arms race. The 1949 Soviet atomic bomb test ended America's monopoly, leading to mutual assured destruction (MAD) doctrine, which paradoxically maintained peace through the fear of total annihilation.

The Space Race was a Cold War frontier. Sputnik's 1957 launch surprised the world, marking the Soviet Union's lead. The U.S. responded by landing Apollo 11 on the moon in 1969, showcasing technological prowess.

Beyond publicized confrontations, the Cold War was fought through espionage. The CIA and the KGB engaged in covert operations, influencing foreign governments and supporting proxy wars without direct conflict between the superpowers.

Cold War diplomacy included cultural exchanges. Soviet ballet tours, American jazz performances in the USSR, and exhibitions like the American National Exhibition in Moscow, 1959, were soft power tactics to sway public opinion.

The U.S. employed economic strategies against the Soviets, including embargoes and aiding allies through the Marshall Plan. These actions were designed to halt the spread of communism by strengthening capitalist economies.

Surprisingly, the Cold War impacted cuisine. 'Space food' like freeze-dried meals and Tang were developed. In the USSR, the desire to compete with American fast-food led to the opening of the 'Automat' in Moscow.

A direct hotline was established between the U.S. and Soviet leaders in 1963, following the Cuban Missile Crisis, to prevent nuclear war by miscommunication.