Chapter 9 of 10All chapters
Chapter 9 of 10
The Cold War and decolonisation
1945 to 1991.
Two blocs
The United States and the Soviet Union avoided direct war while competing through alliances, proxy conflicts, espionage and nuclear deterrence.
- Dozens of countries gained independence between 1945 and 1975.
- Many proxy conflicts were far from cold for those living in them.
The end
Economic stagnation, reform attempts and popular movements led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.