The Cold War was a period of political tension and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from the end of World War II in 1945 until the early 1990s. It was characterized by a struggle for global influence, with both superpowers promoting their ideologies: capitalism in the U.S. and communism in the Soviet Union. This rivalry led to various conflicts, including the Korean War and the Vietnam War, as well as a nuclear arms race. During the Cold War, both sides engaged in espionage and propaganda to gain an advantage. The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961, became a symbol of the division between East and West. The conflict eventually eased with