Some of the key events of the Cold War include:
- The division of Europe into two blocs, with Eastern Europe under Soviet control and Western Europe aligned with the United States
- The Korean War (1950-1953)
- The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
- The Vietnam War (1954-1975)
- The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) (1972)
- The collapse of the Soviet Union (1991)
The Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but its legacy continues to shape world politics today. The rise of China as a global power and the renewed tensions between Russia and the United States are just two examples of how the Cold War continues to cast a long shadow over world affairs.