When did the Cold War start?

“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 collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The start of the Cold War is generally traced back to the end of World War II when the Soviet Union and the Western powers, led by the United States, emerged as the two dominant superpowers.

The immediate trigger for the Cold War was the disagreement between the Soviet Union and the Western powers over the post-war order in Europe, particularly the future of Germany. The Soviet Union sought to establish a buffer zone of friendly states in Eastern Europe to protect its borders and prevent any future invasions, while the Western powers aimed to rebuild Europe and promote democracy and capitalism.

The Cold War was characterized by a competition between the two superpowers in many areas, including military, economic, and ideological. The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race and fought proxy wars in various regions around the world. The Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, marking the end of an era in world history.”