The Cold War

The battle of cultures that occurred between the east and the west over the course of almost a hundred years was one of the most significant times in history. The clash and competition between the capitalist philosophy of the west and the communist philosophy of the east played a key role in shaping the worlds that we live in today. Proxy wars defined the modern borders of nations such as the Koreas and Vietnam and I think that, in a way, the cold war is still ongoing. Yes most people consider it to have ended in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union, but the feelings of mistrust and competitiveness still live on today. Russia may be a different animal from the Soviet Union but we as Americans and westerners still have the residual view of them as the "enemy". Bitterness and resentment aside, you can't overstate the numerous novels, movies, and cultural components that were spurred by the Cold War. I think everyone is happy that the cold war never heated up. While I didn't live through it, I have read about the time that it nearly did during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and I can't even begin to imagine the tension that must have been felt on both sides as the world very nearly went down the path of a full on nuclear conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and it didn't come to that, but hearing about stories from older folks about how they had to do duck and cover drills in school to prepare them for the possibility of a nuclear strike, is absolutely mind blowing. While it never heated up, and it's impossible to stress enough how much of a good thing that is, the Cold War could still be considered to be ongoing, especially considering the open aggression displayed by Russia on the world stage today. I think there will always be a stark contrast between the east and the west, but I don't think it is impossible for us to work together in order to make the world a better place and to keep everyone safe.