What was the Cold War?

The Cold War was a political and militaristic conflict between two of the world superpowers at the time, the United States (along with the support of NATO) and the Eastern Bloc, which was dominated by the Soviet Union. The war lasted from 1947-1991, with the Berlin Wall falling two years prior. This was a symbol to most of the world that the Cold War had finally ended.

So how did it all begin?

At the end of WWII the alliance between the United States, Great Britain, and the U.S.S.R. was disbanded. The intense rivalry between the non-communist and the communist nations led to dispute about the division of Germany. Germany ended up being divided by France, the United States, Britain, and the U.S.S.R. Due to the inability to agree on the re-unification of Germany, the Cold War thus commenced, creating an "iron curtain" throughout Europe.