When did the Cold War end?

Question

I always thought it was when the USSR disolved in 1991, but I have also seen it listed as 1989 when the berlin wall fell. Any ideas/insight?

Answer 1

The fall of the wall was merely symbolic. Like the first Moon landing.

The catalyst was a US President who wouldn't back down, and a Soviet leader who decided not to push the button.

However, all wars are like diplomatic situations; they do not exist in isolation. The fall of the Ottoman Empire flowed into WW1, which in turn flowed into WW 2 which in turn led to WW 3 (the Cold War). The current activity in Iraq, Iran, Israel, Syria, the Serbia/Bosnia, etc., are all related to the death of the Ottoman Empire and the battles fought since then, and centuries of conflict before that.

Wars are like a continuum. They seldom have a start or stop date.

Answer 2

Some say it was the Polish solidarity union activity the catalyst. Others think the in-statement of a Polish Pope was the beginning of the end especially when he visited his homeland with the world press at his heels.

Both events surely gave attention and meaning to the goings on in Russia but there was only one signal to the world that it was over, when the wall came tumbling down.

I'll never forget the face of a German associate while we watch live coverage of people tearing down the wall with the soldiers just looking on. It was over!

Quotation from the Ayn Rand Institute:
The 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin Wall is November 9. This event is widely taken to symbolize two things: the demise of Communism, and the global triumph of political freedom and capitalism. Unfortunately, the second belief is false. http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5142&news_iv_ctrl=1085

Answer 3

From 1945 to 1991, the Cold War dominated international affairs. The global competition between the United States and the Soviet Union took many forms: political, economic, ideological, cultural. At times the constant arms race burst into armed conflict. But overshadowing all was the threat of nuclear war.

Answer 4

Oh my poor misguided friend, you were a little wrong. On this issue, I feel we need to look back at our friend Stephen Colbert and his word, "truthiness".

In case we all don't know, truthiness is defined as knowing something through intuition, instinct, or a "gut-feeling" without having any regard to evidence, support, logic, intellectual examination, or actual facts.

So sure, we could look in "books" and say that the USSR dissolved in 1991, or we could look in our hearts and agree that the Cold War really ended when the good people of Luxembourg or where ever the Berlin Wall was decided that it needed to have a good topplin' down.

Personally, I think when Gorbachev started sweating bullets and his birthmark disappeared into the red of his face was a good decider that the Cold War had ended.

Anyone disagree?

...

I didn't think so. America rules!

Answer 5

in 1989 when the berlin wall was torn down, most historians mark this as the official end to the cold war. after this all arms escalation ceased between u.s.a. and the soviet union, lines of dialogue began opening up more than they had been since before wwII, and the end was fully realized with the inevitable collapse of the soviet union.

Answer 6

its when the USSR fell, the Berlin Wall going down was the catalyst to the end

Answer 7

It ended when Al Gore said Global warming started.

Answer 8

when the wall came tumbling down