The signs that a war ended prevailed in 1945; the world settled into the quiet rhythm that comes while slowly piecing itself back together, letting the dust settle after World War II, a war that would change history forever. Out of the dust would rise two superpowers: the young, communist U.S.S.R. and the well-respected, democratic U.S. Both would strive to assert their dominance in this newly reorganized world, resulting in the longest-lasting nonviolent war in history. The war would involve close to forty years of high-stakes espionage, diplomatic relations, and nuclear threats, but would end with little struggle under new leadership. Despite an uneventful end, four primary stimulating factors prolonged the Cold War: small skirmishes called “proxy wars,” such as the Korean and Vietnamese Wars, the Arms Race, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and tensions in Germany. …show more content…
an idea that had existed since the beginning of time, to a whole new level. The Korean War began on the morning of June 25, 1950, with North Korea plowing through the 38th Parallel, the line set to divide the opposing North and South (The Korean War, 1950-1953). Withdrawing in 1949, American forces encouraged the South to set up and run their own democracy, but at the first signs of trouble the U.N. started to encourage its members to back the South with military action. The Allies soon swept in to fight on the South Korean side, led by American General Douglas MacArthur. Despite the increased support, many felt the attempt seemed futile; many of the South Korean and American soldiers never received proper training and had less powerful and advanced weaponry than the North Koreans. However, they continued to fight, slowly making progress against the word of