View source for Virginia and US History SOL map study: 20th century wars

== Cold War ==

* 1945-1991, between Communist Russia / Soviet Union and its allies and the U.S. and its allies
* called a "cold" war because the USSR and the US never fought each other directly
** "hot" wars erupted between either side and another ally, but never directly against one another
* however, the threat of war was always present
** especially nuclear war
** see
*** "arms race'"
*** MAD theory